Kyrie Irving has set a new franchise record with 60 in-game points with the Orlando Magic. In the Nets’ 150:108 success, the guard played a first half that had not been seen in almost 20 years.
Orlando Magic (18-52) – Brooklyn Nets (36-33) 108:150 (BOXSCORE)
For his 60 points in 35 minutes, Irving only needed 31 throws (20 hits), the 29-year-old converted eight of his twelve three-pointers and twelve of his 13 free throws. It’s the second 60-point game of the season, the other just the day before Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota Timberwolves) played once morest the San Antonio Spurs.
Irving already had 41 points at the break, the last with more following 24 minutes was Kobe Bryant in March 2003 once morest the Washington Wizards. Irving was just plain hot, hardly anything was forced. “It was a game at its finest,” said Kyrie himself. “We were efficient on both sides of the field and won the game.”
In the end Irving might have scored even more points, but in the end the game was too one-sided. 8:33 minutes before the end, Kyrie sank his eighth three-pointer of the game, following which the man of the day was over. The shot chart looked like something out of a video game, Irving scored 13 of the 20 field goals outside the zone and only missed six attempts there.
Kyrie Irving breaks Deron Williams’ Nets record
“When someone runs that hot, nothing can go wrong,” said center Andre Drummond, and it was an easy success for the Nets. The lead was already 30 points at the break, and in the meantime it was even 44. Irving also broke the franchise record set by Deron Williams (57) from 2012, and it was also a new record for Irving personally. In March 2015, while still wearing the Cleveland Cavaliers jersey, Kyrie scored 57 points in an OT game in San Antonio.
Magic coach Jahmal Mosley was also impressed. “Sometimes he just threw over two people. We tried to pressure him but is smart enough to understand when he can and can’t throw.” So Kevin Durant didn’t need it that evening, who put up a comfortable 19 points (6/9 FG, 7/8 FT, 7 assists) in 30 minutes. Patty Mills (15) hit five of his seven threes coming off the bench, backup center Nicolas Claxton put on a double-double.
The Nets hit 60 percent from the field – and also from the line of three (16/27), the hosts had to be content with 38 percent. Cole Anthony was the best scorer with 19 points and 7 assists, Franz Wagner (16, 5/13, 2 assists) sunk his two long-range shots. Moritz Wagner (17, 7/15, 11 rebounds) recorded a double-double coming from the bench.
The deficit for the Nets in sixth place is still 3.5 games, the play-in tournament is threatened. But Irving didn’t want to know anything regarding it and was accordingly self-confident: “This evening showed everyone that we are on the way to making our mark in the history books.”
Kyrie Irving: His points following quarters
| quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| minutes | 10:40 | 12:00 | 08:48 | 03:28 |
| Points (FG) | 16 (6/8) | 25 (8/11) | 10 (3/8) | 9 (3/4) |
