Nba results: Extraterrestrial Durant, Brooklyn beats the Cavs

When things get complicated, relying on a devastating player like Kevin Durant is a luxury few can afford. The Nets (43-38) thus manage to win the important challenge with the Cavaliers (43-38) and now the success against the Pacers in Sunday’s match would mean seventh place and the possibility of hosting the “play-in game”. A significant step forward for a team that, after the defeat in Atlanta last week, seemed to be risking even the tenth position at the end of the regular season.

The match

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Brooklyn, however, the victory over Cleveland if he has to sweat and in the end overtakes Garland and his teammates 118-107. The Cavs find the candidate for the Mobley rookie of the year award, out in the last five games, but in the first quarter they are unable to slow down the attack of the New York team. Durant finds the basket with disarming ease, Curry makes himself heard from long distance and the hosts arrive at +16 without struggling too much. All too easy for the Nets who lift their foot off the accelerator in the second half and allow the Cavs to get back into the game. Garland takes care of playing the charge, Mobley produces in the painted area and Cleveland goes back down, they arrive at the interval eight lengths late. The script does not change in the third fraction. Brooklyn becomes predictable on an offensive level and the Cavs take advantage of it to gain confidence.

The key

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KD alone is not enough, the visiting team takes over the Nets and with a decisive acceleration in the final part of the third period, changes direction to the match even touching +7 thanks to the plays of an excellent Garland. In the most complicated moment of the race, Mills’ experience emerges, with a very heavy triple stamp, and the crystalline talent of a Durant who is at times unstoppable. Brooklyn’s attack gets back on track at the start of the final fraction and the Nets take back the reins of a match that suddenly got complicated. The baskets of Brown and an AC Irving also arrive, Brooklyn so he places the 19-4 run that knocks the Cavaliers down. The rest is academy and the Nets thus bringing home a fundamental success in a “play-in game” perspective. “We didn’t defend well in the second and third quarters – underlines the Brooklyn coach Steve Nash at the end of the match – then we changed gear in the final stage. I am satisfied with the team’s performance, we coaches want to win important games like this in any way, but we also try to make progress and I saw very good things in the first and last quarter ”.

Brooklyn:Durant 36 (7/14, 4/6, 10/10 tl), Irving 18, Brown 18. Rebounds: Drummond 12. Assists: Irving, Brown 8.

Cleveland:Garland 31 (9/18, 3/6, 4/4 tl), Markkanen, Mobley 17. Rebounds: Love 9. Assists: Rondo 5.