The Battle of the Boroughs went the way of the Brooklyn Nets for the second time this season as Kyrie Irving led all scorers with 32 points in Brooklyn’s 122-115 victory.
Irving, who notched his sixth 30-point effort of the season, scored 21 of his points in the final 9-1/2 minutes of the ballgame. Irving’s domination of the contest started when he connected on a 26-foot jumper that gave Brooklyn a 10-point lead with 9:25 to go.
Even as the Knicks did everything in their power to get back in the contest, Irving was there for an answer.
Two minutes after his 26-footer gave Brooklyn a 10-point advantage, Irving hit another shot from down town to push the Nets up 104-90 with 7:25 to play.
20+ points in the fourth... AGAIN. pic.twitter.com/RHwYiChiXi
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) January 29, 2023
Knicks superstar Jalen Brunson answered with six-consecutive points to cut the Nets lead down to eight points.
Irving quickly answered with a bucket through the lane to push the lead back to ten with 5:33 to go.
A couple minutes later after Quentin Grimes tipped a roller in to bring the Knicks back to within three, Seth Curry plunged the dagger into the Knicks chances with a three-pointer to push the lead back out to 6 with 2:45 to go.
Irving would later connect on two more long distance shots that pushed the Brooklyn lead out to 117-109.
Kyrie Irving post game goes to his old college coach in Duke in Coach K alongside with Seth Curry and RJ Barrett.#NetsWorld #DukeNation pic.twitter.com/Unrz6H1D5w
— Jeri Tsai (@JeriTsaiNets) January 29, 2023
The victory pumps the Nets up to 30 wins and a record of 30-19 on the year. The Knicks fall to 27-24.
