Tuesday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers was not just a regular-season game for Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving. He knows that the Kawhi Leonard and Paul George-led squad is one of the best in the league. So picking up the victory was huge for Irving and the Nets.

Per Michael Scotto of USA Today, Irving acknowledged how solid the Clippers are. His mission was to give the Clippers a challenge. After the Nets picked up the 124-120 victory, Irving felt that he succeeded in that mission.

“They (Clippers) got two wonderful players over there with a great collection of guys. We know they are in contention for meeting us down the line, so we wanted to come out and make an impression. I felt like we did that.”

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Irving dropped a season-high 39 points. He scored eight straight points in the mid-way mark of the fourth quarter: two 3-pointers and a crazy corkscrew layup off a dazzling Euro step. Peep some of Irving's highlights below from Tuesday's win over the Clippers.

It was a great win by the newest powerhouse team in the league. Brooklyn has now won seven of their last 10 games. The win over the Clippers is a testament that this Nets squad has what it takes to take on the best teams out in the West.

Though the Clippers lost in embarrassing fashion to the Denver Nuggets in the playoffs last year, they are still considered a legitimate title contender. Who knows, they might make it all the way to the NBA Finals this year and maybe face off against the Nets.