CLEVELAND -- Kyrie Irving scored 13 points, passed for 10 assists and tied his career high with six steals in the Cleveland Cavaliers' 119-99 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Friday.

It is the third time in his last four games Irving has reached double figures in assists. LeBron James scored 19 points and Kevin Love returned with 14 points and 15 rebounds after missing the last two games with a sore knee.

Tristan Thompson added a season-high 16 points and 11 rebounds on a night the Cavs destroyed the Nets. They missed seven of their first nine shots, yet still led 29-15 after the first quarter. It was a 26-point lead at the half and grew to as many as 46 in the second half.

Coach Tyronn Lue emptied his bench with four minutes left in the third and the Cavs up 42.

It was an unfair 48 hours for the Nets, who had to tangle with the Golden State Warriors and the Cavs on consecutive nights. The Nets were run out of their own arena in the second half Thursday against the Nets and then blasted again Friday by the defending champions.

"This is what you're here for: to play against the best and compete against the best, and learn from the best," Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said. "You appreciate it."

Brook Lopez scored 16 points and Spencer Dinwiddie had 13 off the bench for the Nets, who dropped to an NBA-worst 7-22.

The Cavs will now prepare for a much-anticipated Christmas Day showdown with the Warriors.

Lue, however, isn't making too much out of just one game in a season of 82.

"It's one game. We know they're a good team, we're a good team," Lue said. "They're tough to prepare for during the regular season anyway and we know that with the way they play, but it's just one game. We're not treating it like anything else. You win and it's one win. It's not five wins."

NOTES: Nets F Trevor Booker was given the night off to rest. ... Brooklyn G Isaiah Whitehead missed his third game with a sore left foot. He remains day to day. ... F Anthony Bennett was the No. 1 overall pick by the Cavaliers in 2013, but he plays only one season in Cleveland. The Nets are his fourth team in as many years. "I really like his rebounding and his athleticism," Brooklyn coach Kenny Atkinson said. "Anthony is dynamic, pretty long, has versatility, and I like that he can shoot the basketball." ... Cavaliers G J.R. Smith is expected to miss 12-to-14 weeks after he had surgery Friday to repair a "complex" fracture in his right thumb. The team is expecting him to get on the court shooting well before that time, however. ... Cleveland F Kevin Love began the night 15 points shy of 10,000 for his career.