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Nets' Kyrie Irving Becomes 9th Player in NBA History to Join 50-40-90 Club
May 17, 2021
Kyrie Irving had a 2020-21 season to remember with the Brooklyn Nets.
Irving scored 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting (including 3-of-3 from beyond the arc) in Brooklyn's 123-109 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Because of that efficient showing, the seven-time All-Star became the ninth player in NBA history to shoot at least 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from beyond the arc and 90 percent from the free-throw line.
Kevin Durant became a member of the 50/40/90 club in 2012-13 with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He was thrilled to see Irving join him:
Along with Durant and Irving, Larry Bird, Malcolm Brogdon, Stephen Curry, Reggie Miller, Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki and Mark Price are the other seven to enter the illustrious group.
Irving has been somewhat overshadowed this year. This was Durant's first season back after rupturing his Achilles tendon in the 2019 NBA Finals. James Harden also began playing at an MVP-type level almost as soon as he joined Brooklyn in January. Those naturally became big storylines around the Nets.
Depending on how the posteason unfolds, this could go down as the best year in Irving's career. The 29-year-old had a personal-best 61.2 percent true-shooting rate entering Sunday, per Basketball Reference, and his 26.9 points per game are his second-highest ever.
If Irving carries this over to the playoffs, then the Nets could be celebrating their first NBA championship.
