Feb 17, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; Eastern Conference guard Kyrie Irving (2) of the Cleveland Cavaliers passes against the Western Conference all-stars during the first half of the 2013 NBA All-Star Game at the Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

With just over seven minutes remaining in the game, Kyrie Irving did what he does best: go off in the fourth quarter. This time against the New Orleans Hornets (19-36) was a little different, as the game was nationally televised on ESPN.

Coming off of an impressive weekend – which included a 32-point performance in the Rising Stars Challenge, a victory in the Three-Point Contest and a 15-point effort off the bench in the All-Star Game – the reigning Rookie of the Year took off when his team needed him the most. Irving, who is fourth in the league in fourth-quarter scoring, shot 6-of-9 from the field and tallied 20 points in less than seven minutes of play.

Irving finished with 35 points, seven assists, five rebounds and two steals – a very solid outing from the one-time All-Star.

The Cleveland Cavaliers (17-37) went into the final period down by one, but finished off the Hornets in a 105-100 victory. Even though the big men didn’t show up tonight, the guards on both squads were still there to put on for the fans. The starting backcourt duo of Irving and Dion Waiters combined for 51 points and 19-of-32 (59.4 percent) shooting from the field. C.J. Miles and Wayne Ellington also had 11 and eight points off the bench respectively.

Austin Rivers, who got off to a hot 3-of-3 shooting start in the first quarter, finished with just 11 points, two assists and four rebounds. It was instead point guard Brian Roberts who picked up for Rivers off the bench, as he finished with 17 points and shot 7-of-8 from the field.

Both teams shot relatively well in this somewhat low-scoring affair. It was an offensive struggle for three quarters, but the lanes were open for the ones and twos to score at will throughout the game. Waiters had a nice mix of a long-range and at-the-rim game. He schooled defenders all night long and finished with 16 points.

This matchup was supposed to be a marquee stage for the two back-to-back No. 1 picks. But Anthony Davis did not show up to help out his team. He managed to score 12 points, but that was on 2-of-7 shooting. He only grabbed four rebounds, while Tristan Thompson was able to corral 13 boards, including five on the offensive end. Thompson played 33 minutes and struggled with his hook shot and getting planted most of the night.

We know by now that Shaun Livingston has a slim chance of staying with the Wine and Gold next season. The stat lines may not show it, but Livingston showed a lot of heart and hustle. He made smart fouls, moved the ball around well and finished with a +/- of +6. I wasn’t on board to resign him in the offseason, but I think he is a very valuable member to this team. He showed it in small ways tonight.

Kyrie proved why he is an elite player in the league,and was receiving MVP chants once again. Those are really premature cheers, but I believe he will be lifting that trophy someday soon. He already has achieved a lot in less than two seasons; that includes a Rising Stars Challenge MVP, Rookies of the Year award, All-Star selection, fourth quarter phenom and Three-Point Contest champion.

But the thing that is always consistent is that he is always making sure the Cavaliers get their due. He does everything for his team, and that’s what makes him one of the most special players ever to don the Wine and Gold.

The Cavs will be going up against the Orlando Magic at 7 p.m. on Saturday. The game will take place at Amway Center.

Feb 17, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; Eastern Conference guard Kyrie Irving (2) of the Cleveland Cavaliers goes to the basket against the Western Conference all-stars during the 2013 NBA All Star Game at the Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Gay/AP-Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports

Welcome to “Tuesdays with Right Down Euclid.” Every Tuesday the RDE crew of Zachary Kolesar and Chris Manning, along with host Nick Harley, will talk the latest Wine and Gold new to keep you informed on headlining topics in the form of back-and-forth discussion. We will cover the most important topics in a four-quarter (and overtime) breakdown spanning from the shores of Lake Erie to all around the NBA (if it is relevant breaking news).

In the 18th episode website editor Zachary Kolesar and contributing blogger Chris Manning talk about Kyrie Irving’s stellar All-Star weekend, the possibility of the Cavs making a move before the trade deadline, a matchup between the 2011 and 2012 first round picks, expectations regarding the rest of the season and Nerlens Noel’s draft stock.

Below is the link where you can listen to this week’s episode quarter by quarter:

First Quarter – What would you grade Kyrie Irving’s performance on All-Star weekend?

Second Quarter – Will the Cavaliers pull the trigger on a trade?

Third Quarter – Which player is the better investment: Kyrie Irving or Anthony Davis?

Fourth Quarter – How do you expect the Cavaliers to finish off the rest of the season, and which player has the most to prove?

Overtime – Should the Wine and Gold pull the trigger on Nerlens?

Make sure to join us next Tuesday for your weekly dose of “Tuesdays with Right Down Euclid.”

I will give a quick synopsis of each team’s roster, some of their statistics from last year and why I think they will finish in the position that I predicted. Agree or disagree, stay tuned to RDE to see where your team lands in the 2012 Offseason Team Rankings.

No. 12 – New Orleans Hornets (4th in Southwest)

2011-12 season: 21-45 (.318), 5th place in Southwest Division (3-11)

Offensive Efficiency: 98.3 (26^th)

Defensive Efficiency: 102.3 (16^th)

June 29, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Hornets first overall selection Anthony Davis (23) holds up his jersey next to owners Tom Benson, Gayle Benson and tenth overall selection Austin Rivers during a press conference at the New Orleans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE

2012-13 roster:

F – Al-Farouq Aminu

F – Ryan Anderson

F – Anthony Davis

G – Eric Gordon

G – Xavier Henry

C – Robin Lopez

G – Roger Mason

F – Darius Miller

G – Austin Rivers

G – Brian Roberts

F – Jason Smith

F – Lance Thomas

G – Greivis Vasquez

F – Hakim Warrick

The Hornets had one of the best offseasons in the NBA this season, trading for 2012 Most Improved Player of the Year Ryan Anderson and taking power forward Anthony Davis and point guard Austin Rivers in the first round of the draft. Signing shooting guard Eric Gordon, one of the premier two guards in the league, helps to fill out a young starting lineup that could one day dominate the Western Conference. However, the Hornets are returning hardly any players who saw time as starters last season, so let the rebuilding begin. This team will be unbearable to watch the first few weeks of the season, but look for great things once the chemistry starts to build.

The problem was on offense for the Hornets last season, and having Gordon healthy and Rivers running the point at times will help a lot with the scoring they lost from parting ways with Jarrett Jack and Chris Kaman. Although Rivers was a combo guard in college, the best bet for him early on is to run the point. He shot very poorly in his two Summer League games, hitting only 21.1 percent of his field goal attempts. He did manage to come away with four steals in those two contests, but only averaged 3.5 assists and turned over the ball six times. Not a very good showing, but having Gordon to work with will definitely help.

I can’t end this article without devoting a paragraph to the No. 1 draft pick. In the seven Olympic games that he participated in, he averaged 7.6 minutes and made 64.7 percent of his field goal attempts. He didn’t get ample playing time, but that was expected. He won’t help his team offensively as much as people expect this season, but he will put up averages of 12+ rebounds and 3+ blocks. The Hornets defense, who lost some pieces this offseason, was one of the strong points in 2011-12, as they averaged 93.4 points allowed. That was good for eighth in the NBA. Look for the defense to carry this team once again in 2012-13.