Kyrie Irving, Lance Stephenson expect to make big returns at Fieldhouse

Pacers’ guard Lance Stephenson and Nets’ guard Kyrie Irving will both make big returns on Wednesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

All of the national attention will be on Kyrie’s expected return, as Shams Charania reports, which will see the roundball wizard play his first game since Game 4 of the the Nets playoff series against the Bucks last season when he had 11 points and two assists in just 17 minutes of play due to an ankle injury which ended his season at the time.

Kyrie has since been sidelined by his refusal to get a COVID vaccine jab which conflicts with a local New York city mandate requiring anyone over 5 years old to be vaccinated to enter the Barclays Arena. The Nets initially decided not to have Irving be a part-time, road-only player until changing their position recently.

So, the Pacers draw the lucky straw that expects have the Nets and their Big Three with Kevin Durant and James Harden all available for the first time this season. As we know all to well, this is the “expected” plan but all plans can change within the hour.

The other return of Lance Stephenson for his first game at the Fieldhouse will only add to the electricity of the national media circus. The Brooklyn born and ready guard will be coming off a game at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, only to play his now home borough team on Wednesday at home.

Lance’s minutes will likely remain limited, but any minutes he plays will be met with plenty of juice from the Fieldhouse faithful. The ol’ adage of giving energy to get energy is never more true than with Stephenson and the Fieldhouse. When it becomes a two-way current of juice, life is head shakingly fun at the Fieldhouse. We’ll see if Lance can still electrify the joint.

Regardless, it should be a fun night at the Fieldhouse with one of the top team in the East in town.