Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant help Nets extend winning streak to nine
Nets guard Kyrie Irving drives against Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell during the second half of an NBA game Monday in Cleveland. Credit: AP/Ron Schwane
CLEVELAND — Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant each scored 32 points as the Nets extended their winning streak to nine games with a 125-117 victory over the Cavaliers on Monday night.
The Nets (22-12) withstood a sensational 46-point performance by Darius Garland, who scored 18 points in the fourth quarter. T.J. Warren added 23 points for the Nets, who have won 13 of 14 games.
Durant moved past Tim Duncan (26,496) into 15th place on the career scoring list when he hit a 20-foot jumper in the second quarter. Next up for Durant is Dominique Wilkins (26,668).
“At some point, you’ve got to be able to celebrate some small wins,” Durant said of overtaking Duncan. “To be able to pass a legend, it’s something I’ll call my folks about tonight. I know that I’ve got more to do.”
Irving made a season-high seven three-pointers — and two key free throws with 41.1 seconds left — while being booed nearly every time he touched the ball by fans who cheered him during six seasons with Cleveland.
Garland shot 14-for-20 from the field and added eight assists with just one turnover in 40 minutes to lead the Cavs (22-13).
Donovan Mitchell added 15 points — 13 below his average — and shot 5-for-16 while being guarded primarily by Ben Simmons.
“They came out and punched first,” Mitchell said. “They have some of the best shooters in the league. I have to be better. We have to be better, and we will.”
The Cavaliers were down by 12 points entering the fourth quarter before Irving scored eight quick points, the last on a long three-pointer from way beyond the top of the key, to give the Nets their biggest lead at 102-83.
Garland pulled the Cavaliers within 121-117 moments after Durant fouled out. The Cavs had a chance to make it tighter, but Garland’s runner in the lane was blocked by Nic Claxton.
Irving, who made his pro debut for Cleveland 11 years ago on Dec. 26, hit four three-pointers in the final three minutes of the first half as the Nets closed the quarter with a 21-6 run to open a 64-49 halftime lead.
The Nets finally are playing like the powerhouse many expected. Coach Jacque Vaughn, who took over when Steve Nash was fired after seven games, was asked before the game what was at the heart of the team’s rise. “Basketball,” he said. “When we step into the gym every single day, it’s about basketball.”
“To be honest, we’ve always been about basketball,” Durant said. “The outside noise makes it seem like we don’t care about the game, but so many voices speak about our locker room who don’t have any idea what’s going on. We’ve always been about the game.”
Vaughn added, “We stripped our playbook and we created a little momentum. Guys are playing extremely free of mind and they’ve done an unbelievable job keeping the focus on basketball.”
