NEW YORK — Kyrie Irving oozed swagger when he walked onto the court during the starting lineup announcement on Wednesday. After all, Irving viewed this — the Nets’ regular-season opener — as a sort of homecoming. To mark the occasion, he dazzled offensively and broke four records.
The guard finished with 50 points. When he hit 32 points, he set a record for points scored in a Nets debut. The previous record was 30. When he hit 48 points, he set a record for points scored in a debut for any NBA team. The previous record of 47 points was set by Kiki Vandeweghe in 1984.
Then he hit 50. There had been only six 50-point games in Nets’ franchise history, and the most recent one was recorded in 2012 by Deron Williams. The most recent player with a 50-point opener was Anthony Davis, and before Davis, it was Michael Jordan.
But it wasn’t a hiccup-free inaugural Nets game for Irving. Brooklyn fell to the Minnesota Timberwolves 127-126 in overtime. Midgame doldrums came in the form of turnovers and missed free throws.
Even as the Nets began to spiral toward an 0-1 record, Irving got a warm reception from fans. He was introduced last in the starting lineup — a basketball honor reserved for a team’s long-tenured star. He was given a corner locker in the Nets’ locker room — another league-wide symbol of stature.
The Barclays Center crowd erupted when Irving sank his first basket. Every time he charged toward the basket after that, fans let out an audible “ooh” or gasp. Irving appeared determined to dazzle, throwing somewhat haphazard and unnecessary behind-the-back passes minutes into the first quarter.