Kyrie Irving is the Closest Thing to Kobe Bryant in the NBA

Kyrie Irving dropped a career-high 57 points two nights ago to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 128-125 overtime win against the defending champion San Antonio Spurs. Yes you read that correctly. Kyrie Irving, not LeBron James, led the way to a Cavaliers victory with a monster performance.

The 22-year-old point guard who played just 11 games at Duke, and is only in his fourth season in the league torched the world champion Spurs for the most points by a single player in the Greg Popovich era. Whether you hate or love the Cavaliers, you can't help but be in awe of Irving's performance last night. He knocked down 20 of 32 field goal attempts, all seven 3-point shots, and all 10 free throw attempts while being guarded by just about every member of the Spurs roster. He showed no shyness or lack of confidence, expecting the ball on every possession, and was never hesitant or indecisive.



With Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant out for the season due to a torn right rotator cuff, the NBA has been looking for someone to emulate his cold-blooded killer instinct night after night. James Harden and Russell Westbrook come to mind, and even Bryant himself has said that the latter plays angry like he did when he was younger.

But there is something about Irving that just seems comparable to the future Hall-of-Famer. The 22-year-old is even the first player since, you guessed it, Bryant, to have multiple 55-point games in a season. He also credited Bryant with helping him with contested shots, stating that he "Learned from Kobe to just point his elbow at the rim and let the ball go."

Irving's performance mirrors that of one Bryant had back in 2007, when he scored 65 points to lead the Lakers to a 116-111 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. The "Black Mamba" tallied 31 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, hitting ridiculous shot after ridiculous to will his team to a win, much like Irving did last night.



Irving also has the competitiveness and swagger that fans love about Bryant, as evidence by their exchange before the 2012 Olympics. The then reigning Rookie of the Year came up to a man who had won back-to-back titles just two years earlier and challenged him to a game of one-on-one. This wasn't a joke or false challenge. Irving stated that Bryant would have to guard him and continued, saying "You would not lock me up." He refused to back down when the elder statesmen told him it wasn't a good idea, even offering up 50,000 dollars to the winner's charity to sweeten the pot.



One thing is clear- Kyrie Irving is a bad man, and is only getting better. No, I am not saying that he is a top-five player in the league or some amazing God of basketball. Rather, his intangibles and desire to win rival that of a legend like Bryant. Irving will get his first taste of the playoffs come April, and that will be his biggest test. The 36-year-old has five NBA titles, and has had many big games in the postseason.

LeBron James will not be able to carry the team on his own when the Cavs run up against opponents like the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks. It will be on Irving to prove his true value when it matters most. If he can put up 57 points against one of the best defensive teams in the league, anything is possible. It's time to sit back, relax and get your popcorn ready.

Is Kyrie Irving the player most like Kobe Bryant in the NBA today?
If not, who do you think is? Comment below.

2014-15 NBA Standings 

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*All stats/facts courtesy of ESPN/Basketball Reference 

*Quotes courtesy of: https://twitter.com/EthanJSkolnick 

Nightly Recap- Feb. 8

Top Performances

Kyrie Irving (Cleveland PG)- Tallied 28 points, 10 assists and four rebounds in a 120-105 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Irving had his way with rookie Jordan Clarkson Sunday, shooting 10-14 from the field, and hitting five 3-pointers in the win. It also marked his first double-double in three weeks, a good sign for Cavs fans.

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Kevin Love (Cleveland PF/C)- Recorded 32 points and 10 rebounds in the Cavs' win over the Lakers on Sunday afternoon. Love had a dominant game against a weakend Los Angeles frontcourt, and has now scored over 20 points in 3 of his last 6 games. He is starting to find his rythym with teammates LeBron James and Irving.

Al Jefferson (Charlotte C)- Tallied 30 points and 13 rebounds in a 103-102 loss to the Indiana Pacers. Jefferson had his best game in the last two weeks, hitting 13-22 field goal attempts. He continues to be one of the best offensive big men in the game, and is one of the only players keeping the Hornets afloat with all of their injuries.

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James Harden (Houston SG)- Scored 45 points and grabbed nine rebounds in a 109-98 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. Harden tied his season-high in points, and hit 11 of 25 field goal attempts, while making 19 of his 23 shots at the foul line. He also added in eight assists in the loss.

Play of the Night

Sacramento Kings' center DeMarcus Cousins hit the game-winning jumper at the buzzer to beat the Phoenix Suns 85-83 on Sunday. The shot received a friendly bounce of off the back iron before falling, but broke the Kings' three game losing streak. "Boogie" finished with 28 points, 12 rebounds and two steals in the win.

Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5u-fW7iYXc

2014-15 NBA Standings 

Check out bunow.com for local and national stories will by Bloomsburg University students.

Follow me on twitter @Lower_Merion33

*All stats courtesy of ESPN 

Nightly Recap- Jan. 28

Top Performances 

Kyrie Irving (Cleveland PG)- Erupted for 55 points, including 11 3-pointers in a 99-94 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. The 55 points were not only a career-high for Irving, but also the most in the NBA this season, surpassing Klay Thompson's 52 points from last week. For the game, he hit 17-36 field goal attempts, and 10-10 from the foul line. Irving will need to step up in games where LeBron James is out due to rest or injury, and he is proving that he is more than capable of doing so for Cleveland.

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LaMarcus Aldridge (Portland PF)- Tallied 38 points and 11 rebounds in a 99-94 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Aldridge scored early and often against Cleveland, and did all he could to give them a chance to win, but it wasn't enough as Irving had a career-night. He has scored 64 points in his  two games since deciding to delay thumb surgery, and is looking like one of the best big men in the NBA.

Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City PG)- Scored 40 points in a 100-92 loss against the New York Knicks. With Kevin Durant sitting out once again, Westbrook took charge of the offense, shooting 13-30 from the field, while grabbing four rebounds and dishing out four assists. For the Thunder to make it into the playoffs, they will have to win games against much weaker teams like the Knicks on a nightly basis.

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Paul Millsap (Atlanta PF)- Recorded 28 points and 15 rebounds in a 113-102 win over the Brooklyn Nets. Millsap only took nine field goal attempts (5-9 FG), but hit 15 of 16 from the foul line to give him his third consecutive 20-point game. It also marked his second double-double in three games.

Play of the Night

Check out Kyrie Irving's incredible 55-point night in a win over the Trail Blazers.

Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF9Uth2ToJk 

2014-15 NBA Standings 

Check out bunow.com for local and national stories will by Bloomsburg University students.

Follow me on twitter @Lower_Merion33

*All stats courtesy of ESPN 

Nightly Recap- Jan. 27

Top Performances

Kyire Irving (Cleveland PG)- Dropped 38 points and six assists in a 103-95 win over the Detroit Pistons. Irving shot 13-23 from the field, and hit six 3-pointer in the Cavs' seventh straight win. He put up at least 37 points for the third time this month, and appears to be finding his rhythm alongside teammate LeBron James.

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Pau Gasol (Chicago PF/C)- Recorded 18 points, 16 rebounds and eight assists in a 113-111 overtime win over the Golden State Warriors. Gasol also chipped in four blocks and shot 7-12 from the field in the thrilling win. He continues to produce double-doubles, recording one in his last seven games.

Joakim Noah (Chicago C)- Posted a line of 18 points, 15 rebounds and six assists in the Bulls' win over the Warriors on Tuesday night. It was one of Noah's best games of the season, as he also shot 7-12 from the field, and played over 30 minutes for the first time in about two weeks.

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John Wall (Washington PG)- Tallied 21 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds in a 98-92 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Wall shot 8-12 from the field, and would've scored even more points if not for an uncharacteristically poor night at the foul line (5-12 FT). It marked his second straight double-double, and his fourth in his last five contests.

Klay Thompson (Golden State SG)- Scored 30 points and pulled down 10 rebounds in the Warriors' loss to the Bulls. Thompson hit four 3-pointers and recorded his first double-double of the season. Over his last three games, he is averaging 37.7 points and six 3-pointers on 58% shooting from the field.

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Plays of the Night

Warriors point guard Steph Curry channeled his inner Magic Johnson Tuesday night, throwing a no-look over-the-shoulder pass to David Lee for a slam dunk in the fourth quarter of their overtime loss to the Bulls.

Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KO-RvacCd9w

Rose Hits Game-Winning Jumper

Bulls' point guard Derrick Rose stepped back and hit the game-winning jumper over Klay Thompson with under 10 seconds to play on Tuesday night. Rose finished the game with 33 points, seven rebounds and an astounding 11 turnovers.

Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IpLKdTPXdE

2014-15 NBA Standings 

Check out bunow.com for local and national stories will by Bloomsburg University students.

Follow me on twitter @Lower_Merion33

*All stats courtesy of ESPN

Daily Recap- Dec. 4

Who Was Hot

Kyrie Irving (Cleveland PG)- Scored a game-high 37 points on 12-18 shooting in a 90-87 win over the New York Knicks. Irving was instrumental in the Cavs win,

Anthony Davis (New Orleans PF/C)- Registered 30 points, 15 rebounds and three blocked shots in the Pelicans' loss to the Warriors. Davis continues to absolutely any and all competition he faces, and is one of the clear favorites for not only the MVP award, but also the Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) award.

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Stephen Curry (Golden State PG)- Curry was at it again Thursday, as he scored 19 points (8-17 FG) and dished out 11 assists in a 112-85 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. He has been a crucial part of the Warriors 11-game win streak, and continues to make a compelling case for the MVP award.

Tim Hardaway Jr. (New York SG)- Scored 20 points on 8-14 shooting, and hit four 3-pointers in  only 22 minutes of action during the Knicks loss to the Cavs. It was a nice showing for Hardaway Jr, as he scored over 20 points for the first time in almost two weeks. If the Knicks have any hope of getting on track, he will have to start consistently scoring the basketball in order to relieve pressure from teammate Carmelo Anthony.

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Who Was Not

Ryan Anderson (New Orleans PF)- Had a quiet night, tallying only four points on 2-9 shooting in the Pelicans' loss to the Warriors. It was a big drop off from the game before, as Anderson had 23 points and 11 rebounds against OKC, but should be considered nothing more than a bump in the road for the talented sixth man.

Tyreke Evans (New Orlenas SG/SF)- Struggled shooting the ball Thursday, scoring 11 points on 4-15 shooting the New Orleans loss. Evans also turned the ball over seven times in what just a bad night for most Pelicans' players.

Play of the Night

Knicks' power forward/center Aamre Stoudemire turned back the clocks on Thursday, posterizing Cavs center Anderson Varejao. Although it came in a losing effort, the dunk certainly got the fans on their feat and excited. Stoudemire has been playing well this year, averaging 13.1 points and 7.9 rebounds per game.

Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_y-qt1IHrfI

Daily Recap- Nov. 29

Who Was Hot

Marcin Gortat (Washington C)- Posted a double-double of 24 points and 13 rebounds in an 83-80 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. Gortat outplayed his counterpart Anthony Davis in most facets of the game, recording two steals and four blocks in the win.

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Tyson Chandler (Dallas C)- Tallied 20 points and 13 rebounds in a 110-103 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Chandler posted his third straight double-double, hitting 7 of 9 shots, and also recorded four steals.

James Harden (Houston SG)- Dominated Saturday night, scoring 34 points on 9 of 14 shooting in a 117-103 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. Harden continues to put up strong performances, and is averaging 25.2 points, 6.8 assists and 6.2 rebounds per game this season.

Kyrie Irving (Cleveland PG)- Put up a double-double of 24 points and 10 rebounds in a 109-97 win against the Indiana Pacers. Irving was all over the place grabbing rebounds, and also chipped in five assists and three blocks.

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Michael Carter-Williams (Philadelphia PG)- Recorded his third career triple-double in the 76ers' loss to the Mavericks on Saturday. MCW scored 18 points, dished out 16 assists and grabbed 10 rebounds, once again showing off his athleticism and versatility.

Who Was Not

Enes Kanter (Utah C)- Tallied just six points and two rebounds in a 112-96 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday night. Kanter has shown flashes of dominance this season, but continues to be very inconsistent for the Jazz.

Al Jefferson (Charlotte C)- Scored only 11 points and grabbed just three rebounds in a 105-75 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. The Hornets were down big early and that limited Jefferson's playing time, but he was not very effective during his time on the court, much like the rest of the team.

Play of the Night

Giannis Antetokounmpo threw down a dunk over Bulls' power forward Taj Gibson on Saturday night, showcasing his length and athleticism.

Daily Recap- Nov. 15.

Who Was Hot

Damian Lillard (Portland PG)- Scored 28 points and dropped 10 assists in a 97-87 win over the Brooklyn Nets Saturday. Lillard had an efficient night, hitting 8-14 field goals, and four 3-pointers for Portland.

Source- http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/nba/players/full/6606.png&w=350&h=254 

Kyrie Irving/LeBron James (Cleveland PG/SF)- The duo combined for 52 points (Kyrie- 20, James-32) in a 127-94 win over the Atlanta Hawks. James chipped in seven assists and six rebounds, while Irving hit four 3-pointers in the win.

Kevin Martin (Minnesota SG)- Scored 34 points on 12-17 shooting in a 131-117 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. It was arguably one of Martin's best games of the year, unfortunately coming in a loss.

Source- http://www.rantsports.com/nba/files/2013/11/KEVIN-MARTIN.jpg 

Who Was Not 

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (Detroit SG)- Scored only two points on 1-11 shooting in a 95-88 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.

Marcus/Markieff Morris (Phoenix SF/PF)- The Morris twins combined to score eight points on 3-19 shooting in a 120-107 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Kemba Walker (Charlotte PG)- Shot 3-14 from the field, scoring only eight points in a 112-87 loss to the Golden State Warriors.