The Brooklyn Nets scored a decisive victory in the early battle for Atlantic Division supremacy, beating the Boston Celtics 123-95 on their home court Friday.
Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were sensational, combining for 66 points on 56.8% shooting to improve first-year coach Steve Nash's Nets squad to 2-0 this season.
Brooklyn shot 53.9% from the floor and a scorching 15-of-29 (51.7%) from beyond the arc.
Jaylen Brown paced the Celtics in defeat, recording 27 points with eight rebounds. Jayson Tatum added 20 points and eight rebounds of his own, though he and Brown shot just 20-of-47 (42.6%) from the field, including 2-of-10 on 3-pointers.
In an on-court interview after the final buzzer, Irving - whose 37 points broke the Nets' Christmas Day record of 36 set by Michael Ray Richardson in 1984 - said his team isn't going to rest on the laurels of its early-season success.
"No, we can't exceed our own expectations," he told ESPN's Ariel Helwani. "We know this is a long journey ahead, and this is just another sparring session for us.
"Grateful to be able to come here, especially during the holidays. I don't necessarily celebrate Christmas, but I wish happy holidays to everybody at home. I'm glad that we could put on a performance for everybody."
