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Kyrie Irving is a fierce competitor, and is one of the best ball handlers in NBA history. Despite his prowess, not every game has ended in a win for him.
The Cleveland Cavaliers selected Kyrie Irving in the 2011 NBA draft with the first overall pick. He played a crucial role in bringing a championship to the city. Although the Cavs endured several losses in NBA Finals, they broke through in a record-breaking series to clinch their first and only NBA title thus far.
Irving is one of the most polarizing active NBA players, but that does not take anything away from his abilities. He is currently being called out by many for leaving his team to dry because of his refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccination. That has made him ineligible to play in New York.
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The Brooklyn Nets are 2-3 on the season, but things could have been different if Kyrie Irving was playing. Nevertheless, it doesn't take away from the fact that teams have lost by wide margins even with Uncle Drew on the floor.
On that note, here are the five worst losses endured by Kyrie Irving in his career so far.
#5 37-point loss against the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2011-12 regular season
Kyrie Irving had an outstanding rookie season for a 19-year-old, but that didn't translate to success for the Cavs. He averaged 18.5 points, but the team won only 21 games in the shortened season due to a lockout.
The Cavs hosted the Milwaukee Bucks on March 20, 2012, but endured a chastening defeat. Kyrie Irving pulled his weight, recording 29 points, three rebounds and five assists, but that was not enough to win his team the game on the night. It was one of many blowout losses the Cavs suffered that season.
#4 39-point loss against the Chicago Bulls in the 2011-12 regular season
The Chicago Bulls and the Cavs met three times in the 2011-12 regular season, and the Bulls, led by Derrick Rose, brought out the brooms. Although all three losses were by large margins, the one game in which Kyrie Irving featured had the largest point differential.
Perhaps Kyrie Irving could have impacted the game more had he played more minutes. He was on the court for only 22 minutes, and registered 13 points on 3-of-4 shooting from beyond the arc. It was the biggest losing margin for the Cavs that season.
#3 22-point loss against the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of the 2017 NBA Finals
Kyrie Irving and the Cavs locked horns on several occasions with the Golden State Warriors. The 2017 NBA Finals was one of many such occasions. At one point, the rivalry between the Golden State Warriors and the Cavs was such that both teams featured in the NBA Finals between 2015 and 2018.
On their way to the NBA Finals in 2017, the Cavs only lost one game, a narrow loss against the Boston Celtics in the conference finals. But the Warriors humbled the Cavs with a 22-point victory, and there was not much Kyrie Irving could do about it.
The Warriors were set on seeking revenge for their 2016 Finals defeat. The Cavs had prevented them from being the best team in NBA history, as the Warriors failed to top their 73-9 run regular-season run with the championship. Kyrie Irving and the Cavs recovered from a 3-1 deficit to win the series.
#2 25-point loss against the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 5 of the 2019 ECS
Kyrie Irving and the Boston Celtics were 3-1 down in the 2019 NBA playoffs Eastern Conference semi-finals against the Bucks. They needed a win to extend their stay in the competition. Unfortunately, they could not match up with the offensive firepower of the Bucks.
It was a close affair in the first quarter, but the Bucks started to develop a healthy lead in the second quarter, finishing the first half with a 13-point lead. Kyrie Irving was non-existent for the Celtics in the second half, having scored 13 of his 15 points in the first.
Nothing dropped for Irving, as he shot a measly 28.6% from the field. He also failed to create for his teammates, as he made only one assist throughout the game.
#1 33-point loss against the Golden State Warriors in Game 2 of the 2016 NBA Finals
The Cavaliers won the 2016 NBA title, but it was a long and hard fight against the 73-9 GSW. The Warriors won game two by 33 points, where Kyrie Irving recorded his worst scoring tally of the 2016 postseason in that clash.
It was a show of dominance from the Warriors, who were the favorites to win the title. Despite losing the first two games, Irving went on a scoring spree, scoring almost as many points as LeBron James in the series.
The Cavs set a record as the first team to overturn a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals. Kyrie Irving hoisted his first and only NBA title so far in his career, after a Game 7 victory in the 2016 Finals.
