Kyrie Irving had a dominant offensive performance when his Brooklyn Nets met the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday night.
Most importantly for Irving and the Nets, they won 132-121. The two teams had matching 32-33 records going into the game. With the win, Brooklyn now has sole possession of the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference.
And to say Irving deserves a lot of credit for that win would be an understatement. He lit up the scoreboard, tallying 50 points. And it wasn’t just a high-volume shooting night, either. Irving was brutally efficient, going 15-f0r-19 from the field, 11-for-13 on free throws, and 9-for-12 on three-pointers.
If the performance felt unbelievable, there’s a reason for that. Prior to Tuesday night, such a game had never happened before.
Inevitably, Irving’s performance had NBA fans buzzing.
Kyrie Irving could be saving the Nets season right now
— Cody Mallory (@RealCodyMallory) March 9, 2022
KYRIE IRVING WILL NOT LET THE NETS LOSE
— Cody Mallory (@RealCodyMallory) March 9, 2022
Furthermore, Irving added to his own Nets record of 50-point performances.
This season has been drama-filled for the Nets and Irving. And to be fair, much of that drama has been self-inflicted. But there’s very little doubt that when he plays, Irving has a nearly unrivaled set of offensive skills. And when he goes off, he can carry a team.
If anyone had forgotten that, Tuesday night’s performance in Charlotte was a reminder.