About Kyrie’s Game 4 and The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Stephen Chobsky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower has a passage near the end of the narrative where the main character stands in the back of a pickup truck going through a tunnel and just embraces that particular moment of life:

“I'm going to do what I want to do. I'm going to be who I really am. And I'm going to figure out what that is. And we could all sit around and wonder and feel bad about each other and blame a lot of people for what they did or didn't do or what they didn't know. I don't know. I guess there could always be someone to blame. It's just different. Maybe it's good to put things in perspective, but sometimes, I think that the only perspective is to really be there. Because it's okay to feel things. I was really there. And that was enough to make me feel infinite. I feel infinite.” (p. 213)

Sorry to bore you with High School English class, but I don’t think I can sum up the exaltation of watching that Kyrie Irving performance into any better statement than that.

There are few things on Earth that dilate your pupils like watching a transcendent scorer get it going during an NBA game. You don’t ever want it to end.

For a lot of this postseason, Uncle Drew was on the periphery, rather than the focal point. In this one, he decided it was time to light up the dance floor and leave that corner of the gymnasium.

Cleveland was frustrated by some curious makes by the Celtics, but Irving got active in a major way.

Irving took charge and said, “I got this” in what I would argue is a critical juncture in the franchise’s timeline.

Could the Cavs have conceivably gone into Boston after losing Game 4, beat them by 20 and then wrapped it up in six? Sure, but why do that when Perfect Form Cell is sitting in the ring waiting on the other side of the country?

I said to a friend in the early going of the game, if Kyrie doesn’t drop at least 40, the Cavs have no shot in this one. He delivered in a major way and I believe that this is basically more impressive than anything, but his play in the Finals lasy year.

Watching these Cavaliers teams has been a joy, but in The Dark Ages, the future of the franchise and our hotly contested lead guard seemed to be murky at best.

Irving has been talented, a maestro with the basketball in hand. He is the most cruel kid on the playground, playing “Red Light, Green Light” as he dares defenders to reach into his airspace to pluck the ball from him, if they dare.

Still, there was some doubt before LeBron came back about what would become of the best ball handling guard in the game today.

Then last year happened. The Shot lives in infamy of YouTube compilations forever and I still wanted to see more.

The most important takeaway from last night is: This is how the Cavaliers will have to play as LeBron James ages.

How fitting, the light from the other side of the tunnel seems much clearer after last night.

The King will have to do even more damage near the rim and still keep defenses honest from outside. That man is still the baddest on the planet until further notice and moments like tonight will extend his prime.

Kevin Love will have to snare board after board and be aggressive when his number is called. His glass munching and timely deflections were key in slowing down Boston as the game got within striking distance.

Uncle Drew will have to feel out these moments and be the glue that holds it all together.

Hopefully, he won’t need 42 every night, but he will have to be a focal point more often than not. Getting to late-game situations and slamming the door shut will be crucial.

Proof that winning will endure long-past LBJ’s prime does more for my general well-being than I could have ever expected.

For one night, we all felt infinite and the entire experience made me feel like fans can be assured that they will get that feeling again.