CLEVELANDThere's no need to send out corny videos or some cheesy Vote-for-Kyrie t-shirt or any type of hype-driven propaganda to try and get Eastern Conference coaches to vote Kyrie Irving on to this year's all-star team.
Just look at him play.
That should do it.
Irving put on a one-man show Tuesday night in leading the Cavaliers to a 95-90 win over Boston.
The second-year guard lit the Celtics up for 40 points which included 15 in the decisive fourth quarter. His 15-point total in the fourth nearly matched the entire scoring output of the Celtics (17).
While Irving was well aware that the coaches voting for All-Star reserves is coming up soon, he said he wasn't thinking about that on Tuesday night.
"I was just trying to get a win," Irving said. "We desperately needed it."
Boston Celtics
But for a player who plays for team with as pitiful a record (11-32) as the Cavs have this season, these are the kind of performances that could be the difference between being an All-Star and an All-Star snub.
Celtics coach Doc Rivers has praised Irving's play all season. And while Rivers has made a team's success a major criteria in who he selects as an All-Star reserve, he said it was difficult for him to not vote for Irving.
"It's a hard one for me," Rivers said in voting for Irving. "But he's playing so well. I think it'll be close, for him. I don't do that very often (vote for players on losing teams), I can tell you that."
Prior to being selected with the No. 1 overall pick by Cleveland in 2011, Irving spent one season at Duke - similar to what Rivers' son Austin did last year prior to be drafted by the New Orleans Hornets last June.
"Maybe it's the Duke love," quipped Rivers. "I'm not sure what it was."
You can add Paul Pierce to the growing list of folks who are also impressed with Irving's all-around game.
He's tough," Pierce said. "He's probably the best scoring point guard in the league. The way he penetrates, mid-range, 3-point game, ... there's no scoring point guard like him in the league."