ORLANDO, FLORIDA (AP) – Kyrie Irving made it two nights in a row with a 60-point scorer in the NBA.
A 41-point first half hadn’t been seen in almost two decades.
“It just shows you we’re on our way to history,” Irving said.
Irving scored a career-high 60 points, most in the Nets’ NBA history, to lead Brooklyn to a 150-108 victory over the Orlando Magic early yesterday.
Irving shot 20 for 31, including eight of 12 on three-pointers, in 35 minutes. He made 12 of 13 free throws in matching the highest-scoring game in the NBA this season, done just a night earlier by Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns against San Antonio.
Irving and Durant became the first teammates in NBA history to post 50-point performances in consecutive games. Durant scored 53 points in a win against the New York Knicks last Sunday.
Irving scored 41 points in the first half, the most in the first two quarters since Kobe Bryant had 42 against Washington on March 28, 2003.
Playing in only his 19th game of the season because he isn’t eligible to play home games because of New York City’s mandate requiring vaccination against COVID-19, Irving reached the 50-point mark by spinning a layup off the glass with 5:02 left in the third quarter.
It marked the sixth 50-point game of Irving’s NBA career and the 16th 50-point game in the league this season. Irving had 16 points and three assists in the Nets’ 48-point first quarter, in which they shot 74 per cent (20 for 27) including five of six on threes.
The Nets led 86-56 after Irving’s 41-point first half. He was 14 for 19.
Durant added 19 points in the Nets’ fourth straight win. Cole Anthony had 19 points and seven assists for Orlando.
