Basketball | Irving stars for Nets

Antetokounmpo helps Bucks rout Knicks; Clippers too good for Golden State.

Kyrie Irving in action .

Kyrie Irving scored 40 points as Brooklyn Nets picked up where it left off before the All-Star break by beating the Boston Celtics 121-109 here on Thursday.

With Kevin Durant sitting out his 10th straight game with an injury and James Harden struggling early with turnovers, Irving seized control in the second quarter in front of a pandemic-limited crowd of 1,300 at Barclays Center.

Elsewhere, Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 24 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists to power the Milwaukee Bucks to a 134-101 rout of New York Knicks.

The results: Charlotte 105 bt Detroit 102; Brooklyn 121 bt Boston 109; Atlanta 121 bt Toronto 120; Miami 111 bt Orlando 103; Milwaukee 134 bt New York 101; Minnesota 135 bt New Orleans 105; Philadelphia 127 bt Chicago 105; Oklahoma City 116 bt Dallas 108; LA Clippers 130 bt Golden State 104; Sacramento 125 bt Houston 105; Phoenix 127 bt Portland 121 .