Kyrie Irving and Damian Lillard are two of the premier point guards in the NBA, so it’s only natural that they would be compared to one another.
But ESPN’s Tom Haberstroh wrote an article Wednesday, in the wake of Irving’s trade request, breaking down the three-time All-Star’s track record as the best player on his team, and it’s not exactly stellar.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a brutal 4-13 over the past three seasons in games that Irving has played and LeBron James hasn’t, leading Haberstroh to make this comparison to Lillard.
“As a player, (Isaiah) Thomas and Damian Lillard are probably the best comps for Irving, who has struggled to win as the guy. In the 17 games that James has sat the past three seasons with Irving starting, the Cavs’ record is a woeful 4-13 (.235),” Haberstroh wrote.
And then he tweeted out his story, once again comparing Irving to Lillard in an unflattering fashion.
Inside Kyrie Irving's losing track record as "the guy" and why he's more Dame than Kobe: https://t.co/XUG9Ba7KqM pic.twitter.com/HZ61qr8JYb
— Mr. Statistician Face Man (@tomhaberstroh) July 25, 2017
And, well, Lillard didn’t appreciate the insinuation that he’s been unsuccessful in his NBA career.
Bro I'm really gettin tired of y'all throwing my name around. Maybe you should check my track record. Over 500 and in the playoffs every yr https://t.co/6ISstoIYMz
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) July 26, 2017
Lillard has a case here as he’s led the Portland Trail Blazers to the playoffs in each of the past four seasons. The Blazers have made it to the second round of the playoffs twice over that span, and Lillard has been the main reason for their success.
Irving, meanwhile, has gone to three straight NBA Finals alongside LeBron James, and reportedly wants to take his talents elsewhere so he can be the focal point of the offense.
The former No. 1 overall pick is one of the best finishers in the game, and hit the game-winning shot in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals. It’s unclear if Irving is ready to lead a team without James by his side, but we might find out the answer sooner rather than later.
Thumbnail photo via Marilyn Indahl/USA TODAY Sports Images
