With the game ball safely tucked under his arm, Kyrie Irving stood under the basket and accepted congratulations from awed teammates following a performance none of them will soon forget.
He slapped some hands, hugged a beaming LeBron James and then handed the ball to the Cavaliers’ security director – a turnover of joy.
This one was a keeper.
It’s not every day you score 57 points. It’s not every day you bring the defending NBA champions to their knees. It’s not every day you upstage the irrepressible James. And, it’s not every day you leave Charles Barkley speechless.
Cleveland’s awesome guard did it all Thursday night, scoring a franchise-record 57, zipping around the floor with stunning ease and dropping 3-pointers from every angle like he was an avatar in a video game as the Cavs beat the San Antonio Spurs 128-125 in overtime, a game for the ages.