While Scottie Barnes had just equalized at 116 everywhere in free throws, Jacque Vaughn had designed the winning system for Kevin Durant. Except that the winger wanted to leave it at Kyrie Irving…
“He was already shining so I didn’t want to get in his way” explained KD. “We continued to serve him at the end. He took some big shots so I said, ‘Jacque, I think Ky should have it’. »
Kyrie Irving had already scored 12 points in the fourth quarter, and Kevin Durant explains that his duel against Fred VanVleet allowed him to get a good one-on-one shot.
“I’m not saying he’s a bad defender, but they’re the same size. He didn’t have Barnes and his 2m06 on him, or even a 1m96 guy with height to get in his way. So I felt like he could get what he wanted, especially since they weren’t going to do a two-up on the racket, because he could beat that. So you just had to let him do his one-on-one and it was a very, very special shot.”
“He has a form of inner peace and composure that you have to have in these situations, so as not to panic”
Inevitably, Kyrie Irving appreciates.
“It comes with the confidence that we are building here. Jacque had set up a system but me and K (Kevin Durant), we discussed and decided to change the system for me. A good duel with Fred. We got the best of him this time. Who would have thought that I would come to Toronto to score my first career buzzer beater? We can pray that there will be more in the future, but I am happy with this victory. »
Because if the leader of the Nets has already scored decisive shots (including his famous basket during Game 7 of the 2016 Finals), it is indeed his first “buzzer beater” since his arrival in the NBA. For Jacque Vaughn, his talent on one-on-one and his calm with the ball also make him a weapon of choice in decisive moments.
“He has a form of inner peace and composure that you have to have in these situations, so as not to panic” concludes the coach. “And he has an innate ability to find his spots. He wants to rise, to create space, with balance. And for a guy his size, doing that against taller or shorter guys, it’s pretty innate. »
| Kyrie Irving | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2011-12 | KEY | 51 | 31 | 46.9 | 39.9 | 87.2 | 0.9 | 2.9 | 3.8 | 5.4 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 3.1 | 0.4 | 18.5 |
| 2012-13 | KEY | 59 | 35 | 45.2 | 39.1 | 85.5 | 0.6 | 3.1 | 3.7 | 5.9 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 3.2 | 0.4 | 22.5 |
| 2013-14 | KEY | 71 | 35 | 43.0 | 35.8 | 86.1 | 0.7 | 2.9 | 3.7 | 6.1 | 2.3 | 1.5 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 20.8 |
| 2014-15 | KEY | 75 | 36 | 46.8 | 41.5 | 86.3 | 0.7 | 2.4 | 3.2 | 5.2 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 2.5 | 0.3 | 21.7 |
| 2015-16 | KEY | 53 | 32 | 44.8 | 32.2 | 88.5 | 0.8 | 2.1 | 3.0 | 4.7 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 2.3 | 0.3 | 19.6 |
| 2016-17 | KEY | 72 | 35 | 47.3 | 40.1 | 90.5 | 0.7 | 2.5 | 3.2 | 5.8 | 2.2 | 1.2 | 2.5 | 0.3 | 25.2 |
| 2017-18 | BOS | 60 | 32 | 49.1 | 40.8 | 88.9 | 0.6 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 5.1 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 2.3 | 0.3 | 24.4 |
| 2018-19 | BOS | 67 | 33 | 48.7 | 40.1 | 87.3 | 1.1 | 3.9 | 5.0 | 6.9 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 2.6 | 0.5 | 23.8 |
| 2019-20 | BRK | 20 | 33 | 47.8 | 39.4 | 92.2 | 1.1 | 4.1 | 5.2 | 6.4 | 2.7 | 1.4 | 2.6 | 0.5 | 27.4 |
| 2020-21 | BRK | 54 | 35 | 50.6 | 40.2 | 92.2 | 1.0 | 3.8 | 4.8 | 6.0 | 2.6 | 1.4 | 2.4 | 0.7 | 26.9 |
| 2021-22 | BRK | 29 | 38 | 46.9 | 41.8 | 91.5 | 0.6 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 5.8 | 2.8 | 1.4 | 2.5 | 0.6 | 27.5 |
| 2022-23 | BRK | 20 | 37 | 47.9 | 32.7 | 91.8 | 0.9 | 4.0 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 2.7 | 0.9 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 25.3 |
| Total | 631 | 34 | 47.0 | 39.0 | 88.4 | 0.8 | 3.1 | 3.9 | 5.7 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 23.1 | |
