Kyrie Irving scores 31 to guide Nets previous Knicks as crosstown bullying continues

For this recreation — and most video games in opposition to the Nets — the Knicks ought to be completely happy that James Dolan refuses to enter Barclays Heart.

The group proprietor, who has set the bar at playoffs this season, would’ve witnessed a humiliation Saturday from his Knicks, who have been pathetic for a lot of Saturday’s 122-115 loss till a too-little, too-late comeback within the fourth quarter.

The Knicks (27-24) dropped their ninth straight to the crosstown rivals, though ‘rivalry’ doesn’t actually apply to this matchup. It’s extra of a bully scenario at this level. On Saturday, the Nets (30-19), taking part in with out the injured Kevin Durant, led all through and acquired dagger 3-pointers from Kyrie Irving within the last 65 seconds.

[ Ben Simmons out against Knicks with left knee soreness ]

Irving completed with 31 factors in 41 minutes, fileting New York’s perimeter and Jalen Brunson. Brooklyn shot a ridiculous 55% on 40 3-point makes an attempt, ending swaths of Knicks followers to the exits within the last minutes.

The viewers included the cream-of-their-fields Mariano Rivera and Mike Krzyzewski. It didn’t embody Dolan, who revealed he’s been to the world throughout the Manhattan Bridge as a result of he wouldn’t be snug.

His group isn’t very snug, both. The Knicks have only one victory in Brooklyn in 5 years. Durant’s private successful streak in opposition to the Knicks stands at 13, with a ridiculous 21-3 report general. He missed his ninth straight recreation Saturday with a sprained knee, with the Nets now 3-6 with out their All-Star.

For the Knicks, Brunson scored 26 and RJ Barrett added 24. However the issue was protection. Coming off consecutive victories in opposition to Jap Convention elites Boston and Cleveland, the Knicks laid a dud of their first recreation on ABC.

It was uninspiring from the beginning for the Knicks, who trailed by as many as 18 within the first half and went into the break shedding, 62-49. The Nets nailed 11 treys within the first half on 52% taking pictures, with Royce O’Neale and Yuta Wantanabe hitting three apiece.

[ Tom Thibodeau not fazed by James Dolan’s playoff order: ‘I never feel pressure’ ]

The Knicks lower the deficit to three with about three minutes remaining, however then the Nets nailed three straight 3-pointers — together with two from Irving — and the sport was over.