Still no timetable for Kyrie Irving's return to Nets
Nets guard Kyrie Irving walks down the court in the second half of an NBA game against the Pacers at Barclays Center on Oct. 31. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
LOS ANGELES — There is no news on whether Kyrie Irving could rejoin the Nets for Tuesday night’s game in Sacramento.
“I don’t have any official word at all,” coach Jacque Vaughn said before Sunday night’s game against the Lakers. “I’m just going to continue to go day by day, push this group and coach these dudes today.”
The Nets suspended Irving for a minimum of five games without pay on Nov. 3 after he posted a link to an antisemitic film on his Instagram and Twitter accounts on Oct. 27.
Sunday’s game was the sixth straight without Irving, whom the Nets have given a number of steps to take before allowing him to play again.
Nets owner Joe Tsai said on Saturday that Irving “still has some work to do” before he can return to the court.
Earlier Sunday, Irving took to social media again with a new tweet.
“I was not put here on earth to participate in any religious/political wars or incite racial disharmony/prejudice within communities,” he tweeted. “We are all equal under the sun and I am here to participate in the building of an Equal world and follow the Word from the Most High/GOD/YAH.”
The Nets entered Sunday’s contest with a 4-1 record without Irving. The loss was by two points to Dallas.
Curry gets a break
After getting two impressive games from Seth Curry, the Nets decided to let their outside shooter, who is coming back from offseason ankle surgery, take a breather against the Lakers.
“It’s just precautionary,” Vaughn said, adding that Curry will be available in Sacramento.
Until a few days ago, there were good reasons for Nets fans to be worried about Curry.
Curry, who still was rehabbing his ankle at the start of the season, made only one field goal in his first three games this season. Then he followed a 23-point performance against the Knicks by scoring 22 points Saturday against the Clippers.
Barbara Barker is an award-winning columnist and features writer in the sports department at Newsday. She has covered sports in New York for more than 20 years.
