Brooklyn Nets' Kyrie Irving drops 38 to beat Milwaukee Bucks, can see 'light at the end of the tunnel'

MILWAUKEE — Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving said he can finally see «light at the end of the tunnel» after playing the best game of his truncated season in Saturday's surprising 126-123 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Irving scored a season-high 38 points to lead his undermanned team down the stretch in a win over the defending NBA champions. After the game he acknowledged the possibility of New York City ending the vaccination mandate that has kept him off the Barclays Center floor all season, saying he's looking forward to «turning the page.»

«I'm glad that things are kind of settling down and there's light at the end of the tunnel here,» Irving said after the game. «Hopefully I can get back on that home floor playing in the Barclays and now we can finally have that conversation that you've been dying to have just about turning the page and moving forward beyond this.

»But like I said, I'm not the only one. I feel for everybody that's either in my boat or a similar boat or have dealt with some type of trauma from this. And just wishing everybody well wishes always."

Irving's comments are his first since New York City mayor Eric Adams told reporters earlier in the week that he «can't wait to get it done» while discussing phasing out vaccination restrictions like other cities across the country.

«I'm following it as much as you guys are,» Irving said. «So just remaining patient and just seeing where things end up in this next week or so, next two weeks, I'm not too sure, but I know as much as you do. And I want to say this — is that I'm very appreciative of all those that are pushing behind the scenes to make our world a better place.

»And with everything calming down with the COVID cases, the most important thing for me