Kyrie Irving, who turned 20 years old on Friday, is not only one of the youngest players in the NBA. He's also one of the best.
The rookie point guard, who has assumed the moniker "Mr. Fourth Quarter," is averaging 19 points, 5.7 assists and 1.0 steals in 41 games this season. Irving is the centerpiece of the franchise, the player the Cavs will build their team around.
More importantly, the Cavs finally have a closer, a player who lives for taking the last shot. Unlike his predecessor (LeBron James), who did everything in his power to find an open man in late-game situations, the 6-foot-3, 191-pound Irving wants the ball.
Irving's 19-footer was off the mark with 0.9 seconds left in the Cavs' 103-102 overtime loss to Atlanta on Wednesday.
"I thought my shot at the end was in, but it's the law of averages," he said. "They are not all going to go in."
Coach Byron Scott said earlier in the season Irving has the perfect temperament for the last-second heroics. And, if he misses, he's not afraid to be the goat.
He's a big-time player who seems to get better when the game is on the line. His fourth-quarter scoring fully illustrates that.
Irving had nine of his team-high 29 points in the fourth quarter of the Hawks game. He added seven more in overtime.
He's averaging 8.9 points in the fourth quarter, first in the NBA, since Feb. 29. In the fourth quarters in that 11-game stretch, he's shooting 61.1 percent from the field, 46.7 percent from the three-point line and 89.3 percent from the line. Now, one can see why he's become Mr. Fourth Quarter.
The Rookie of the Year favorite had 13 points and six assists in the Cavs' 93-80 loss to Orlando on Friday. The Cavs will try to get back on the winning track on Sunday against Phoenix.
NOTES, QUOTES
Walton, Casspi candidates for buyouts
--Two potential buyout candidates this summer are F Luke Walton and F Omri Casspi. Walton might be reluctant to take anything less than the $6.1 million he's owed because he's a minimum player -- at best -- at this stage of his career. Casspi is owed $2.3 million next year. He could return to Europe, which might be his best option.
--Key your eye on the Cavs' summer-league team in Las Vegas in July. The Cavs ought to be very good with G Kyrie Irving, F-C Tristan Thompson, G Manny Harris and G Donald Sloan. Don't be shocked if Irving is picked to scrimmage against the U.S. Olympic team that will train in Las Vegas after summer league. Irving declined an invitation to play for the Australian Olympic team this summer in London. He'd be a candidate to play for the U.S. team in 2016.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "He's pretty smart. He knows how to play the game. He understands basketball. Being in that family all his life (he is the son of Hall of Fame center Bill Walton), it's pretty obvious that he has a (high) basketball IQ." -- Cavs coach Byron Scott, on newly-acquired forward Luke Walton.
ROSTER REPORT
PLAYER NOTES:
--The Cavs could do a lot worse than having F Alonzo Gee as their starting small forward. He had nine points, a career-high 13 rebounds (four offensive) and four assists in 39 minutes against the Hawks. In 14 games as a starter this season, Gee is averaging 13.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.1 steals. Perhaps the two leading candidates for Most Improved Player were on the court on Friday in Gee and Magic F Ryan Anderson. Anderson might emerge as the leader, but Gee is a legitimate candidate.
--When F Luke Walton was traded to the Cavs at the deadline, he had appeared in only nine games with the Los Angeles Lakers. He wasn't in Lakers coach Mike Brown's rotation. He had missed about a week before the deadline with being sick. He made his Cavs' debut on Friday. The 6-8 forward was scoreless in three minutes.
--C Anderson Varejao, who fractured his right wrist on Feb. 10 against Milwaukee, has missed the last 20 games, counting the Orlando contest on Friday. The Cavs report that the 6-foot-11, 260-pounder is expected to begin practicing the first or second week in April. If that's the case, he might return to game action with about 10 games remaining in the regular season. Doctors estimated he'd miss four-to-six weeks when the injury occurred. Friday marked six weeks since he was injured. The minimum he'll miss is around eight or nine weeks. The Cavs say the 29-year-old Varejao has made "good progress in his healing process." He continues to receive treatment at the Cleveland Clinic. Varejao has begun the rehabilitation phase of his recovery process, as he works toward a return to basic basketball activities over the next two weeks. Some thought he'd be held out the rest of the season to enhance the Cavs' standing in the draft. His status will be reviewed and updated as appropriate following further imaging and evaluation at the end of March. Varejao was having his best NBA season when he was hurt. He averaged 10.8 points and 11.5 rebounds in 25 games.
MEDICAL WATCH:
--C Anderson Varejao (broken right wrist) was injured in the Milwaukee game on Feb. 10. He'll miss around eight or nine weeks.
