INDEPENDENCE, Ohio – Kyrie Irving dribbled behind his back and then behind his back again, leaving Toronto’s Cory Joseph grasping at air.
Irving pulled off a few other dizzying spins and other did-he-just-do-that moves while finishing with 27 points, five assists and two steals. He even got free for a rare breakaway dunk as the Cleveland Cavaliers overpowered the Raptors by 31 points in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.
Irving did a little of everything, but perhaps his most significant action came off the floor.
As Cleveland’s reserves were putting the finishing touches on the 115-84 blowout Tuesday night, raising the unblemished Cavs to 9-0 in these playoffs, Irving danced along the sideline to the delight of a smiling LeBron James, who looked like a proud older brother.
“He’s waited a long time to get back to this position,” James said Wednesday following practice. “The kid is playing some great basketball right now.”
The kid has been brilliant in his second postseason.