Why Did Kyrie Irving Not Play Tonight Against 76ers? Surprisingly, Steve Nash Has No Answers

Brooklyn Nets have failed to live up to their lofty standards to start off the 2020-21 NBA season. Unfortunately, they are now facing another set of problems. For starters, Kevin Durant is set to miss a week of action as he was potentially exposed to COVID-19. Along with KD’s absence, their second superstar Kyrie Irving was also sidelined for their matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers.

While it is not a huge deal for a player to sit out a game or two to rest, Kyrie was ruled out of the fixture due to personal reasons. Furthermore, when head coach Steve Nash was asked about the reason behind Kyrie’s absence, he was as clueless as the fans.

According to the Athletic’s Joe Vardon, “Steve Nash said he does not know why Kyrie Irving won’t play tonight against the Sixers, as in, he is unaware of what KI’s personal issue is. Nash said he reached out to Kyrie and did not hear back.”

Prior to joining the Nets, Kyrie abruptly ended things with the Celtics. Even though he promised the franchise that he will return to the squad for an NBA Championship run, that never happened.

In fact, many reports suggested that Irving didn’t have a great relationship with his teammates. That ultimately led to him joining the Brooklyn Nets last season in NBA free agency.

Is there a rift budding between Kyrie Irving and Steve Nash?

During his playing days, Steve Nash was regarded as one of the best point guards the league had ever seen. However, he is yet to reach that level in the coaching department. In fact, when the news broke about the Nets handing Nash the leadership of the franchise, Irving didn’t seem quite enthusiastic about the decision.

Right now, there are too many uncertainties around Irving’s relationship with Nash and the organization as a whole. Additionally, the Nets are facing one of the Eastern Conference juggernauts in the Sixers. Without their two best players, it is hard to see them registering a victory over Philly.

What are your thoughts? Do you believe that there is a rift developing between Kyrie Irving and Steve Nash? Let us know your views in the comments section below.