All-Star or Not, Kyrie Irving Reminds NBA He's Among Elite Talents

NBA coaches submitted their All-Star reserve votes before Kyrie Irving went bonkers for buckets, so if the Cleveland Cavaliers point guard doesn't make the Eastern Conference roster, he'll be a casualty of bad timing.

Irving's 55-point explosion in a 99-94 win over the Portland Trail Blazers Wednesday—complete with game-clinching triple—proved his skill is beyond question.

The scoring outburst marked a career high for Irving, and it made him the fifth-youngest player in the last 50 years to post a double-nickel in a game, per NBA.com. Only LeBron James, who sat out the contest with a sore wrist, has ever scored more (56) in Cavaliers history.

Irving was 17-of-36 from the field, 10-of-10 from the foul line and 11-of-19 from long range. His 11 three-point makes were also a franchise record. For your viewing pleasure, here are all 11 bombs:

Throughout the game, Irving was all snarl and swagger—remarkable considering he started the contest by missing seven straight shots. He had reason to keep shooting confidently, though, as he was only 24 hours removed from scoring 38 points and sinking six three-pointers in a win over the Detroit Pistons.

All told, his two-night surge put him in some rare company, per NBA.com:

And after the game, both he and once-embattled head coach David Blatt were feeling awfully good, according to Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio and Joe Vardon of Northeast Ohio Media Group, respectively:

Some LeBron guy thought it was pretty cool, too, calling it "one of the greatest single performances" he'd ever seen live:

Big numbers aren't new for Irving. Even with his recent hot streak, his overall season stats aren't so far out of line with the ones he posted over the past couple of years—save for a marked uptick in three-point accuracy.

What is new for Irving is the fact that he's producing for a winner.

Cleveland has won eight straight games since James returned from a two-week respite, and Irving has been Uncle Drew-ing everyone in that span. According to NBA.com, he's posted averages of 28.4 points, 5.4 assists and 3.3 rebounds on 52.9 percent shooting from the floor and 55.4 percent from deep in the last eight games.

James' presence helps, but Irving had to go it alone against a Blazers team tied for the fourth-best record in the league and, more importantly, sitting at No. 4 in defensive efficiency coming into the contest, per NBA.com. Piling up 55 points without James, with Kevin Love hitting just three shots, while being guarded in shifts by Nicolas Batum and Wesley Matthews is no small task.

It's work best suited for an alpha dog. An elite point guard. An All-Star.

That last thing, the All-Star issue, is out of Irving's hands, But it's worth mentioning that he clearly belongs in the game—based on merit as much as reputation. The dude loves All-Star Weekend; we all know it.

He's won the three-point shootout, legendarily crossed over Brandon Knight while dominating the rookie-sophomore game and collected the MVP last year. In the past, it's been easy to take shots at Irving for turning up on the big All-Star stage while his real team, the Cavaliers, never got that kind of sustained focus or drive.

Paul Sancya/Associated Press

Now, saying Irving belongs on the All-Star roster is more an acknowledgement that he's grown.

But, again, there's not much Irving can do besides wait for the reserve announcement on Jan. 29. What he still controls is his place among the league's best point guards, and this game went a long way toward solidifying his inclusion in that group.

There are still fair knocks on Kyrie: His defense comes and goes, he hasn't led a winner on his own, and we still can't say for sure if he's capable of leveraging his considerable talent into effective play in a secondary role over a sustained stretch.

As his 55 points attest, Irving is so profanely gifted that it's hard for him to fit in as a complementary piece. He's a walking basketball paradox in this sense; everything comes so easily to him, which makes showing restraint hard.

Critically, James has signed off on Irving, lauding his growth to Vardon: "He's turning into a leader in his own right, and every day it's great to see him improve."

In addition, Irving has the attention of his opponents, many of whom commented, awestruck, about his scoring binge:

We'll soon see if coaches around the league share in that reverence.

Even if Irving loses out to Dwyane Wade, Jeff Teague, Kyle Korver or whomever else those coaches might select ahead of him, he can still use the rest of the season to prove a bigger point about his career. Forget whether he's an All-Star or not; showing he can make a huge impact in games where the score actually matters is far more important.

Irving, LeBron, the Cavs and the city of Cleveland will take that ahead of a reserve spot in New York any day.