Kyrie Irving Dazzles with Career-High 60, Sets Nets Franchise Record vs. Magic
Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving scored 41 first-half points en route to a franchise-record 60 as the Brooklyn Nets defeated the host Orlando Magic 150-108ย on Tuesday at Amway Center.
Irving made 20-of-31 field goals (8-of-12 from three-point range) and 10-of-11 free throws. He dropped 16 points in the first quarter, 25 in the second, 10 in the third and nine more in the fourth.
Irving's 41 first-half points was a season-high mark this year among all players. He notably started the night hitting 14-of-17 shots and 6-of-7 three-pointers.
Per Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press, only Kobe Bryant has scored more than 41 points at halftime over the past 25 years.
The seven-time All-Star played 35 minutes. He hit the bench for the remainder of the game when Brooklyn went up 131-94 with 8:32 left.
Thanks largely to his efforts, the Nets cruised to a 48-30 lead after the first quarter and a 86-56 edge at halftime. Brooklyn led by as many as 44 points in the wire-to-wire win.
Kevin Durant complemented Irving's effort with 19 points two days after dropping 53 on the New York Knicks in a 110-107 win.
The teammates made some history after Irving hit 50 on Tuesday, per ESPN Stats&Info.
Irving also had 50 points on March 8 in a 132-121 victory over the Charlotte Hornets.
Irving topped his previous career-high of 57 points, which he set in aย 128-125 win over the San Antonio Spurs in Feb. 2015 while he was a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Fifty-seven also happened to be the Nets' franchise record, which Deron Williams posted in a 104-101 win over the Charlotte Bobcats in March 2012.
Irving's 60-point effort marks the second time in two days that an NBA player has hit that total, as the Minnesota Timberwolves' Karl-Anthony Towns dropped that amount in a 149-139 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Monday.
Towns shouted out Irving, a fellow ex-New Jersey resident, on Twitter:
This also marked just the 78th time in NBA history that a player has scored 60 or more points.
In addition, this was a great night for the entire team, which scored a franchise-record 150 points in regulation.
The previous mark was 147, which Brooklyn hit in a 22-point win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Jan. 2021.
