Kyrie Irving hadn’t played a home game at Barclays Center since Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals last season, but after spending the bulk of the season held out because of a New York City vaccine mandate, Irving returned to the Nets in Brooklyn on Sunday after Mayor Eric Adams created an exception to that mandate allowing unvaccinated athletes to play. The result was underwhelming.
Irving shot 6-of-22 from the field, including a 2-of-16 start, on his way to just 16 points in a 119-110 loss to the Charlotte Hornets. The defeat had significant playoff implications for a Nets team still fighting for seeding. Charlotte’s victory pulled the Hornets into a tie with the Nets for the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference. Charlotte, by virtue of its 2-1 record against Brooklyn this season, has secured the head-to-head tiebreaker, so the Nets will have to outplay the Hornets down the stretch to avoid falling…
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