Cleveland Cavaliers star guard Kyrie Irving was supposed to be the next big thing to happen in the league after making last year's All-Star team. However, his play as of late has been anything but impressive and just last Friday night, the third-year player went scoreless against the Atlanta Hawks.
Ohio.com is reporting that Irving's recent play has not only caught the attention of fans and teammates, but also executives from various teams. Two league executives offered an explanation for the guard's struggles: "He's pouting."
Asked about his shooting woes, Irving said: "I'm not shooting the best this year, but I'm getting the shots that I want and that's all you can ask for. You can look back and try to fix things, but at the end of the day I play off instincts. Sometimes I'm out there thinking too much, but you've just got to play basketball. The confidence level has to remain the same for myself and my teammates."
To be fair, defenses have prepared for Irving ever since he broke out as an All-Star last year. Teams are now running more double teams at him while big men are awaiting for his daredevil drives to the basket. Still, many observers are wondering why Irving is missing even wide open shots, including free throws and lay-ups.
As a result, the Cavs are struggling mightily at the start of the season with a disappointing 6-13 record. This was a team, after all, that was expected to make the playoffs, and even give Eastern Conference powerhouses like the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers a run for their money.
But Cavs coach Mike Brown downplayed Irving's shooting woes saying his star will eventually break out of his slump. "I'm not worried about his shot," Brown said. "It's fine. He's going to make enough shots, he's going to score enough points for us to win games."
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