Irving's 'flow' destroys Orlando

ORLANDO • Kyrie Irving insisted that he was just riding on the "flow" of his team after he scored a career-high 60 points to lead the Brooklyn Nets to a 150-108 thrashing of the Orlando Magic in the National Basketball Association on Tuesday.

The point guard - who had 50 points last week in a victory over Charlotte - delivered another performance for the ages at Orlando's Amway Centre.

His tour de force surpassed his previous career best of 57 points, set in 2015 while playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers in a victory over the San Antonio Spurs.

"I felt good," Irving said.

"It was about the team, really, just getting in the flow.

"It is a testament to the way we've been gelling as a team - us giving each other confidence, doing the right things.

"When you can get 60 in the flow of the game and it doesn't seem forced, and you're not putting up a few too many bad shots, and you come to the bench and guys are supporting you, telling you to go after the record - that makes the basketball worth it."

The 29-year-old Melbourne-born, seven-time All-Star made 20-of-31 from the field, including eight of 12 attempts from outside the arc.

A career-high performance for Irving looked inevitable after an explosive first half from Brooklyn.

The Nets piled on 48 points in the first quarter alone before adding 38 in the second to lead 86-56 at half-time. Irving had 41 points in that devastating first half, leaving him only 16 shy of his individual record.

He brought up 50 points - the sixth half-century of his career - with a driving lay-up in the third quarter, prompting appreciative chants of "Kyrie, Kyrie" from the Orlando crowd.

Two free throws saw him reach his record at 57 and then a magical three-point pull-up saw him hit the 60-point mark.

His points haul came 24 hours after the Minnesota Timberwolves' Karl-Anthony Towns scored 60 in a victory over the Spurs.

It is the first time different players have scored 60 points or more on consecutive nights in the NBA since 1962.

Nets coach Steve Nash was left awestruck by Irving's display.

"It's special to watch him every night, but it's even more special on a night like this, where he gets whatever he wants and has total command," he said.

Six other Nets players finished with double-digit points tallies, while Cole Anthony led Orlando's scoring with 19 points.

Brooklyn's fourth consecutive win saw the Nets improve to 36-33 to keep their hopes of an automatic play-off berth alive.

The Nets are eighth in the Eastern Conference, three wins behind the sixth-placed Cavaliers.

Orlando, meanwhile, remain rooted to the foot of the East with an 18-52 record.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE