After New York City Mayor Eric Adams reversed the vaccine mandate for athletes in the city, Kyrie Irving is now able to play home games at the Barclays Center. Irving will eligible to make his season home debut on Sunday against the Hornets. Everyone knows about how important this news is for the playoffs, but the timing for the Nets’ end of season push is an underrated, critical factor. The Nets are currently trying to hold on to their 8th seed so that they would have two chances in the play-in games to secure their spot in the postseason. The last nine games can make or break their championship aspirations.
As for the playoff implications, Kyrie Irving will be able to play every game in a series. However, the play-in game situation is a little murkier. As of now, Brooklyn would be playing in Toronto in a battle to earn the seventh seed. That is the one city Irving remains not eligible to play in. In order to avoid that scenario, the Nets will either need to pass the Raptors in the final nine games of the season, which is unlikely given their position of being three games back, or they need the Raptors to pass the Cavaliers (those two teams are currently tied in the standings).
In the worst-case scenario of playing in Toronto, the Nets will have a good shot given that they still have Kevin Durant. However, the Raptors are well-coached and play tenacious defense. If the Nets were to lose, they would still then play at home versus the Hornets or Hawks to clinch the last seed.
Overall, as long as the Nets hold on to a top eight seed, you have to like their chances. In their remaining schedule, they have games against the Pistons, Rockets, Knicks, and Pacers. All of those games have to be won. Sunday’s game versus the Hornets will be of utmost importance in their push to maintain their position in the standings. But despite the Nets’ loss to the Grizzlies last night, the news of Irving’s eligibility to return to the Barclays Center made yesterday a great day to be a Nets fan.
For more NBA coverage, click here.
