The Nets prevail over the Pelicans after coming back from 15 points

01/07/2023 at 05:30

TEC


Irving, absent for a good part of the game, was decisive at the end

Marshall managed to add 23 goals from free throws

The Brooklyn Nets beat the Pelicans in New Orleans on Friday by coming back from a 15-point home advantage and with Kyrie Irvingwhich was quite subdued for most of the match, but was decisive in the final moments.

The Nets (25-13), who ended a 12-game winning streak last Wednesday by losing to the Bulls in ChicagoThey beat the Pelicans (24-14) after a game that seemed dominated by the locals.

Kevin Durant achieved a double double of 33 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks; Irving added 19 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and a block; and TJ Warren added 15 points, a rebound and a steal. Royce O’Neale added 14 points, 7 rebounds, one assist, 2 steals and put on 2 hats.

Australian Ben Simmons helped with 10 assists along with 6 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals and a cap.

For the locals, CJ McCollum had 28 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 blocks. Naji Marshall, with a personal record, contributed 23 points, 9 rebounds, one assist and 3 steals; Lithuanian center Jonas Valanciunas had a double double of 12 points and 10 rebounds; and Puerto Rican José Alvarado added 17 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists.

Coaches Jacque Vaughn and Willie Green had been chosen this week as the best managers of December for the Eastern and Western conferences, respectively.

The Pelicans had their two leading scorers, Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, out with injuries.

Marshall and Alvarado boost the Pelicans

The Nets opened the scoring and led the first minutes of the game, but a battery of triples from the Pelicans put the locals ahead halfway through the first quarter (12-6).

Three triples by Marshall, and 6 of 8 attempts by his entire team, could not be avoided, after baskets outside the ring by Watabe, Seth Curry and Durant, which the score will be very even at the end of the first set (28-27).

Alvarado, who had come off the bench, as well as doing an impressive job in defense, He reached his 13 points with two triples and several inspired plays, who lifted the attendees of the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans from their seats in the first two minutes of the second set.

Marshall, who averages 9 points per game, added 15 points 4 minutes into the second set, in which the Pelicans went on to reap a 15-point lead.

Durant countered with his 18 points to put the score at 56-51, but the Pelicans had 3 players over 10, with McCollum with 13, who managed to reach half the game with an advantage of 11 (64-53).

An off Irving ends up being decisive

Durant opened the scoring again in the third half and hit two explosive three-pointers and a 2-pointer in the first minute and a half. At 3 minutes into the third half, the light came close again (69-67) and coach Green called a timeout.

Center Nic Claxton tied it at 72 and from a free throw put the Nets ahead (72-73). After a very even quarter, Durant managed to tie at 85 and Warren, with a triple, left the score at 85-88 at the end of the third segment.

Irving had nothing going for it when Marshall surpassed his record for points in a game by scoring 23 free kick goals.

But Warren tied the game again, at 90, and Irving, lucky this time with a three-pointer, put the visitors ahead (90-93) midway through the last exciting period, which was at 100-103 one minute from the end.

A tackle, a triple and two free throws by Irving, who scored more points in the fourth quarter than in the previous threein addition to 12 team blocks, ended up being decisive for the victory of the Nets (102-108).

ttn-25