No Kevin Durant means Kyrie Irving needed to step up in the offense, and he’s doing just that after dropping 38 points to carry the Brooklyn Nets over the defending champion Golden State Warriors.
He drilled five three-pointers while adding seven rebounds and nine assists.
Before the game, Irving, the leading guard in the East for the All-Star, unloaded 48 points in Phoenix.
With the win, the Nets improved to a 29-17 win-loss record, tied in fourth spot with Milwaukee.
Meanwhile, LeBron James continued to be ageless as he scored 37 points in Portland.
The Lakers started great before losing grip in the second frame, being outscored 13-45, the worst in franchise history.
However, that was the wake-up call for James and his squad as they bounced back with their 40-point quarter. In the third before finishing with another 35 points in the final canto for a 121-112 win.
Helping James in the cause was Thomas Bryant, who tied his NBA career-high 31 points.
The big man was relentless throughout, grabbing 14 rebounds, five of which were offensive boards.
With the win, the Lakers are now just three games behind for a .500 winning percentage (22-25).
