NBA: Irving scores 23 against Knicks
Credit to Author: Tempo Online| Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2019 15:26:15 +0000
NEW YORK (AP) – Kyrie Irving heard the “We want Kyrie! We want Kyrie!” chants that echoed through Madison Square Garden.
He seemed more annoyed than flattered.
Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving dunks during the first half of the team’s NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York. The Celtics won 113-99. (AP)
“It’s nothing but a distraction at this point,” he said.
Irving and the Boston Celtics handled it as easily as they handled the overmatched Knicks, winning 113-99 on Friday night in the first game since New York traded Kristaps Porzingis.
Irving had 23 points, 10 rebounds and six assists before a crowd eager to start the free agent wooing five months early.
The trade to Dallas gave the Knicks money to chase two top free agents this summer and fans showed Irving that they want him to be one of them, cheering him before and during his return from a two-game absence with a hip injury.
Irving is one of the headline names in the 2019 free agent class, and though he said at a Celtics fan event last fall that he intended to re-sign in Boston, that may be no guarantee. He told reporters at the morning shootaround to “Ask me July 1” if his plans had changed.
Discouraged earlier this season by the play of some of his younger teammates, his frustration now is with the talk about matters beyond basketball, with the trade deadline less than a week away and his name being tied to Anthony Davis’ future as he seeks a trade from New Orleans.
So the former New Jersey high school star figured it would be a scene when he was back in the area.
“Like I said, I’m appreciative of the fan support I get in any arena, but of course coming back home,” he said. “Obviously what’s going on in terms of that noise and commentary is just a bunch of nonsense right now. Can’t do anything about it so I’m just accepting, I’m appreciative, but at the same time I’ve got a game to focus on.”
Marcus Morris added 18 points for the Celtics, who won for the eighth time in nine games and remain supportive of Irving.
“He’s a guy that’s very polarizing in the NBA and the world so everything he says, even if it’s not really that serious, it’s going to be taken out of proportion,” Morris said. “But like I said, he still comes in, he’s a professional. We all love him, we all want him here.”
Damyean Dotson scored 22 points and Kevin Knox had 21 for the Knicks, who dropped their 12th straight.
The Knicks dealt Tim Hardaway Jr., Courtney Lee and Trey Burke to Dallas along with the injured Porzingis, getting Dennis Smith Jr., DeAndre Jordan and Wesley Matthews in return, plus two future first-round picks.
The new players weren’t available, so the Knicks started with a backcourt of Dotson and Kadeem Allen.
The short-handed lineup hung around into the fourth quarter before opening February with a loss after going a combined 3-24 in December and January.