INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) – Kyrie Irving dribbled behind his back and then behind his back again, leaving Toronto’s Corey Joseph grasping at air.
Irving pulled off a few other dizzying spins and other did-he-just-do-that moves while scoring 27 points with five assists and two steals. He even got free for a rare breakaway dunk as the Cleveland Cavaliers overpowered the Raptors by 31 points in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.
Irving did a little of everything, but perhaps his most significant action came off the floor.
As Cleveland’s reserves were putting the finishing touches on the 115-84 blowout Tuesday night, raising the unblemished Cavs to 9-0 in these playoffs, Irving danced along the sideline to the delight of a smiling LeBron James, who looked like a proud older brother.
“He’s waited a long time to get back to this position,” James said Wednesday following practice. “The kid is playing some great basketball right now.”