Kyrie irving: I’m standing for freedom; there’s nobody that’s enslaving me

“I’m standing for freedom,” Irving said. “So that’s in all facets of my life. There’s nobody that’s enslaving me, there’s nobody that’s telling me what I’m going to do with my life, and that’s just the way I am. If I get tarnished in terms of my image and people try to slander my name continuously, those aren’t things that I forget. I haven’t forgotten anything that anybody said. I don’t read everything, but I definitely read some things that put my family’s name in a certain position that I believe are unfair.
Source: Nick Friedell @ ESPN

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Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
The Nets lost on Sunday night — but Kyrie believes he made history just by being out on the floor.
espn.com/nba/story/_/id… – 2:10 AM

Dave Early @DavidEarly
“Mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually, it felt OK
[his home debut in Brooklyn], but just the jump shot wasn’t falling tonight….not the result we wanted, but definitely grateful that we were part of history tonight and I got to do it here.”
-Kyrie Irving
#NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/McNOuutWje – 11:03 PM

Dave Early @DavidEarly
“I’m just glad it’s done, I’m just glad it’s done. I played my first home game and I know the next one will be a lot better.”
-Kyrie Irving on feeling some extra anticipation playing in his first home game.
#NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/VCXNQ4cRLH – 10:59 PM

Dave Early @DavidEarly
“The point of this season for me was never to just take a stand. It was really to make sure that I’m standing on what I believe in and freedom….to make choices w/ your life w/o someone telling you what the f–k to do.”
-#nets Kyrie Irving asked about the legacy of his stand pic.twitter.com/mtJZm7fLw4 – 10:55 PM

Dave Early @DavidEarly
“It was great to see him out there…unfortunately we took the L though.”
– Kevin Durant asked about Kyrie Irving’s 2022 home debut but he wasn’t too sentimental after the tough loss. – 10:54 PM

Ajayi Browne @ajayibrowne
“It was great to see him out there — Unfortunate we took the L though.”
⁃Kevin Durant on getting Kyrie Irving back for home games. – 10:54 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Kyrie Irving introduced at Barclays Center for the first time this season. pic.twitter.com/ACSzW1NsIX – 10:52 PM

Ajayi Browne @ajayibrowne
Kyrie Irving says,
“I have a strong moral code — I’m a servant. I’m comfortable being in that position.” – 10:41 PM

Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Kyrie Irving on the point of his stance not taking the vaccine: “I stand for freedom.” – 10:41 PM

Ajayi Browne @ajayibrowne
Kyrie Irving says,
“Freedom is to make choices without anybody telling what the fuck to do — I’m standing for freedom … That’s just the way I am.” – 10:41 PM

Dave Early @DavidEarly
Kyrie Irving says he is standing for freedom. Hopes his legacy will be written by those he impacted. He’s only focused on the now and getting ready for next game. The point of this season wasn’t to take a stand. It was about freedom w/o someone telling you what the f-k to do. – 10:40 PM

Ajayi Browne @ajayibrowne
“It was never just about me. For me legacy, it’s to be written by those I impact.”
⁃Kyrie Irving on the bigger picture of what he’s trying to accomplish long-term. – 10:40 PM

Ajayi Browne @ajayibrowne
Kyrie Irving says,
“The mentality we have is to take is one day at a time and just live in the moment.” – 10:39 PM

Dave Early @DavidEarly
Kyrie Irving doesn’t see the value in looking back at what if’s where he could have played all year. He’s focused on how limiting distractions like thinking about the past or future you’re not in a good place. Not even tomorrow is guaranteed. – 10:39 PM

Ajayi Browne @ajayibrowne
Kyrie Irving says,
“There’s no time to consider the past — We can only control what we can control moving forward.” – 10:38 PM

Dave Early @DavidEarly
Kyrie Irving says “you feel it anyway” crowd aside when you’re shut isn’t falling. Says you feel kind of the anticipation. And adds twice he’s just glad this home debut is behind him. – 10:38 PM

Ajayi Browne @ajayibrowne
“I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself to start aiming the basketball — I’m just glad it’s done.”
⁃Kyrie Irving on playing his first home game this season. – 10:38 PM

Ajayi Browne @ajayibrowne
“It seemed like we watched him grow up in the public eye since he was 14 — There’s an impression he leaves on us.”
⁃Kyrie Irving on LaMelo Ball. – 10:36 PM

Dave Early @DavidEarly
Kyrie Irving says tonight his presence on the floor was bigger than the basketball game and involves lots of people. – 10:36 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Kyrie Irving said he didn’t really sleep last night. Nets landed around 3 am and he didn’t go to bed until 6. Said the evening did not go as planned given his struggles. – 10:35 PM

Ajayi Browne @ajayibrowne
Kyrie Irving says,
“We just weren’t at our standard tonight — I take full accountability.” – 10:35 PM

Ajayi Browne @ajayibrowne
Kyrie Irving says,
“I wish we had a day of rest at least.” – 10:34 PM

Dave Early @DavidEarly
Kyrie Irving says he didn’t go to bed until 6 am after the long flight from Mia. Said it was historic he got to play with his brothers, despite the outcome. Mentally, spiritually, emotionally it was all OK, but the jump shot wasn’t he says. – 10:34 PM

Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Kyrie Irving: “None of the things I hoped to do well tonight happened.” – 10:34 PM

Ajayi Browne @ajayibrowne
“I don’t take it for granted.”
⁃Kyrie Irving on the reception he received from Nets fans. – 10:33 PM

Ajayi Browne @ajayibrowne
Kyrie Irving admits he didn’t get much sleep last night. – 10:33 PM

Dave Early @DavidEarly
“I think he was excited. It was his first game here at Barclays so I thought he was excited and looking forward to the opportunity to play in front of the home crowd.”
-Steve Nash thinks Kyrie Irving was excited before the game. Clearly not the homecoming the #Nets wanted though pic.twitter.com/H51Bh5p47r – 10:18 PM

Dave Early @DavidEarly
Steve Nash sounded doubtful when asked if the moment weighed on Kyrie Irving (6-22 fga), playing for his home crowd for the first time. Sounds more like Nash thinks he was just cold and it happens. Team did get in from Mia at 4am, and it was Irving’s 1st back-to-back. pic.twitter.com/Xgb9aNHbBU – 10:11 PM

Ajayi Browne @ajayibrowne
“He was excited. It was his first game here at Barclays.”
⁃Steve Nash on Kyrie Irving. – 10:05 PM

Dave Early @DavidEarly
Steve Nash says he doesn’t know if the moment weighed on Kyrie Irving. Says the ball isn’t always gonna go in. Adds it was tough for all of them getting in at 4 am but they needed to find a way to win. – 10:04 PM

Ajayi Browne @ajayibrowne
“The ball is not going to go in every night — We have to find a way as a team to be better than the other team.”
⁃Steve Nash on Kyrie Irving’s game. – 10:04 PM

Marc J. Spears @MarcJSpears
The Nets lose tie-breaker in home loss with Kyrie Irving to the Hornets. The Hornets are now in the eighth place in the East and the Nets drop to ninth. pic.twitter.com/Z8szMLqnjg – 9:58 PM

Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Apropos end to this one as the Hornets drain 4 threes in the last 2:30 to author a 15-4 closing run after the Nets took a 106-105 lead on 8 straight by Kyrie. – 9:58 PM

Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
The Hornets spoil Kyrie’s homecoming — beat Nets 119-110.
KD and Kyrie finish a combined 15-for-46 from the field.
The Nets are now 39-36. – 9:56 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Final: Hornets beat the Nets 119-110 in Kyrie Irving’s home debut. Irving finished with 16 points on 6-for-22 shooting. Charlotte now just a half game behind the Nets for the eighth seed. Kevin Durant with 27 points. Nets host the Pistons on Tuesday. – 9:56 PM

Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
Gutsy, gutsy win for the Hornets. Going into Brooklyn and knocking off the Nets with Kyrie Irving back. Helluva win for Charlotte. – 9:56 PM

Ajayi Browne @ajayibrowne
FINAL: Nets 110, Hornets 119
Kevin Durant (27 PTS, 8 REBS, 7 ASTS), Andre Drummond (20 PTS, 16 REBS), Kyrie Irving (14 PTS) the Nets couldn’t get out to the three-point line fast enough. Charlotte end the game shooting it at 53% from downtown. Irving also had inefficient game. – 9:56 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Kyrie with a pair of free throws to put the nets back up. – 9:47 PM

Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
Kyrie has six straight — and Barclays is rocking. This might be the loudest it has been in here all season. Kyrie now 5-for-20 from the field — but is heating up at the right time. – 9:45 PM

Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Kyrie just blew by LaMelo Ball with a pull back and crossover that looked like when AI broke the same defender down twice in one possession. – 9:45 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Kyrie Irving’s wizardry ties it at 104 with 3:51 left. Tough shot. – 9:45 PM

Brian Mahoney @briancmahoney
Irving now hits two layups in a row after starting 2 for 17, trimming the Charlotte lead to 104-102 with 4:37 left. – 9:43 PM

Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Kyrie Irving has arrived here in the 4th quarter with a pair of layups Barclays Center has been waiting for. The Hornets are hanging onto a 104-102 lead with 4:37 to go in regulation. Irving has 10 points on 4/19 shooting from the field. – 9:43 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Kyrie Irving with four straight points to cut the Hornets’ lead to two with 4:37 left. He’s got 10 points and 11 assists on 4-for-19 shooting. Timeout Charlotte. – 9:42 PM

Brian Mahoney @briancmahoney
Kyrie Irving is 2 for 17. If the Nets are going to win it looks like it’s going to have to be Durant, which is the way it’s been in all the other home games before Kyrie was eligible. – 9:40 PM

Ajayi Browne @ajayibrowne
End of 3rd QTR: Nets 89, Hornets 93
Kevin Durant (23 PTS, 7 ASTS),Andre Drummond (20 PTS, 13 REBS) & the Nets are struggling to contain LaMelo Ball (33 PTS). As for Kyrie Irving (6 PTS), he’s only 2-for-13 from the field. His favorite quarter is coming up though. – 9:22 PM

Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
Kyrie just 2-for-13 from the field near the end of the 3rd quarter. Nash said the Nets got in from Miami around 4AM last night. They are looking a little out of sorts here after getting up by 14 early in the game. – 9:10 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
As @RyanRuocco pointed out on @NetsOnYES, this is Kyrie Irving’s second back-to-back of the season. First one was the Phoenix/Sacramento B2B in early February. – 9:09 PM

Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Kyrie Irving is gassed. It’s his first back-to-back of the season and his shots all look short. – 9:07 PM

Brian Mahoney @briancmahoney
Kyrie Irving now 2 for 13. Does have 10 assists but the home rims not welcoming him back just yet. – 9:07 PM

Eric Patten @EricPatten
Kyrie showing out for home crowd! – 9:00 PM

Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
Kyrie just 2-for-9 in 20 minutes here in the first half. He’s got seven assists — but he looked a little extra pumped up to start this one. Andre Drummond has picked up the slack with 15 and 9 to pace the Nets. – 8:41 PM

Brian Mahoney @briancmahoney
Good half in Brooklyn. Nets lead Hornets 60-56. Bridges with 17 and Ball 15 for Charlotte. Drummond with 15 and Durant 10 for Brooklyn. Irving is 2 for 9 with six points and seven assists. – 8:39 PM

Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Kyrie’s starting to heat up. – 8:24 PM

Nick DePaula @NickDePaula
Kyrie Irving honors Kobe Bryant with the “Mamba Mentality” Kyrie 3s in his 1st Nets home game of the season. pic.twitter.com/VLwrbbc7wC – 8:24 PM

Howard Beck @HowardBeck
Kyrie Irving, Terry Rozier and Isaiah Thomas are all on the court now at Barclays Center, and this must be some sort of record for former Celtics point guards playing at the same time. – 8:22 PM

Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Kyrie Irving’s first home field goal of the season is a transition 3 that bounces off the front of the rim, up into the air and into the basket. Irving now has 4 points here at the 9 minute mark of the 2nd quarter.
Timeout, Charlotte.
Nets 40, Hornets 30 – 8:16 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Kyrie’s first basket is a pull-up 3 that got a shooter’s bounce to go in. Nets up 10. – 8:15 PM

Brian Mahoney @briancmahoney
Irving went to the line for two FTs after missing first four FGs. Missed the first free throw. Crowd gave an ovation before the second as if trying to give him a boost. He made it to get on the board. – 8:15 PM

Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Kyrie Irving is getting a round of applause here at Barclays Center. He just made a free throw for his first point of the night. He missed the first before fans cheered him on for shot No. 2. – 8:13 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Kyrie’s first point comes off a free throw. Splits the pair. @BrooklynBrigade chanting “Kyrie’s home” before the shots. – 8:13 PM

Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Nets lead, 32-26, after one. Kyrie Irving remains scoreless in his first home game of the season, but every other Net not named Patty Mills scored in the 1st quarter. Nets are on the 2nd game of a back-to-back and look like it, but they lead entering the second quarter. – 8:07 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
End of the first quarter: Nets lead the Hornets 32-26. BK is plus-five on the boards and has outscored Charlotte in the paint 16-8. Durant with eight points. Kyrie has missed his first four shots. – 8:06 PM

Brian Mahoney @briancmahoney
Nets killing the Hornets on the boards and in transition right now, up 10 late in the first quarter. Irving is 0 for 4 in his home debut. – 8:03 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Goran Dragic and Nic Claxton are Nash’s first two reserves tonight. Claxton comes in and immediately scores off a pass from Irving. – 7:56 PM

Michael Scotto @MikeAScotto
Kyrie Irving received loud cheers from fans at Barclays Center during introductions. Irving is playing in his first home game for the Brooklyn Nets since Game 2 versus the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals on June 7, 2021. He waved to the crowd before tip off. pic.twitter.com/ZVav5KTsXn – 7:51 PM

Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Timeout, Brooklyn: Barclays Center is ready to explode whenever Kyrie Irving scores, but through the first 5:33, he’s without a field goal. Hornets lead, 14-13, with KD going to the line for 3 FTs. Neither team is playing defense right now. – 7:49 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Every Nets starter has scored but Mr. Irving. – 7:48 PM

Anthony Puccio @APOOCH
Kyrie Irving salutes the Brooklyn crowd for the first time this year. pic.twitter.com/TKSOYLwgdo – 7:43 PM

Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
Kyrie comes to halfcourt just before tip-off and spins around and points to acknowledge the crowd. He got a nice ovation after being introduced for the first time at Barclays this season. – 7:41 PM

Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
My phone isn’t letting me upload the video of Kyrie Irving’s first home introduction of the season. But Irving just pointed to the crowd at midcourt, getting fans in attendance out their chairs for another standing ovation. – 7:40 PM

Brian Mahoney @briancmahoney
After cycling through a whole bunch of players this season, the Nets finally announce Kyrie Irving last during starting lineups. About to tip in an important game vs. Hornets. – 7:40 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Kyrie Irving with a pretty big applause when introduced pregame. Will see if my phone lets me tweet the video. – 7:39 PM

Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Seth Curry is going to play through the pain, but the Nets can’t afford for him to get hurt.
New for ⁦@NYDNSports⁩: A look at the shooters on Brooklyn’s roster not named Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving shows just how important a healthy Curry is. nydailynews.com/sports/basketb… – 7:26 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Greetings from Barclays. Nets-Hornets tip shortly. Kyrie Irving is making his home debut and has already heard his name chanted. A win should hold Charlotte off as any further threat to get the eight seed given the schedule. Updates coming. Congrats to St. Peter’s on a great run. – 7:26 PM

Anthony Puccio @APOOCH
Family time for Kyrie pregame pic.twitter.com/QGO3Y3TNt5 – 7:24 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Nets starters vs. Charlotte: Irving, Curry, Durant, Brown and Drummond.
This starting five is 3-1 this season, including last night’s 110-95 road victory in Miami. – 7:03 PM

Dave Early @DavidEarly
“If he’s feeling it, good luck trying to contain him.”
-Steve Nash, ahead of Kyrie Irving’s 2022 Brooklyn debut vs. Hornets, talks about what a defense can do when Irving is in the zone like he was when he dropped 50 on LaMelo and co. last time they met. pic.twitter.com/GZuWO2wwT3 – 6:00 PM

Ajayi Browne @ajayibrowne
Steve Nash wishes good luck to rest of the league for trying to contain Kyrie Irving. – 5:54 PM

Ajayi Browne @ajayibrowne
“Clearly he has incredible skill and talent — There’s not a lot you can do … He’s such a shot maker.”
⁃Steve Nash on Kyrie Irving. – 5:53 PM

Dave Early @DavidEarly
Steve Nash says the team didn’t get back until 4 am from Miami so it’ll be big to have Kyrie Irving’s presence at home as “bonus energy.” – 5:48 PM

Ajayi Browne @ajayibrowne
Steve Nash admits there will be some bonus energy tonight since it’s Kyrie Irving’s first game at home this season. – 5:47 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Jumping on @VSiNLive in five minutes to talk Kyrie/Nets – 3:42 PM

Brian Mahoney @briancmahoney
First time this season, the Nets’ notes for a home game don’t have Kyrie Irving listed here.
STATUS UPDATES: Goran Dragić (left knee soreness) is PROBABLE. Seth Curry (left ankle sprain) is QUESTIONABLE. Joe Harris (left ankle surgery) and Ben Simmons (back soreness) are OUT. – 12:44 PM