Nets’ Kyrie Irving second player in 2 nights with 60 points
ORLANDO, Fla. — Kyrie Irving scored a career-high 60 points, most in the Nets’ NBA history, to lead Brooklyn to a 150-108 victory over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night.
Irving shot 20 for 31, including 8 of 12 on 3-pointers, in 35 minutes. He made 12 of 13 free throws in matching the highest-scoring game in the NBA this season, done just a night earlier by Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns against San Antonio.
Irving scored 41 points in the first half, the most in the first two quarters since Kobe Bryant had 42 against Washington on March 28, 2003.
The guard left the game after hitting a long 3-pointer with 8:33 remaining and Brooklyn leading 128-94. He gave the Nets consecutive 50-point performances, after Kevin Durant had 53 on Sunday against the New York Knicks.
Durant added 19 points in the Nets’ fourth straight win.
Cole Anthony had 19 points and seven assists for Orlando.
GRIZZLIES 135, PACERS 102
INDIANAPOLIS — Desmond Bane scored 21 points, Jaren Jackson Jr. had 19 and Memphis rolled without All-Star Ja Morant, beating Indiana.
De’Anthony Melton added 18 points while Morant sat out with back soreness. The Grizzlies made the decision to hold him out after he went through pregame warmups.
It was the fourth consecutive victory for the Grizzlies. The Pacers have lost two in a row and five of their last six games.
Steven Adams had 13 points and 13 rebounds for the Grizzlies.
Jalen Smith scored 15 points for Indiana. Buddy Hield and Terry Taylor each had 14.
HEAT 105, PISTONS 98
MIAMI — Max Strus scored all of his 16 points in the fourth quarter, Tyler Herro finished with a game-high 29 off the bench and Miami escaped with a win over Detroit.
Strus, playing in the second half after Jimmy Butler left the game with a sprained ankle, scored 13 points in a span of 2:55 of the final quarter to help Miami rally. Bam Adebayo finished with 16 for the Heat.
Herro hit the biggest shot of the night for Miami, a 3-pointer for a five-point lead with 1:59 left.
Jerami Grant led the Pistons with 22 points. Isaiah Livers scored 16, while Marvin Bagley III and Saddiq Bey each had 13 for Detroit, which closed the third quarter on a 19-0 run to put a serious scare into the Eastern Conference leaders.
SUNS 131, PELICANS 115
NEW ORLEANS — Devin Booker had 27 points and eight assists in 30 minutes before Phoenix coach Monty Williams gave him the rest of the night off, and the Suns beat New Orleans.
Mikal Bridges went 4 of 5 from deep and scored 20 for the Suns, whose accurate shooting and ability to capitalize on virtually every Pelicans mistake helped them secure their fourth victory in five games despite star guard Chris Paul’s extended absence with his fractured right thumb.
The Suns shot 53% (18 of 34) from 3-point range and converted 17 Pelicans turnovers into 33 points.
Reserve center JaVale McGee scored 19 and Deandre Ayton added 18 for Phoenix, which shot 55% (49 of 89) overall.
Herb Jones scored 22 for the Pelicans, who’ve lost five of six as they try to hang on to the final play-in spot in the Western Conference. Guard CJ McCollum returned from a two-game absence while in health and safety protocols and scored 21 points, but also committed five turnovers. Jonas Valanciunas added 17 points and 12 rebounds.
