Kevin Durant and the Nets have been pressured to attempt to win far too many video games at Barclays Heart this 12 months with out an offensive contribution from Kyrie Irving.
Irving missed 15 of his first 17 pictures from the ground in his first look on Brooklyn’s residence courtroom in almost 10 months, and even his eight straight factors in a fourth-quarter comeback bid weren’t sufficient for the Nets to keep away from a 119-110 loss to the Hornets on Sunday night time.
Irving totaled 16 factors (6-for-22) and 11 assists, and Durant netted 27 to surpass Reggie Miller for twenty first on the NBA’s all-time scoring checklist. Andre Drummond completed with 20 factors and 17 rebounds for the Nets (39-36).
LaMelo Ball scored 33 and Miles Bridges added 24 as Charlotte (39-36) moved right into a tie with Brooklyn for the No. 8 play-in spot within the Japanese Convention with seven video games remaining.
Irving was showered with thunderous applause when he was launched within the residence lineup for the primary time since Recreation 2 of the Japanese Convention semifinals in opposition to the Bucks on June 7 of final 12 months. He had been ineligible to play in all earlier residence video games this season because of his unvaccinated COVID-19 standing, till Mayor Eric Adams made an exemption final week to the private-sector mandate.
“It’s at all times good to be residence,” Irving stated as he walked into the sector about two hours earlier than tipoff.
Irving had expressed pleasure for this long-awaited Brooklyn look forward of Saturday’s recreation in Miami, saying he was “pinching himself” since Adams introduced the Emergency Govt Order 62 on Thursday, granting unvaccinated New York Metropolis athletes an exemption from the town’s private-sector COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
Nets coach Steve Nash needed to really feel the identical manner, nearing the top of a disjointed season through which he’s employed greater than 40 completely different beginning lineups.
“It’s be nice to have the ability to have some bonus power, Ky’s first recreation at residence this 12 months,” Nash stated earlier than the sport. “Clearly the fellows must lock in tonight. We obtained again [from Miami] at 4 within the morning and you bought to be skilled and discover it a way.
“If we get just a little added power from the group and from Kyrie’s first recreation at residence, that’d be nice, however we will’t depend on that. We’ve obtained to come back with our mentality and our togetherness and play properly.”
Irving is averaging 27.7 factors over 21 street appearances this season, together with a 50-point outburst in Charlotte on March 8 and a 60-point efficiency in Orlando on March 15. He had been slated to overlook seven of the Nets’ closing eight video games because of the earlier mandates. However these adjustments will allow Nash to begin Irving and Durant collectively down this closing stretch in an try to solidify the workforce’s playoff positioning.
Ben Simmons, acquired on the commerce deadline from the 76ers within the James Harden blockbuster, nonetheless hasn’t made his workforce debut whereas coping with a again harm.
“I’m very hesitant to fake that [stability] is simply going to be the way in which it's. However it could be nice if we might have some continuity right here and take advantage of these remaining video games in order that we will put ourselves additional alongside and be extra ready and extra cohesion and understanding of our fashion of play collectively,” Nash stated. “The additional we get there, I believe it’s paramount for our success or alternative to play properly within the playoffs.
“I believe we simply must be locked in to the second.”
Irving missed his first 5 pictures and didn’t rating till a free throw and a 3-pointer early within the second quarter.
The Nets led by as many as 14 earlier than halftime, with Drummond main the way in which with 15 factors and 9 boards because the Nets carried a 60-56 lead into intermission.
Ball erupted for 18 factors within the third quarter, nevertheless, together with 5 3-pointers, to spice up the Hornets a 93-89 benefit heading into the ultimate interval.
They prolonged that cushion to 9 with barely eight minutes remaining within the fourth, however three baskets and two free throws by Irving moved the Nets right into a 106-105 lead with 3:37 to go.
Charlotte nailed 4 3-pointers within the closing two minutes, nevertheless, together with two by Cody Martin and one apiece by Terry Rozier and Bridges to tug away.
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