The Brooklyn Nets were able to come away with an impressive victory on Thursday night over a Boston Celtics team that is on the come-up.
Nets All-Star Kyrie Irving had one of his best games of the season as he had a stat line of 40 points, eight rebounds and three assists as Brooklyn cruised to a 121-109 win over Kyrie’s former team.
What was even more impressive than his stat line was Kyrie’s ability to hit key shots once again down the stretch in a close game. Irving hit two huge 3s in the waning moments of the fourth quarter just when it seemed like the Celtics were mounting a comeback.
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James Harden Sounds off on Kyrie’s Clutch Gene
Nets star and MVP candidate James Harden knows that Kyrie’s knack for hitting big shots is what separates him from other players and Brooklyn depends on him for that.
“He has that killer mentality,” the 2021 All-Star said, according to Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News.
James Harden on Kyrie Irving: “He has that killer mentality of no matter who we play, when we play, he’s gonna go out there and try to destroy the opponent.”
Irving hitting big shots for his teams is not some sort of new discovery; he has made a career out of it. Irving hit quite possibly the most clutch shot in NBA history in the 2016 NBA Finals.
Irving buried a clutch 3 over unanimous MVP Steph Curry to put the Cavaliers up in the final minute in Game 7 in the Finals against the Golden State Warriors that would ultimately win the franchise its first championship.
“No matter who we play, when we play, he’s gonna go out there and try to destroy the opponent,” Harden said.
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Irving & Harden Have Built Great Chemistry
If Nets fans were to take one positive from the hamstring injury of star forward Kevin Durant, it is that Harden and Irving have built great chemistry both on and off the court. The two star guards have each other’s backs, and their play on the court has reflected it.
The same way Harden had Kyrie’s back when he faced off with his former team on Thursday, Irving supported Harden when he faced the Rockets back on March 3.
“Everybody at home, enjoy the game; there will be no tension or no s*** talking going on, on the court or about James in my presence or anybody else’s presence,” Irving said before the Nets’ trip to Houston to take on the Rockets, according to the Houston Chronicle.
“We’re coming to Houston to enjoy the game of basketball and play it at a high level on behalf of James and the rest of the guys because we know it’s a special night regardless, going back to where he started it all or where he started making a huge jump in his career,” Irving said, according to the newspaper.
The Nets continue to rack up the wins as they are now 25-13 on the season. The team still awaits the return of star forward Kevin Durant and the debut of six-time NBA All-Star Blake Griffin.
Nobody knows when either of those things will occur, but the Nets have proven that they can handle just about any NBA team with the roster as currently constructed.
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James Harden Issues Strong Warning to the NBA About Kyrie Irving