Due to his vaccination status, Kyrie Irving has only been allowed to play in road games this season, but he will not be suiting up for the Nets when they play an away game at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night.
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The Nets snapped an 11-game losing streak with a 109-85 win over the Sacramento Kings on Monday, in another game that their All-Star point guard missed.
Irving has only been eligible to play in short stretches this season, but despite that, he hit out at media members who asked whether he felt any guilt about only being available part-time.
"We're back here. Play your media games with somebody else, bro," Irving said. "Please, I understand that there's a lot going on in the world and I'm here as a human being just like you, bro.
"Please respect my boundaries, man, that's all I'm asking. There's no guilt that I feel, I'm the only player that has to deal with this in New York City because I play there – if I was anywhere else in another city, then it probably wouldn't be the same circumstances but because I'm there, you have Eric Adams [NYC Mayor], you have the New York mandate, you have things going on that are real-life circumstances that are not just affecting me, bro."
Kyrie Irving says he doesn't feel guilty about only being available for road games:
— Nets Videos (@SNYNets) February 13, 2022
"I'm the only player that has to deal with this in New York City because I play there. If I was anywhere else in another city, then it probably wouldn't be the same circumstances." pic.twitter.com/111vlwnvnm
Why won't Kyrie Irving play against the Knicks?
No, Irving will not play against the Knicks.
The star point guard is only eligible to play in road games due to the New York City vaccine mandate, but the game on Tuesday against the Knicks will be in Manhattan.
Of Brooklyn's next five games, Irving is only eligible to play in one.
Because one road game against the Knicks is in New York City, the same mandate applies to Irving. He also cannot play in the road game against the Raptors due to an Ontario mandate regarding athletes that are unvaccinated for COVID-19.
Irving remains hopeful that the NYC mandate on vaccination will eventually get overturned and he will be able to participate in home games this season.
The Nets are currently 30-27 on the season, which has them as the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.
Nets upcoming schedule
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET) | National TV |
| Feb. 16 | at Knicks | 7:30 p.m | ESPN |
| Feb. 17 | vs. Wizards | 7:30 p.m | - |
| Feb. 24 | vs. Celtics | 7:30 p.m | TNT |
| Feb. 26 | at Bucks | 7:30 p.m | ABC |
| Feb. 28 | vs. Raptors | 7:30 p.m | - |
