Caris LeVert's 51-point display in the Brooklyn Nets' 129-120 overtime win against the Boston Celtics earned him lofty praise on Tuesday.
The 25-year-old scored 26 points in the fourth quarter and 11 in OT as the Nets came from behind after trailing by 17 through three quarters.
His stunning career-high haul rendered Nets coach Kenny Atkinson almost speechless by what he witnessed at TD Garden.
"It's really hard to even comment," said Atkinson, per ESPN. "I'm still trying to process it all.
"It was just play after play. He got a big deal, he obviously hit the three free throws at the end. It's just a miracle.
"It was just a classic performance. A very great performance."
Team-mate Kevin Durant, out with a ruptured Achilles, tweeted: "That 50 was beautiful, Vert. Thank you for that masterpiece."
That 50 was beautiful, Vert. Thank you for that masterpiece
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) March 4, 2020
The man himself was not even sure he would be given the chance to do his thing in the fourth quarter.
"I thought [the coach] was going to pull [me], too," LeVert said. "[But] he put me back in there, so I just made one more run at it."
And it was his nerves of steel that took the game to OT, LeVert draining three free throws to tie things up at the death.
"Never have I ever [been in that position] before," he said.
"That was very unique, but I was confident when I stepped onto the line that I was going to hit all three."
