Irving scores 37 as Nets beat Celtics in Boston
BOSTON — Kyrie Irving scored 37 points in his return to Boston and Kevin Durant added 29, leading the Brooklyn Nets to a 123-95 victory over the Celtics on Friday.
Jarrett Allen added 11 rebounds for the Nets, who remained perfect so far this season and sent Boston to its first loss. Irving was 7 of 10 from 3-point range in his first regular-season game at TD Garden since he opted out of his Celtics contract in 2019.
Jaylen Brown scored 27 points for the Celtics, and Jayson Tatum had 20 points and eight boards. The Celtics beat Milwaukee in their opener on Wednesday on Tatum’s last-second shot over Giannis Antetokounmpo, but they couldn’t do it again in their second straight matchup against a team expected to contend in the Eastern Conference this season.
The game began after a moment of silence for former Celtics player and coach K.C. Jones, who died earlier Friday.
Heat 111, Pelicans 98
MIAMI — Duncan Robinson made seven 3-pointers — tying the Christmas single-game mark — and scored 23 points, leading Miami to the victory.
Goran Dragic added 18 points, and Erik Spoelstra moved to 8-0 on Christmas as coach of the Heat. Bam Adebayo scored 17 for Miami, and Avery Bradley finished with 12.
The Heat lost Jimmy Butler at halftime with right ankle stiffness.
Zion Williamson had 32 points and 14 rebounds in 38 minutes for New Orleans — the rebounds and minutes both being career highs. Brandon Ingram finished with 28 points.
But the Pelicans shot 40% to Miami’s 51%.
Bucks 138, Warriors 99
MILWAUKEE — Khris Middleton scored 31 points and Milwaukee won its first Christmas Day home game in over half a century.
Middleton went 6 for 8 from 3-point range, leading a strong performance from deep for his team. Milwaukee was 20 of
37 from beyond the arc, while Golden State was 10 of 45.
The Warriors were outscored by 65 points in their first two games, the second-highest total in NBA history through two games to 71 points for the
1987-88 Clippers. Milwaukee’s only other Christmas home game came during the franchise’s inaugural season in 1968.
Stephen Curry scored 19 points for Golden State, and rookie James Wiseman had 18.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 15 points and 13 rebounds for Milwaukee, but the two- time reigning NBA MVP shot 4 of 15 from the floor and 7 of 15 from the foul line.