Kevin Durant leads big rally at MSG as Nets storm past Knicks

Kevin Durant loves being a part of New York’s basketball rivalry, even finds it humorous when he hears from the opposing followers.

He ought to get pleasure from it. With regards to the Knicks, Durant all the time will get the final phrase.

Durant had 32 factors, 11 assists and 10 rebounds, main the Brooklyn Nets again from 21 factors all the way down to a 110-98 victory Wednesday night time that strengthened their probabilities of the very best spot doable subsequent week within the Japanese Convention play-in event.

Durant hasn’t misplaced a sport towards the Knicks in 9 years and the stakes are even greater now since he and Kyrie Irving confirmed up in Brooklyn in 2019.

“We all know how a lot Knicks followers don’t like us, particularly now this period of the Nets, with us not selecting the Knicks, me and Kyrie. So it undoubtedly provides one thing to the rivalry,” Durant stated.

After watching the Nets come again from 28 down when he was harm of their final go to to Madison Sq. Backyard, Durant scored 23 factors within the second half to gasoline this comeback that pulled Brooklyn inside a sport of Cleveland for seventh place within the East.

The Nets host the Cavaliers on Friday night time. In the event that they win that after which beat Indiana on Sunday of their regular-season finale, they might end seventh and must win one sport in two possibilities at residence within the play-in to qualify for the postseason.

Irving added 24 factors, eight rebounds and 7 assists for the Nets, who swept the four-game season collection and beat the Knicks for the seventh straight time, their longest successful streak within the native rivalry since taking a franchise-record 11 in a row from 1984-86.

It appeared it will go the Knicks’ manner many of the night time, they usually have been nonetheless forward by 18 with underneath 4 minutes left within the third quarter. However Brooklyn minimize it to 10 by the tip of the interval, then opened the fourth with a 15-2 spurt to storm into the lead.

With Durant and Irving each enjoying the complete second half on the second night time of a back-to-back, Brooklyn outscored New York 60-31 after halftime.

“I simply saved telling our guys that that is our sport,” Irving stated.

The Knicks recovered to return forward by three, however Durant scored eight straight Brooklyn factors, together with the tiebreaking jumper that made it 98-96 with 4:15 to play. The Nets adopted with 3-pointers by Irving, Seth Curry and Patty Mills to interrupt it open.

“We have got to grasp the depth at that time of the sport is completely different,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau stated.

Durant improved to 20-3 towards the Knicks and has received received 12 straight video games towards the Knicks that he performed in, with the final loss in 2013 in Oklahoma Metropolis. He stated he nonetheless will get requested by Knicks followers why he determined to not be a part of them when he left Golden State.

“It’s all enjoyable on the finish of the day, it’s all humorous, however folks respect my resolution.,” Durant stated. “They respect my sport, however I perceive how large Knicks-Nets is within the metropolis so I’m simply making an attempt to embrace it.”

Curry and Mills every scored 15 factors.

Alec Burks scored 24 factors, and RJ Barrett had 23 for the Knicks, who have been in management after a 19-0 spanning the primary and second quarters.

The Knicks closed the primary quarter with a 10-0 spurt to take a 29-25 lead. They ran off the primary 9 of the second interval, making it 38-25 on Obi Toppin’s basket simply over two minutes in. New York bought consecutive 3-pointers from Barrett and Evan Fournier made it 63-46 and the lead was nonetheless 17 on the break.

Burks opened the third quarter with a 3-pointer and Barrett knocked down a free throw to make it 71-50, however New York would get solely 11 extra factors and shoot 5 for 20 within the quarter. Durant hit a pair of 3s in a 10-2 run to finish the interval that trimmed it to 82-72.

TIP-INS

Nets: Coach Steve Nash stated G Goran Dragic, who missed his third straight sport within the NBA’s well being and security protocols, was feeling higher however nonetheless in Atlanta, the place he began feeling unwell. … F James Johnson was out for a second straight video games with an sickness. … Brooklyn completed 24-17 within the highway, most wins in franchise historical past.

Knicks: Beginning C Mitchell Robinson was scratched win an sickness unrelated to COVID-19. Knicks coach Thibodeau stated rookie G Quentin Grimes, who was out once more with a sore proper knee, was everyday and he would depart it as much as the participant and medical workers it he performed once more this season.

SECOND-HALF SURGES

Of their two second halves at Madison Sq. Backyard this season, the Nets outscored the Knicks 127-72.

UP NEXT

Nets: Host Cleveland on Friday night time.

Knicks: At Washington on Friday night time.