WASHINGTON — Amid all of the Kyrie Irving drama, Kevin Durant stated the Nets wish to concentrate on basketball and be the most effective model of themselves they could possibly be.
Friday, the Nets had been the most effective model of themselves for the primary time this season, and it resulted in one of many largest highway routs in franchise historical past.
Of their first sport with out the suspended Irving, the Nets dominated the Wizards for a 128-86 victory at Capital One Area.
The margin of victory tied their largest ever in a highway sport and was their largest over Washington since Jan. 16, 2002, throughout a season through which the Nets reached the NBA Finals.
“[With] all the surface noise and all the pieces, it’s robust,” Royce O’Neale stated. “We simply needed to … hold the concentrate on the sport and hold our sport plan and self-discipline to return out and execute to get to the win.”
Durant did all of it for the Nets, with 28 factors, 11 assists and 9 rebounds. He prolonged his streak of made free throws to 51 earlier than he received a well-deserved relaxation late.
In contrast to so a lot of their early season losses, this time the Nets really gave their franchise participant some assist. They pushed the tempo extra, thrived in early offense and shot 55.6 p.c, 14-for-28 from deep, as seven gamers completed in double figures.
Nic Claxton had 18 factors, 9 boards and three blocks. O’Neale and Cam Thomas stepped up their playmaking duties, with eight and 6 assists respectively. Thomas additionally completed with 17 factors.
However what was most spectacular had been the Nets’ vitality and protection.
“It’s large. We talked this morning about actually having a selection. And, with the ability to help one another with our emotions, with our effort, being there for one another,” interim coach Jacque Vaughn stated. “We confirmed we had been there for one another. … We actually toughed it out profitable [this] sport. Not any extra difficult than that.”
Taking part in small — utilizing 6-foot-8, 214-pound Yuta Watanabe at heart at occasions — the Nets swarmed, rotated and helped. In the long run, they held Washington to 36.6 p.c capturing. Watanabe had 14 factors, eight boards and a number of other key performs.
“Actually a devoted effort,” Vaughn stated. “You noticed, a number of occasions, a number of effort from guys the place they're coming over from the low man than scrambling out and nonetheless making contests. When you're small, you need to make a number of efforts.”
Durant had the spotlight of the night time when he despatched the Wizards’ Daniel Gafford right into a cut up and canned a pull-up jumper to cap a 29-11 run.
That put the Nets up, 38-26, with 27.2 seconds left within the first quarter.
Their lead shrank to 1 at 58-57 within the second quarter, however the Nets closed the half on an 11-0 run. Then they blew it open within the second half.
They noticed that lead shrink to 1 at 58-57, however closed the half on an 11-0 run. Then they blew it open with a 59-29 edge over the Wizards within the second half.
Greatest model, certainly.
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