With the Nets’ second star, Kyrie Irving, seated in the front row but still unable to play due to his unvaccinated status, Kevin Durant still proved to be way too much for the Knicks to handle on Sunday in Brooklyn.

Durant erupted for 53 points, the most ever by a Nets player against the Knicks, in a 110-107 Nets victory at Barclays Center. Tom Thibodeau’s team had no answers for the 12-time All-Star regardless of who or how many players it tried to use to guard him.

“Kevin, what can you say? His career speaks for itself,” Thibodeau said. “He gets rolling like that, you basically try to play him with your whole team and you gotta try to make him work for his points.”

The Knicks opened the game with Julius Randle defending Durant, but they primarily switched to RJ Barrett in the second half after Randle wound up in foul trouble. Double-teaming KD didn’t work either, as he also finished with nine assists.

“The thing is, you can throw a lot of bodies at him, you can be physical, but once he elevates, he’s release is so high and he’s so tall. It’s just him and the rim. It’s obviously tough coverage,” Evan Fournier said. “He’s fast, he’s athletic, he’s seen every defense that’s possible. So that’s why he’s a great player.”

Obi Toppin returned to the lineup after missing five games with a strained hamstring and scored eight points — including two 3-pointers — in eight minutes.

Rookie center Jericho Sims also had an active game off the bench, with six points, a team-high 10 rebounds and one blocked shot in 23 minutes.

Quentin Grimes (dislocated kneecap) missed his ninth straight game, but Thibodeau said he’s “pretty much going full speed” and “the next step would be contact” in practice.