Irving, Robinson steal show with sharp shooting

MIAMI • Brooklyn's Kyrie Irving and Miami's Duncan Robinson each matched a National Basketball Association (NBA) Christmas Day record with seven three-pointers to ignite lopsided victories on Friday, as the Heat stretched their holiday win streak to eight games.

Irving scored 37 points, hitting seven of 10 three-point attempts in his return to Boston, as the Nets ripped his former Celtics teammates 123-95.

"I'm glad we could put on a performance for everybody," he said. "We're definitely going to continue to progress every day."

Robinson finished with 23 points, hitting seven of 13 from beyond the arc, in leading last season's NBA runners-up Miami over visiting New Orleans 111-98.

"Getting more and more comfortable every day," he said. "Last year was a great learning experience. We're just trying to build on it. We're happy to get this one."

Also rolling to a holiday triumph were the Milwaukee Bucks, who had a game-high 31 points from Khris Middleton to beat Golden State 138-99, thanks to a 72-43 Bucks edge in the second half.

"It was just moving the ball," Middleton said. "We made some defensive mistakes but we made some adjustments to correct those. We just wanted to put on a show."

In Boston, Jaylen Brown scored 27 points and Jayson Tatum added 22 and each grabbed eight rebounds to lead the Celtics, who had a 54-51 half-time edge.

But Brooklyn's Kevin Durant scored 16 of his 29 points in the third quarter and the Nets seized a 86-77 edge after three quarters before pulling away in the fourth.

The Nets became the first club since the 2008-09 Los Angeles Lakers to win their first two games by 20 or more points.

"We can't exceed our own expectations," Durant said. "We know this is a long journey ahead."​

7 Record seven three-pointers scored on Christmas Day by Kyrie Irving (Brooklyn Nets) and Duncan Robinson (Miami Heat).

As for his return to Boston, Irving said: "I went to war with those guys. We're going to continue to lean on each other as brothers off the floor and compete on it."

Goran Dragic came off Miami's bench to score 18 points, and Bam Adebayo added 17 for the Heat, who bounced back from an opening loss on Wednesday at Orlando.

The Heat improved the NBA's best Christmas record to 11-2, despite star Jimmy Butler scoring only four points in 16 minutes and not playing in the second half owing to right ankle stiffness.

Zion Williamson scored 32 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead the Pelicans, while Brandon Ingram added 28 points.

In Milwaukee, two-time reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 15 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for the Bucks, who hosted a Christmas game for the first time since their inaugural 1968 season.

Two-time MVP Stephen Curry had 19 points on 6-of-17 shooting for the Warriors, who were without injured forward Draymond Green.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE