After a whole common season of questions on whether or not the Nets might simply flip the change, they answered with a wire-to-wire 115-108 play-in win over Cleveland.
Now they’ll need to do it towards a contender.
Tuesday’s win earlier than a sellout crowd of 17,732 — together with Jay-Z seated courtside — that chanted “We would like Boston! We would like Boston!” earned Brooklyn the No. 7 seed within the East, and a first-round date towards the second-seeded Celtics.
Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant led the way in which and made their teammates higher. Irving poured in a game-high 34 factors with a dozen assists on environment friendly 12 of 15 taking pictures. Durant continued to play a whole sport towards defenses designed to cease him, placing up 25 factors, 11 assists, 5 rebounds and three blocks.
“That’s as marketed,” coach Steve Nash stated. “They’re superstars: That’s what prime gamers do.”
They’re the primary Nets teammates with 20 and 10 since Derrick Coleman and Rumeal Robinson on April 15, 1993, towards Boston. Brooklyn may wish extra of that towards the Celtics, who've had the NBA’s greatest protection within the second half of the season.
Irving hit his first dozen pictures — probably the most in his profession to open a sport — earlier than lastly lacking with 10:09 to play. By then the Nets had already constructed a 40-20 cushion after one, seen it balloon to 22 within the third quarter and nonetheless led 87-75.
The very fact Irving did it whereas fasting for Ramadan — not consuming or consuming from sunup to sunset — made it all of the extra gorgeous.
“It’s a blessing to have the ability to do it and nonetheless be capable to carry out. It’s not straightforward by any stretch of the creativeness,” Irving stated. “So, you may’t actually take any second with no consideration in the course of the day. I don’t actually have time or the eye to present [to distractions].
“I are available in right here and I simply take note of the main points and remind myself that I’m respiratory, and that’s sufficient. It actually simplifies life, and places it in a higher perspective. … You possibly can’t actually take into consideration being hungry or something like that. It’s only a enjoyable journey. I’m having fun with it.”
The Nets definitely loved it. Durant, who noticed the Cavs blitz and double-team him early, left impressed.
“All people who does Ramadan, that’s powerful to do, particularly when you may have a job like this,” Durant stated. “To play an NBA sport like that? The final week or exhibits he’s a distinct human being. Hopefully he retains it up. He was nice.”
Darius Garland led Cleveland with 34 factors, however the Nets’ much-maligned protection harassed the Cavs in constructing a giant early lead.
With Jarrett Allen injured (finger) and never there to guard the Cavaliers’ rim, coach J.B. Bickerstaff tossed out an early 3-2 zone. But it surely didn’t work.
Bruce Brown had 18 factors, 9 rebounds and eight assists. And Durant did it on each ends, blocking Lauri Markkanen on one finish and discovering Andre Drummond (16 factors, eight boards) for a dunk.
That made it 17-9, and moments later Durant threw a bounce go to Irving on the quick break. It put the Nets up 23-14 with 3:52 within the first quarter.
A jumper from heart Nic Claxton (13 factors, 9 boards and 5 blocks) doubled up Cleveland 40-20 to shut the primary.
Irving beat the halftime buzzer to make it 57-43 at intermission, and later discovered Drummond for a reducing layup that padded the cushion to 69-47.
Brooklyn noticed its lead trimmed to 99-93, however Durant responded with back-to-back buckets to finish the menace. And the Cavs.
Now Boston beckons, with Sport 1 on Sunday at TD Backyard.
“It’s one other problem for us and one other check. We’ve answered a couple of questions towards the tip of the season the place we have been within the No. 10 spot and someday later we have been within the seventh spot,” Irving stated. “Now it’s time to focus in on what the purpose is, and that’s to be in that winners circle within the subsequent two months or so and hold enjoying till June.”
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