New York Knicks 112-117 Brooklyn Nets: Twitter explodes as Kyrie Irving stays hot to win battle of NY for his side

The Brooklyn Nets had a dramatic finish in their meeting with the New York Knicks on Monday night. The Nets came out of the gates with instant offense, controlling the game until the nail-biting fourth quarter. Brooklyn improved to 27-13 with the victory, keeping pressure on the Philadelphia 76ers for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

Kyrie Irving continued his MVP-caliber season with a game-high 34 points on 72% shooting, bringing his season average to 27.7 points per game. The 28-year-old has been playing with purpose and leading the Brooklyn Nets' offense in Kevin Durant's absence.

Kyrie Irving shines as Brooklyn Nets rout New York Knicks

The Brooklyn Nets pulled to within a half-game of first place with the win

The Brooklyn Nets were lethal from downtown tonight, knocking down an incredible 41% of their three-point attempts. The Nets offense seems to be improving daily despite missing two major pieces in Durant and newcomer Blake Griffin.

The New York Knicks pulled to within two points in the fourth quarter, but the Nets were able to pull away for a five-point victory. Julius Randle led the Knicks with 33 points and 12 boards, but it would not be enough to keep pace with Brooklyn's lights-out shooting.

Here's how Twitter reacted to the Brooklyn Nets' strong victory:

Brooklyn had a very slow start to the fourth quarter but came alive in the final minutes to put the New York Knicks away. Kyrie Irving was all over the highlight reels with some fancy footwork and dribbling, but this Nets victory was a team effort.

Here are more reactions from the Nets' home win:

James Harden quietly played his way into the history books tonight, recording 21 points, 15 assists and 15 rebounds. Harden is the first player with a 15/15/15 game in Brooklyn Nets history. The Beard has embraced his role as a facilitator for this team and leads the NBA in assists per game.

Here are more reactions to the Nets' victory over the New York Knicks: