While most of the basketball world was taking in the Eastern Conference battle between the Heat and Pacers, Cleveland was playing host to a Knicks team coming off their worst defeat at home in the Carmelo Anthony era. Both Anthony and Kyrie Irving shot over 60 percent, but Irving’s team won and he showed off his handles on poor Pablo Prigioni in the process.
Irving was 14-for-23 from the field and 4-of-7 from beyond the arc for a game-high 37 points in Cleveland’s 109-94 victory at the Q. His behind-the-back crossover on Prig at the top of the key before draining the three-pointer was a picture of beauty, too.
The Cavs won the first and third quarters handily enough to walk away with the 15-point home win despite an incredibly efficient shooting performance from Carmelo Anthony. ‘Melo was even more accurate from the floor than Irving, going 12-of-19 overall and 3-of-4 from three-point territory on his way to a team-high 29 points in over 38 minutes. He even passed for three assists and grabbed eight boards while only committing a single turnover. But with the exception of Amar’e Stoudemire — who has been quite accurate over the last two games — the Knicks didn’t give ‘Melo any support in the loss.
Meanwhile, the Cavs shot 56 percent as a team and even Anthony Bennett got a bucket.
What did you think of Irving’s performance against the Knicks?
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