The Cleveland Cavaliers hosted the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday. It was a thrilling game as both teams went back and forth throughout the four quarters. In a nail-biting finish, Max Strus became the star of the show as he hit a shot from beyond the logo, winning the game for the Cavaliers.
But there was another moment worth mentioning. Before the game, Maverick’s Kyrie Irving received a warm welcome from Cleveland fans. As he was back in the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Irving won a championship with the team back in 2016. Fans expressed their love for the player by cheering and applauding him.
Irving was drafted by the Cavaliers as the first overall pick back in 2011. The guard won Rookie of the Year in 2012. He made it to All-Star in his second season in the league. In 2016, he was averaging his best in points so far. With teammates LeBron James, Kevin Love, Richard Jefferson, and Irving won the Cavaliers their first and only championship.
After playing for the Boston Celtics and the Brooklyn Nets for almost three years each, the star requested a trade. The player was signed by the Dallas Mavericks in 2023, where he is averaging 25.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 5.2 assists this season.
Fans were excited to see Kyrie Irving back in Cleveland
Tuesday’s exciting game between the Cavaliers and the Mavericks caught everyone’s attention. But there was another exciting factor for Cleveland fans. Despite being gone for more than four years now, Cavs fans felt nostalgic to see Kyrie Irving back and showered the player with love as he was entering the game.
NBA fans were happy to see Kyrie Irving back in Cleveland (Image via Sports Illustrated)Cleveland’s warm welcome to Irving was loved by fans on social media. NBA fans are well aware of the value of Irving in the city of Cleveland. His performance for the team was truly remarkable, as fans were happy with the tribute and shared their reactions on X.
The only city that loved him since he left
2016 will be remembered forever
— † (@HoodiHachimura) February 28, 2024
Missing those days 😢😢
— ²³𝙻𝚎𝙱𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚜🏀☄️🌎💞 (@BronGotGame) February 28, 2024
You win a chip like that you better be good for life
— KNICKS BEAST (@KnicksBeast) February 28, 2024
I love when fans of whatever team can cheer for former players when they come home especially when they were as impactful as sb like Kyrie in Cleveland https://t.co/6XYqKDt6Sk
— 🎀 (@DESM0NDBANE) February 28, 2024
The 2016 NBA championship was certainly special for Cleveland fans, as it is the only championship in team history. Kyrie Irving played an essential part in winning the title. His contribution to the team’s performance in his presence will not be forgotten by the fans.
