Irving scores 50, Nets beat Hornets to snap 4-game skid
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Kevin Durant simply began clapping when asked about teammate Kyrie Irving’s 50-point performance Tuesday night. “That was master class,” Durant said.
Irving hit nine 3pointers and the Brooklyn Nets snapped a fourgame skid with a 132121 win over the Charlotte Hornets.
Irving became one of 22 players in NBA history with five 50-point games, according to Basketball Reference. His career high is 57 points on March, 12, 2015, while playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers in an overtime win against San Ant oni o.
Durant had a quiet night by his lofty standards, finishing with 14 points. But he didn’t have to do much lifting with Irving taking control most of the game.
Irving, who has only been allowed to play in away games due to COVID-19 protocols in New York, finished 15 of 19 from the field and 9 of 12 from beyond the arc. He also was 11 of 13 from the line. He became only the second guard in NBA history to have multiple 50-point games while shooting 75% from the floor, according to Stats. The other is Michael Jordan.
Andre Drummond dominated inside, finishing with 20 points and 14 rebounds for Brooklyn, which got back to .500 on the season and moved into sole possession of eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings, breaking a tie with the Hornets.
Miles Bridges and Terry Rozier each finished with 30 points for Charlotte, which had its two-game win st r eak snapped. LaMelo Ball added 24 points and seven assists for the Hornets.
The Nets bolted to a 69-43 lead behind Irving’s 20 points in the first half. The Hornets didn’t help themselves, repeatedly committing turnovers with lazy passes, including two by Ball on back-to-back possessi ons.
Brooklyn stretched its lead to 34 points in the second half before the Hornets trimmed it to 13 with less than four minutes left in the game. But Irving, as he’d done throughout the second half, thwarted the rally by knocking down a jumper. The Hornets used a number of players to defend Irving, but simply couldn’t stop him. (AP)