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COD game gave Nets Kyrie Irving feeling that Donovan Mitchell would have big night for Cavs

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Donovan Mitchell and the Cavs take on the Knicks
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) celebrates after making a basket during the overtime of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, in Cleveland.
AP Photo/Ron Schwane

BROOKLYN — Kyrie Irving’s putback dunk may have been the highlight of the night at Barclays Center, but it was Donovan Mitchell’s 71-point performance on Monday night that stole the show in the basketball world. While many across the league expressed amazement, there was one person who felt that something special had been coming for the NBA star. 

Hours before Mitchell’s record-breaking game and Kyrie Irving’s 27-point night for the Nets, the two were locked into a game of Call of Duty. That was when Irving sensed that Mitchell was “locked in” for a big night.

Irving, along with LeBron James, had set the Cleveland Cavaliers record for most points in a single game with 57. 

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“Records are meant to be broken. I’m happy that he did it,” Irving said after the Nets beat the San Antonio Spurs. “I was on a call of duty a little bit before the game with Don. We were playing quads and he was locked in. I can tell. He was locked in. We were locked into the game, but I had to get off early because I had to take a nap and he had to get off early to take a nap. You could just tell he’s locked in. You know we had a kind of brief conversation and you could just tell. It’s the little things like that.”

Irving later joked that his WIFI had lagged out, which forced him to sign off, but Irving, like the rest of the league was impressed by the historic night for Mitchell. Monday’s game between the Nets and Spurs had been going on right around the same time as the Cavaliers’ matchup with the Chicago Bulls and Irving learned of Mitchell’s big night during his postgame press conference. 

While Irving didn’t put up 71 points, he did lead the charge in Brooklyn’s 12th consecutive win. In addition to his game-high in points, Irving shot 11-of-14 from the field and had four three-pointers. 

It was Irving’s dunk in the second quarter that got the sellout crowd inside Barclays center going. 

For more Nets coverage, visit amNY.com and our affiliate site at TheBrooklynGame.com

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