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Kyrie Irving stars in the Brooklyn Nets’ NINTH straight victory over their rivals, the New York Knicks, by scoring 30+ points for the sixth straight game, with a fourth quarter show that impressed his teammates.
Kyrie Irving scored 32 points and helped the Brooklyn Nets beat their rival New York Knicks 122-155 on Saturday.
The 30-year-old grew up in New York and New Jersey, so he knows better than anyone if the Knicks vs. the Nets is a real rivalry.
“If the NBA calls it rivalry week, then it’s a rivalry,” Irving said.
Kyrie Irving scored 32 points as he helped the Brooklyn Nets beat their rival, the New York Knicks.
Irving continued his fine form as he posted six straight games and scored over 30 points.
Just a one-sided.
Irving scored 21 of his 32 points in the final 9 1/2 minutes, leading Brooklyn to its ninth straight victory over the Knicks, 122-115 on Saturday.
Irving’s sixth straight game of 30 or more points gave him a career high and the Nets an NBA franchise record. He didn’t look like he was headed that way when he just went 4-for-14 with 11 points early in the fourth quarter.
Irving scored 21 of his 32 points in the final 9 1/2 minutes while putting on a show.
But he took over from there to make sure the Nets turned down every Knicks play, including a deep 3-pointer with 50 seconds left when New York was within five. The All-Star guard also had nine assists and six rebounds.
“That’s why it’s so good to have basketball in your hands,” Nets coach Jacque Vaughn said. “He can attack alone, he can draw and kick and the defense has to react.”
Joe Harris added 16 points and Nic Claxton had 13 points, 12 rebounds and six assists for the Nets. The NBA leader in field goal percentage was 6-of-6. Royce O’Neale and Seth Curry each had 14 points as Brooklyn finished 22-of-40 from 3-point range.
Irving #11, Mike Krzyzewski, RJ Barrett #9 of the New York Knicks and Seth Curry #3 pose
Jalen Brunson scored 26 points and RJ Barrett had 24 for the Knicks. They had won back-to-back games against Eastern Conference contenders Cleveland and Boston.
But they can’t figure out how to beat Brooklyn. The teams about five miles apart made a natural addition to the NBA’s ‘Rival Week’ schedule, now a decade since the Nets played their first season in Brooklyn after moving from New Jersey.
But the Knicks haven’t beaten the Nets in Tom Thibodeau’s 2 1/2 seasons, and their last win came on Jan. 26, 2020, when Kevin Durant wasn’t yet playing for the Nets and Irving left Madison Square Garden after learning of the death of Kobe Bryant that afternoon.
“For me, I love beating the Knicks and playing against them, but overall, it’s just about the goal and that’s to win the game,” Irving said. ‘Nothing personal.’
Curry #30 of the Nets sees a 3-pointer go in during the fourth quarter of the 122-115 win
The Knicks scored the first basket of the fourth quarter, pulling within five points as their fans were deep in the game after being silent for two and a half quarters. But Irving hit his next three shots, including a pair of 3-pointers, as Brooklyn went up 104-90.
‘He made some tough plays. Those deep 3s that he made for us,” Thibodeau said.
New York would later get within three, but Curry hit a 3-pointer and Irving made a pair to keep Brooklyn safe ahead.
Playing without Durant and Ben Simmons, the Nets led by as many as 19 before the Knicks cut it to 88-81 after three.