Irving: 'It's been a very, very weird season'
Times are strange in 2017, and Kyrie Irving knows this not just because he started a pointless NBA discussion about the Earth being flat. His Cleveland Cavaliers have had an up-and-down season, and Irving says the difference versus last year's championship squad is significant.
"There's no comparison, man," Irving said after Cleveland's loss to the Denver Nuggets Wednesday, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "Last year compared to this year ... it wouldn't be fair ... none of that shit matters. We're trying to go into the playoffs as healthy as possible. Everybody is getting back. It's been a very, very weird season for all of us. Injuries here and there. Things to figure out. New player trades and stuff like that."
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Through 70 games last season, the Cavs were 50-20 and comfortably in first place in the Eastern Conference. Today, they are 46-24 and only one game ahead of the second-place Boston Celtics.
Injuries to key players aren't dissimilar though: Last season, Irving only played 62 games and didn't begin his season until close to Christmas. This season, Kevin Love sat out a 13-game stretch in February and March. That lack of continuity, along with additions of players like Kyle Korver, could account for the Cavs' noticeable struggles on defense this season, but Irving isn't worried.
"We'll figure it out," Irving said. "I'm not concerned, though. These guys, our culture that is built here now over the last three years has been very great and something that we can all lean on to. We just got to stay more connected and just be there for one another, and we'll be all right."