The Brooklyn Nets returned to winning ways last night after a victory over local rivals, the New York Knicks. Kyrie Irving was the star of the show with a huge 40-point game to lead them to a two-point win.

With less than a minute to go, Irving hit a huge three pointer. He had Elfrid Payton on him, who is a tough defender. But Irving showed off his smooth handles with a clean step back and sank the shot. It gave them a five-point lead and was crucial for their win.

As he was celebrating his shot, Irving almost copied the Dame Time celebration by Damian Lillard, before realizing it and just switched to a clap instead.

Lillard pulls out his Dame Time celebration after hitting big shots in clutch time. It is so popular now because Lillard has established himself as the best clutch player in the league. And now the trend caught on to his rival Irving, who almost imitated him before stopping himself. He might think about coming up with his own celebration before next game now.

No James Harden, no problem! Kyrie Irving saves the day

Just four minutes into the game, Nets star James Harden had to leave the game with an injury. He had returned after a two-game absence because of hamstring problems and it aggravated when he took the court last night. Despite this big hit early in the game, Irving stepped up and led them to the win.

He shot 15-28 from the field and 5-12 from three to score a massive 40 points. He also took over as their playmaker in Harden’s absence and had seven assists. The Nets lost their last game against the Bulls. So Irving was motivated to ensure Harden’s absence wouldn’t affect them once again and fought hard for the win.

Irving’s big game was vital, as aside from Joe Harris and Alize Johnson, the other Nets players were also struggling to get going. Jeff Green shot 6-15 from the field while LaMarcus Aldridge went 3-8. Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot also shot 2-7.

The win helps the Nets to return to the top, and gain a 0.5 game advantage over the 76ers, who are a close second. The Nets will aim to stay consistent and hold on to the top as both 76ers and Bucks threaten to take over. They face the Pelicans in their next game, and it could be another win for Irving and co.

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