Kyrie Irving was courtside however ineligible. Ben Simmons was harm. However Kevin Durant was dominant. That’s all of the Nets wanted.
Durant carried Brooklyn to a 110-107 win over the rival Knicks on Sunday amid chants of “MVP! MVP!” at Barclays Middle.
Durant poured in 53 factors, the second-most in what's going to certainly be a Corridor of Fame profession. He shot 19 of 37 from the ground, handed out 9 assists and grabbed six rebounds. Durant even performed harassing protection when wanted on Julius Randle and RJ Barrett, selecting up for the Nets lacking Irving, Simmons, LaMarcus Aldridge, Joe Harris and Seth Curry, who was a late scratch.
“I didn’t know Seth was out [until late],” Durant stated throughout a postgame TV interview. “I felt like we had been lacking a whole lot of scoring punch so I needed to choose up.”
Durant’s 16-foot pull-up jumper gave Brooklyn a 101-94 lead with 4:54 left. However moments later he received de-cleated by Randle (team-high 26 factors), knocked on his butt and left surprised searching for a name whereas Randle went the opposite means with the ball. Goran Dragic received whistled for a transparent path foul on Randle whereas Durant protested to the referee.
That play appeared to encourage the Knicks and deflate Brooklyn. The Nets allowed 9 unanswered factors, capped by a driving layup from RJ Barrett (24 factors) for a 103-101 Knicks edge with 2:52 left.
However heart Andre Drummond dunked to knot the sport with 2:12 remaining. And after the Knicks predictably blitzed Durant, he gave up the ball, received it again and hit an enormous 3-pointer with 56.3 seconds left.
After a Randle driving dunk and a Durant miss, the Knicks, down some extent, had one final probability. However as Evan Fournier tried a cross inside, Bruce Brown elevated and tipped it for a steal. Nic Claxton got here up with the unfastened ball and after a Nets timeout, Alec Burks needed to deliberately foul Durant on an inbound.
Durant calmly sank each on the line with 6.6 seconds left. And after Barrett sank the primary free throw and seemingly tried to overlook the second however hit nothing however web, Brooklyn nonetheless led by some extent with 2.6 seconds left in regulation.
There could be no extra time.
“I hope that our guys are locked in and really feel a way of desperation and a way of alternative,” Steve Nash stated. “Lastly we've most of our guys again within the lineup so I believe to have that type of alternative to play and to play collectively and to have a extra absolutely shaped group must be thrilling for our guys. Though it was an emotional win on Thursday evening [in Philadelphia] hopefully they’ve had a while to maneuver previous it and put together for immediately’s recreation.”
The Nets (35-33) are 2 ½ video games behind seventh place Toronto, and two away from the Hornets and Hawks.
The Knicks (28-40) fell to 5 video games behind the latter pair outdoors the play-in.
“When you will have a man like Durant, and you then add to that, a Curry and Patty Mills, a Dragic,” Tom Thibodeau stated. “After which if you happen to overlook Bruce Brown you’re making an enormous mistake, and Drummond’s a monster on the boards. So it’s a really proficient group. After which if you do add Kyrie to the combo, and finally you’ll add Simmons to the combo¸ if you discuss high-end expertise, they received it.
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