Basketball 2022: Kyrie Irving gets vaccination green light in a big win for Patty Mills, Ben Simmons

Could the Brooklyn Nets create history and win the NBA championship from the play-in tournament? How Kyrie Irving’s clearance changes everything for his Australian teammates.

New York’s relaxed Covid vaccination stance is the NBA championship boost that Aussies Patty Mills and Ben Simmons have been longing for.

Mills, Simmons, and the city of Brooklyn, are breathing a sigh of relief after superstar guard Kyrie Irving was finally cleared to play home games despite his refusal to take the vaccination.

New York mayor Eric Adams said in a statement that rules preventing unvaccinated individuals from playing in home games for New York teams would be scrapped.

Irving, who is unvaccinated, has not played any home games for the Nets this year because of the mandate, even though unvaccinated players from visiting teams are allowed to play in New York.

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Kyrie Irving has been enormous for Brooklyn this season. Picture: Mark Brown/Getty Images.

As a result, Irving has missed 35 home games this season, which has been a hammer blow for a talented Brooklyn side who are struggling to even make the playoffs.

The Nets currently sit in the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference, meaning they face a potential date in the play-in tournament starting on April 12.

Sadly for Brooklyn, Irving will have to sit out a play-in tournament game if the Nets draw the Toronto Raptors, which is a major chance given the current standings.

Unvaccinated Americans aren’t allowed to enter Canada, which would rule Kyrie out of any game away against the Raptors.

Brooklyn will have to take the long road to the championship, but Irving’s return for home games is a significant win.

Gamechanger: the return of Kyrie Irving will be a huge boost to Patty Mills and the Brooklyn Nets.

The Melbourne-born guard is averaging 27.7 points in Brooklyn’s 19 road games, including a 40-point game, a 50-point game and career-best 60-point domination against the Magic last week.

Irving makes Brooklyn the NBA’s best offensive team, and the stats back it up.

The Nets are 9.2 points per 100 possessions better when Kyrie is on the floor.

Irving is a walking bucket, which has been on show in March with the All-Star and championship-winning guard averaging 38.8 points, 5.8 assists and 3.0 rebounds on 58.9 per cent from the field and 57.7 per cent from the 3-point line.

Put this brilliance alongside arguably the world’s best shooter in Kevin Durant, and the Nets have every chance to create history and win the NBA title from the play-in tournament.

Of course, it won’t be easy in a loaded Eastern Conference featuring reigning champions Milwaukee, first seed Miami, a loaded Philadelphia, and a surging Celtics.

KAI is averaging 43.8 PPG over his last four games 🔥 pic.twitter.com/GcltRpbqL4

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) March 24, 2022

If anyone can do it the hard way, though, it’s this ultra-talented Brooklyn side.

Simmons remains sidelined with a back injury, but he’ll be doing everything in his power to recover for a push at a championship.

As for Mills, well we know he’ll nail his role without complaint despite dropping in the Nets’ rotation following the arrival of fellow guard and sharpshooter Seth Curry.

So, the stage is set, can Irving shoot the lights out and help Brooklyn do the unlikely and win the NBA championship from the play-in tournament?

Based on his recent form, you’d be a brave man to back against him and the Nets not achieving their championship dream.