Kyrie Irving's smooth transition big for Cavaliers

Jeff Zillgitt | USA TODAY Sports

Show Caption Hide Caption Cavs looking like the best team in the Eastern Conference USA TODAY Sports' Jeff Zillgitt provides his perspective on the latest with Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James.

Kyrie Irving is in a good mood. And why shouldn't he be?

The Cavaliers have won more games this season than they did in Irving's first two seasons combined, are on pace to win 20 more games than they did last season and are headed for the playoffs for the first time in his career.

Irving is winning, and that's all he ever wanted to do.

"I'm blessed to be a part of this season, and I take full advantage of it because this is a very talented team," Irving told USA TODAY Sports. "I enjoy being able to be out there with guys who are so selfless. It's all about the team. We all respect each other's games, and we all respect what we all bring to the table."

If you wondered how Irving would handle playing alongside LeBron James, Kevin Love and eventually J.R. Smith and other key players, the fourth-year guard delivered the answer with arguably his best season.

Irving is averaging 21.9 points, 5.2 assists, 3.2 rebounds and shooting 46.7% from the field and a career-high 40.6% on three-pointers and has two 50-point game this season: 57 against the San Antonio Spurs and 55 against the Portland Trail Blazers.

It is the most efficient season of his career, with the Cavs scoring 111 points and allowing 104.6 points per 100 possessions when he's on the court. His effective shooting percentage, which adjusts for the value of a three-pointer, and true shooting percentage, which adjusts for the value of free throws and three-pointers, are career-highs.

"I saw a pretty good player when we first came into camp," Cavs coach David Blatt said. "I'm not seeing him do different things. I just think his level of commitment to both ends of the court is extremely high.

"His ability to incorporate his skillset with other great players like Kevin (Love), LeBron (James) and the other guys we brought to the team is a real step forward because he hasn't had to do that before or hasn't had the opportunity to do that before."

The Cavs' next two games are on national TV – Thursday against the Miami Heat (8 p.m. ET, TNT) and Sunday against the Chicago Bulls (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC) and both are potential playoff opponents.

Playing in the 2014 FIBA World Cup jumpstarted Irving's NBA season. He helped the U.S. to another championship and was named MVP in the process.

"No one has questioned Kyrie's attitude or work ethic," USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo said. "For us, he stepped into a role he created for himself in terms of leadership."

Irving's play – throw in James Harden, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins, too – bolsters USA Basketball's assertion that a summer with the national team playing in an important event can lead to NBA success the following season.

"No. 1, they're better prepared for the start of the NBA season in terms of conditioning," Colangelo said. "Secondly, the experience of winning carries over into a mindset. It's all about the culture. When you have a chance to win a championship, it just does something to you. Kyrie was terrific and he brought it with him."

Blatt honed in on a key phrase for Irving this season: "His ability to incorporate his skillset with other great players."

And even more to the point, Irving has found his place in the lineup with James. There were questions about Irving's ability to play off the ball and handle the ball less with James in the lineup. Irving was never worried.

"Despite what everyone was saying about my ego and being able to play off the basketball and saying I'm ball dominant and I'm this and I'm that and I won't be able to play with this person or that person or I'll have to adjust, in basketball, you have to adjust no matter what," Irving said. "Whether it's a big adjustment or small adjustment, an adjustment needs to be made.

"Being a professional and having confidence in my abilities, I knew I could come in and just play basketball. You just figure it out. That's what basketball is about."

Go back to the Cavs' media day in late September, and Irving was asked what he thought it would be like to play off the ball. "I'll be ready to shoot," Irving said no fewer than four times.

Irving had been ready to score, too, and that's what he does so well. He's a scoring guard, and James has that rare ability to make teammates better. Credit Irving for recognizing how effective he could be playing off the ball. James is a better passer, a better decision-maker and recognizes the weakness in the defense better, and Irving is the beneficiary.

James went through that process of learning how to play off the ball starting in 2010-11 when he joined the Heat, who had Dwyane Wade, another player who liked the ball in his hands. James discovered – after trial and error –he too could be a better team player without having the ball so much.

"He knew it was going to be an adjustment. I had to make the same adjustment as well a few years ago," James said. "Early on, it was tough for him for sure, but he's definitely figured it out. He's ability to shoot the ball allows him to play off the ball and also create with the live dribble."

That ability to make jump shots and finish at the rim makes Irving difficult to defend. He's also shooting 58.1% in the restricted area and is fourth in points scored on drives to the basket, behind James, Damian Lillard and James Harden.

"He's grown every single day," James said. "Each month has been a learning experience for him and he's gotten more serious about the game, understanding what this moment can be for himself, for us as a team."

Without question, Irving enjoys having James as a teammate, calling it "one of the greatest experiences in my life. … The game is fun, and I just love playing with him."

There's a nice balance between the two right now. Irving and James both have the ball 6.2 minutes per game and nearly the same touches per game (81.9 for James, 80.9 for Irving), according to NBA.com/stats. The Cavs are excellent offensively with James and Irving on the court together, scoring 113.1 points per 100 possessions. Of course, as any opposing coach or player will say, that's what happens when No. 23 is on your team.

"Every game presents different challenges and however the game presents itself that night, we decide who's going to be the lead assist guy and who's going to be the assist guy," James said. "We have that type of chemistry right now where we're able to play off one another."

Said Irving: "I know that I can look to someone else who can go get it and he can look at me and I can go get it too. And we have other guys on our team who can bring it."

Irving said he and James had to develop a relationship before anything else. "We barely knew each other. He was going through his journey. I was going through my journey," Irving said.

Then, Irving said he needed to earn James' respect. "He's a great player. I'm still trying to become a great player. I had to earn his respect on a day to day basis.

"A person's respect is something I truly hold value to, especially another great player and everybody else including my teammates. I always feels there's a need to earn their respect."

The Cavs had to work through some of those issues, especially early in the season. Irving scored 34 points in a loss to the Utah Jazz and didn't have an assist during a six-quarter stretch.

In the first week of the season, James bemoaned the lack of ball movement and pointed out the "bad habits," "losing basketball," and "lack of meaningful possessions" that hampered the Cavs in the four previous seasons.

ESPN reported that James and Irving exchanged words after Cleveland's loss to Portland on Nov. 4. Irving said the fishbowl of playing on a team with James when words, glances and body language are dissected doesn't bother him.

"I went through so much (expletive) last year. What happens externally doesn't even faze me anymore. It'll never faze me again ever in my career," Irving said. "Once you stop giving a (expletive), and it's all about basketball, everything will be good."