Knicks followers are nonetheless bitter about Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving choosing the Nets.
Then the 2 stars reminded them why, lifting Brooklyn to a much-needed 110-98 come-from-behind victory earlier than a sellout crowd of 19,812 on the Backyard.
At halftime the Nets had dug a 17-point gap, and Irving had even gotten into it verbally with a fan headed off the courtroom into the locker room. However after they got here out, Brooklyn outscored the Knicks 60-31 the remainder of the best way, their finest defensive efficiency of any half this season.
Durant had 32 factors, 11 assists and 10 boards, and Irving added 24 factors, eight rebounds and 7 assists. He additionally went back-and-forth with the fan at halftime, and waved goodbye to the Backyard crowd afterward.
“Man I simply wanted to let unfastened a few of that vitality, actually. As a result of we had been in a gap all through a lot of the recreation and I simply stored telling our guys that that is our recreation, that is our recreation,” Irving stated. “However waving to the group was similar to, ‘Hey, we’ll see you guys subsequent yr.’ ”
It was the Nets’ seventh straight win over the Knicks, and — after trailing 71-50 within the third — the second time they erased a 20-plus level deficit this yr on the Backyard.
“I hate being down. I hate even being that crew [to] get down and combat again. I don’t like that s–t. I don’t need that to be part of who we're,” stated Durant, who stated this has grow to be a rivalry — ratcheted up after he and Irving picked Brooklyn in June 2019.
“We all know how a lot Knicks followers don’t like us. Particularly now this period, with us not selecting the Knicks, me and Kyrie. … Think about the tweets I’ve been getting since I made a decision to return to the Nets. Knicks followers are nonetheless pissed off, little jabs right here and there.”
Although Durant stated it was all love from Knicks followers, Irving confirmed they ask him on a regular basis why he picked Brooklyn over Manhattan.
“In fact,” stated Irving, acknowledging he loves taking part in provocateur. “I actually don’t give an evidence. … You guys know me. I throw darts within the air and simply look ahead to folks to imagine no matter they need. Am I mendacity? What may he probably be speaking about? Is he speaking about this?”
The Nets, who trailed by 21 within the third, used a 20-2 blitz that spanned into the fourth. And after the Knicks retook the lead, Brooklyn (42-38) closed on a 16-2 run to carry onto eighth within the East.
“The primary half we didn’t we don’t play Nets model of basketball, stuff that we preach about day-after-day,” Durant stated. “However the second half is who we're.”
Alec Burks led the Knicks with 24 and RJ Barrett added 23, seven assists and 7 boards. The Knicks (35-45) outhustled Brooklyn within the first half, solely to get out-talented within the second.
“Not a lot you are able to do towards a 7-footer who can shoot jumpers over anybody,” Barrett stated.
Durant’s pullup put the Nets up 25-19 with 1:55 left within the first.
The Knicks reeled off an enormous 19-0 run, capped by a layup from Obi Toppin (19 factors). Brooklyn missed eight straight photographs and noticed the Knicks take a 38-25 lead. It was 17 at halftime and the cushion swelled to 71-50 on Barrett’s free throws.
The Knicks nonetheless led 82-67 after a Toppin fadeaway with 1:34 within the third. However Brooklyn used a 20-2 blitz to take the momentum and the lead.
A Durant midrange pullup put the Nets up 87-84.
Barrett put the Knicks again forward 96-94 with 5:11 left, however Brooklyn ran off 10 unanswered factors — a part of a game-closing 16-2 spurt — to seal the victory.
After Durant discovered heretofore struggling Patty Mills (15 factors) for an enormous 3 and 101-96 edge with 2:48 to play, the Knicks by no means responded.
“It was very unsatisfying for some time. Pleased with the group,” coach Steve Nash stated. “We didn’t play properly within the first half. We didn’t give the requisite combat, spirit, vitality. … The second half although you might simply see them take the problem, and we wanted all of it.”
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