The Nets’ regular-season finale Sunday was very similar to the whole marketing campaign that preceded it: shorthanded and more durable than it needed to be.
However ultimately, Brooklyn received the job achieved, a 134-126 victory over Indiana earlier than a sellout crowd of 17,967 at Barclays Middle that gave the Nets the seventh seed within the Japanese Convention, and eventually some play-in readability.
After closing the schedule successful 4 straight — and 12 of their final 17 — the Nets climbed from as little as ninth within the East on April 7 to seventh within the remaining standings. They’ll host the eighth-seeded Cavaliers in Tuesday’s play-in, having fun with the security internet of double-elimination and needing only a lone win to clinch a first-round playoff berth.
“Focus and end the job,” Steve Nash mentioned of the mission for the finale. “We’ve achieved very nicely to place ourselves into this place given all of the adversity we’ve confronted this 12 months — franchise document in beginning lineups and all of the issues which have gone on.
“To have an opportunity to dictate this upcoming week is necessary. It’s one thing that I believe our guys are rewarded for his or her effort and endurance. Let’s be sure we capitalize on that chance.”
The Nets positive appeared motivated and incentivized to capitalize.
They received a balanced and full offensive effort, capturing 64.2 %, with Kyrie Irving pouring in a game-high 35 factors, seven rebounds and 5 assists.
Regardless of a uncommon off 5 of 17 capturing evening, Kevin Durant orchestrated along with his fourth triple-double, ending with 20 factors, a career-high 16 assists and 10 rebounds. Andre Drummond had his approach inside with 20 factors and 13 boards.
The Nets led by as a lot as 18. And after squandering that cushion and letting Terry Taylor knot it at 91-all, Brooklyn ran off seven unanswered late within the third.
Irving’s coach, Devin Harris, tweeted that Milwaukee would duck to keep away from the Nets within the playoffs. And the defending champion Bucks — who got here into the day second within the East, looming as a possible first-round foe — sat stars Giannis Antetekounmpo, Khris Middleton and (primarily) Jrue Vacation.
They summarily went down 14-0 and misplaced to Cleveland, leaving their seeding in limbo pending the results of the Celtics and 76ers video games.
However the Nets held off the Cavs’ try and retake seventh from them. Brooklyn was forward 8-0 proper out of the gate and by no means trailed.
They led 41-29 after a torrid first quarter that noticed them shoot 18 of 24 regardless of Durant being 0-for-5 with three turnovers. However he had six of their 11 assists, and the ball stored shifting the remainder of the evening, even when their protection was middling.
A Cam Thomas pull-up 3-pointer put Brooklyn forward 47-29 early within the second quarter, and the Nets nonetheless led by 16 on the break.
That momentum didn’t carry over to the third. The Nets watched Indiana open up on a 17-2 run, with a 3-pointer by Oshae Brissett (team-high 28 factors) capping the blitz and reducing it to 78-77.
Taylor’s reducing finger roll knotted it at 91-all with 3:44 within the third. However Irving responded with a 3-pointer that sparked a game-clinching 7-0 run.
Durant hit a midrange pull-up off an help by Nic Claxton (14 factors), then returned the favor when he discovered the springy younger middle for an alley-oop that pushed the result in seven and despatched Indiana scurrying for a timeout with 1:51 left within the third.
Brooklyn led by 9 going into the fourth and held the Pacers at bay.
Bruce Brown added 21 factors and 7 boards.
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