National Basketball Association

Brooklyn Nets' Kyrie Irving proving he's a 'different breed' this season

Published Mar. 13, 2021 10:01 a.m. ET

Kyrie Irving is demanding his share of the spotlight.

The Brooklyn Nets' guard erupted for 40 points in a 121-109 win over the Boston Celtics on Thursday in the Nets' first game back from the All-Star break, and against his former team, Irving was so masterful that the fans at Brooklyn's Barclays Center burst into MVP chants.

The scoring explosion also prompted a reaction from members of the NBA community, who were left in awe of Irving's on-court brilliance.

That included retired center Kendrick Perkins ...

... and Irving's All-Star teammate James Harden, who proclaimed Irving a "different breed" after the game.

That kind of scoring display is nothing new for Irving, whose career is littered with offensive outbursts such as Thursday's.

In fact, his 40-point performance against the Celtics came almost exactly six years after one of the most dominant performances of his career, a 57-point opus against the San Antonio Spurs on March 12, 2015.

But even given his résumé, featuring an NBA championship, seven All-Star Game appearances and eight seasons averaging at least 20 points per game, we haven't quite seen this version of Irving.

He has taken his game to new heights in his eighth season, averaging career highs in scoring (27.7), field-goal percentage (51.6%) and 3-point percentage (42%).

He has also played in more games than Harden (24) and Kevin Durant (19) for the Nets this season.

This consistency from Irving, as well as elevated play by even his lofty standards, has warranted some thought that he should be in the MVP conversation.

One of the biggest believers is ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, who detailed the case for Irving on "First Take."

"We've been talking about [Joel] Embiid. We've been talking about James Harden. We've been talking about LeBron James. Kyrie Irving has to be on the league MVP list. The brother is a showstopper. Let's just call it what it is. I think that Kyrie Irving, right now, is the greatest show in the NBA."

The Nets have two former NBA MVPs in the forms of Harden and Durant. With Irving playing at the highest level of his career, it gives the team three MVP-caliber players.

Irving might be up to some of the same tricks this season, captivating fans with his otherworldly skills on the court. But he also appears to be different — maybe a "different breed" of the dominant player he has always been.

If that is the case, good luck to the rest of the league in trying to stop him and the Nets the rest of the way.