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Fear the Preview: #1 Kyrie Irving

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Why did I pick Kyrie Irving before those remaining?

Because he's Kyrie freaking Irving, that's why.

What does Kyrie Irving bring to the team this year?

Pure awesomeness.

Kyrie might be the best ball-handler in the NBA already. He's so good that he can make the best players in the world look silly trying to stay in front of him. One of the keys to a good offense is having someone that can get past his man and into the heart of the defense while still maintaining control. There might not be anybody better at this than Kyrie Irving.

An underrated part of Kyrie's game are his passing skills. His teammates have often been unable to finish what he's given them over the past two seasons, but that doesn't take away from the fact that Kyrie can deliver some unbelievable passes. He displays remarkable touch and great creativity, allowing him to attempt passes that most wouldn't even try. Some of these result in turnovers, but more often than not this is the result of the intended target being just as surprised at the defense.

Finally, Kyrie is an incredible shotmaker. He has a perfectly smooth jump shot, allowing him to drain over 39% of his 3PA despite being the focus of every defender on the court. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. Kyrie attempts some of the most ridiculous shots you'll ever see. Yet, somehow, Kyrie is able to maintain enough control to get off a good shot in almost any situation. Whether he's lunging forward on the buzzer beater against the Wizards, falling sideways on a bank shot to put away the Thunder, or fading away after putting Brandon Knight on the deck, he's still able to maintain a measure of balance. Moreover, the focus he displays on some of these shots astounds me. I really don't know how it's even possible, yet he's done it time and again. And he does it efficiently, posting a PER of 21.5 in each of his first two seasons, and proving to be a threat to shoot 50/40/90 in any given year.

Kyrie's only real weakness in his first two seasons was his defense, but even that has improved considerably. Now he has Mike Brown making sure he understands his role in the scheme completely, so expect even more progress in that regard.

What is Kyrie Irving's long-term potential with the Cavaliers?

Undefined. You can't measure Kyrie's potential against any player that's come before him. His game is so unique, his skill set so well suited to his position, that I am convinced he will take point guard play to a level we've never seen before.

This is a Fan-Created Comment on FearTheSword.com. The opinion here is not necessarily shared by the editorial staff at FearTheSword

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