Report: Kyrie Irving and Nets receive update to status going forward

The Brooklyn Nets and star guard Kyrie Irving received some much anticipated good news on Thursday after the city of New York announced changes to their vaccine mandate. According to senior NBA analysts at The Athletic Shams Charania, Irving will be cleared for home games on Thursday.

“ Sources: Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving will be cleared for home games as New York City will on Thursday change private sector vaccine mandate to allow exemption for athletes and entertainers in workplace. Unvaccinated Yankees and Mets players also now eligible for home games,” wrote Charania via Twitter.

“ NYC Mayor Eric Adams will make the official announcement on Thursday at Citi Field, home of the New York Mets.”

Irving has been limited to just 19 games this season after electing not to receive any COVID-19 approved vaccinations. So far on the season, the former Duke point guard is averaging 27.7 points per game, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists.

For fans of the Nets, they will be excited to get back one of their all-NBA players full time as they come down the final stretch of the regular season. And hopefully, Brooklyn fans will get to enjoy a show similar to the one Irving put on against the Orlando Magic, scoring a season-high 60 points.

Blue Devils, Red Raiders projected to be a toss-up by Vegas

Coming into Thursday’s marquee NCAA Tournament matchup, Las Vegas has released its initial odds for the game – and the oddsmakers are predicting Duke and Texas Tech to be a toss-up. According to the Vegas Insider Consensus, the Red Raiders are slight one-point favorites over Duke and Mike Krzyzewski, with the over/under currently set at 136.5 total points.

Thursday’s game will mark just the second all-time meeting between Duke and Texas Tech and the first since since Dec. 20, 2018 – a 69-58 win for the Blue Devils in a neutral-site game at Madison Square Garden in New York. Duke was led by Zion Williamson’s 17 points and 13 rebounds, while Jarrett Culver scored 25 points for the Red Raiders.

The winner will face the No. 1 Gonzaga/No. 4 Arkansas winner in the Elite Eight this weekend.