Kyrie Irving is picking up right where he left off last season, displaying the same late-game composure that allows him to sink clutch baskets for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Irving showed off his steely nerve by draining a three pointer with 44 seconds left to lift the Cavaliers to a 94-91 win over the Toronto Raptors on Friday night.
Irving’s dagger came from the top of the key and it was none other than LeBron James who fed him the ball.
“I tried to make a move for myself, get into the seams, but when I seen the defense collapse, I know where my guy was going to be,” James said.
“He’s a big-time player and it was a big-time moment and he knocked it down.”
In New Orleans, Kevin Durant scored 30 points and Klay Thompson had 28 as Golden State held off Anthony Davis and the Pelicans with a 122-114 victory.
The Pelicans fell to 0-2 despite another masterful performance by Davis. He finished with 45 points and 17 rebounds after accomplishing an league first with 50 points, 16 rebounds, five assists, four blocks and seven steals in a season-opening 107-102 loss to Denver on Wednesday.
In Detroit, Tobias Harris haunted his former team by scoring 18 points as the Detroit Pistons built a 23-point half-time lead and then cruised to a 108-92 win over the Orlando Magic.
The former Magic forward added four rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block for the Pistons.
In New York, Brook Lopez scored 25 points and the Brooklyn Nets held the Indiana Pacers without a basket for the first five minutes of the fourth quarter and rallied for a 103-94 win.
