Kevin Durant, Kiri Irving start the Nets for a decisive comeback on the Knicks
Knicks fans are still bitter about Kevin Durant and Kiri Irving choosing the net.
The two stars then reminded him that they had given Brooklyn a 110-98-required victory before the 19,812 sellout crowd at the Garden.
Halfway through the nets dug a 17-point hole and Irving entered it verbally and a fan flew from the court into the locker room. But when it came out, Brooklyn beat the Knicks 60-31, their best defensive performance in any half of the season.
Durant had 32 points, 11 assists and 10 boards, and Irving added 24 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Halfway through he went back and forth with the fan and then said goodbye to the garden crowd.
“Man, I honestly wanted to release some energy. Because in most of the games we were in a hole and I just kept telling our kids that this is our game, this is our game, “Irving said. “But waving to the crowd means ‘Hey, we’ll meet next year.'”
This was the Nets’ seventh consecutive win over the Knicks, and – after trailing 71-50 in the third – they eliminated a 20-plus point deficit at the Garden for the second time this year.
“I don’t like being down. I hate being a team that comes down and fights back. I don’t like it I don’t think we should be a part of who we are, “said Durant, who said it had become a rival – in June 2019, when he and Irving chose Brooklyn.
“We know how much Knicks fans don’t like us. Especially now in this era, we don’t choose Knicks, me and Kiri. कल्पना Imagine the tweets I’ve received since I decided to get on the net. Knicks fans are still angry, a little slapped here and there. “
Although Durant said it was the love of all Knicks fans, Irving confirmed that they always ask him why he chose Brooklyn over Manhattan.
“Of course,” Irving said, he loves to play provocative. “I do not know. You know me. I throw darts in the air and wait for people to assume what they want. Am i lying What is he talking about? Is he talking about it? “
The Nets, trailing by 21 in third, used a 20-2 blitz to move up to fourth. And after the Knicks took the lead again, Brooklyn (42-38) closed out 16-2 to stay eighth in the East.
“We didn’t play the net brand of basketball in the first half, the things we promote every day,” Durant said. “But the other half is who we are.”
Alec Burks led the Knicks with 24 and RJ Barrett added 23, seven assists and seven boards. The Knicks (35-45) beat Brooklyn in the first half, just to be talented in the second.
“There’s not much you can do about a 7-footer that can jump on anyone,” Barrett said.
Durant’s pullup took a 25-19 lead with 1:55 left in the first leg.
OB Topin’s (19 points) layup helped the Knicks win 19-0. Brooklyn missed eight straight shots and the Knicks took a 38-25 lead. Halftime was 17 and the cushion swelled to 71-50 on Barrett’s free throw.
The Knicks took an 82-67 lead in the third after a 1:34 win over Topin. But Brooklyn used a 20-2 blitz to gain momentum and lead.
The Durant Midrange pullup brought the net to 87-84.
Barrett beat the Knicks 96-94 with 5:11 left, but Brooklyn scored 10 unanswered points – 16-2 to end the game – sealing the victory.
After Durant had previously seen Patty Mills (15 points) play at 3:48 for 3 and 101-96 Edge, the Knicks never responded.
“It simply came to our notice then. The team is proud, “said coach Steve Nash. “We did not play well in the first half. We did not give the necessary fight, soul, energy. … In the second half you can see them accepting the challenge and we need it all.
