Irving puts up 39 as Nets topple Pelicans

Kyrie Irving totaled 39 points and nine assists while leading six Brooklyn players in double figures as the Nets nearly blew all of a 20-point lead but recorded for a 135-125 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night in New York. Irving scored at least 20 points for the seventh straight game, matching Brook Lopez for the most in Nets history since the franchise moved from New Jersey in 2012. He posted his third 30-point game and scored 24 of his points after halftime while shooting 13 of 21 from the floor overall and hitting all 11 of his free-throw attempts.

The Nets rebounded from blowing a 14-point lead at Detroit on Saturday and headed into a five-game road trip at 3-4. They withstood a career-high 40 points from New Orleans forward Brandon Ingram and survived allowing 48 points in the third quarter. Caris LeVert added 23 for the Nets, who shot 53.3 percent and survived committing 23 turnovers. Joe Harris contributed 19 points, and Jarrett Allen collected 18 points and 10 rebounds as the Nets produced their highest point total of the season.

Reserve Garrett Temple added 13 while Taurean Prince contributed 12 points and 11 boards for Brooklyn. Ingram produced his first career 40-point game after missing the second half of New Orleans' Saturday loss at Oklahoma City with a head injury. Jrue Holiday and Lonzo Ball added 15 apiece for the Pelicans, who fell to 1-6.

New Orleans shot 49.5 percent overall and set a franchise record for points in a quarter but also allowed 32 points off 21 turnovers. Brooklyn took its second 20-point lead at 78-58 on three free throws by Irving with 8:47 left in the third. The Pelicans significantly chipped away and outscored the Nets 40-26 the rest of the quarter to get within 104-98 entering the fourth.

The Pelicans kept coming and were within 121-119 when Jaxson Hayes stole Spencer Dinwiddie's pass and passed to Josh Hart, who converted the running layup with 4:43 remaining. After a Brooklyn timeout, Allen boxed out Ingram for a put-back dunk, and Irving followed with a turnaround jumper over Holiday for a 125-119 lead with 3:50 remaining. The Nets took a 128-121 lead when Irving passed out of a double team in the low post to LeVert, who buried an uncontested 3-pointer from the left side with 3:07 left.

The Nets clinched the win when Harris hit an uncontested 3-pointer with 53.5 seconds left for a 133-125 lead. Irving finished it off with two foul shots.

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