The first shot of Wednesday night's game went to Kyrie Irving, which missed the mark on what was the point guard's first field goal attempt since last year's playoffs.
That play was by design, which Nets head coach Steve Nash confirmed after Brooklyn's comeback victory over the Pacers in Indiana.
"Yeah, it was a welcome back gift," Nash said.
Irving, who missed that first shot during game action in nearly eight months, admitted he was feeling jitters as he felt his way through the first minutes of being back on an NBA floor since returning to the Nets in a part time role.
"In the first possession when I shot that shot, I was so caught up in making those first two points," Irving said. "I was so nervous, and naturally as a performer I still get nervous, but that first shot, I wanted that to go in."
Irving settled in and finished with 22 points while shooting over 50 percent from the field, and got those early nerves out of his system to put together a solid season debut. The first possession was constructed just for Irving, and while it didn't go the way he had hoped, the overall outcome of the night did, as he led the Nets on a second-half comeback to snap a three-game losing streak.
"Once I came back out, I said 'Whatever is needed out there, I'm gonna do,'" Irving said. "And I knew everyone else would follow suit like they have all season."
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