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ATLANTA — If nothing else this season, the Nets have realized how you can play from behind irrespective of how huge the deficit. For the third time in as many video games on their present highway journey, they dug a double-digit, second-half deficit. Nic Claxton got here off the bench to assist shut down Hawks star Trae Younger, and with the sport tied at 95, Kevin Durant and James Harden mixed to attain 14 of the Nets’ closing 18 factors in a 113-105 victory Friday evening at State Farm Enviornment.
After trailing by 11 within the third interval, the Nets fought again inside two on the finish of the interval and gained a 95-93 lead on a Claxton dunk with 9:43 left. The Hawks tied it, however the Nets responded with an 8-0 surge to push their result in a game-high 103-95 with 5:24 to go. When Younger lastly scored 5 straight factors, the Hawks pulled inside 103-102 on the 3:35 mark however couldn’t acquire the lead.
Claxton entered with 5:22 left within the third interval and held Younger scoreless for greater than 13 minutes together with Durant. After Claxton entered, Younger shot 2-for-7 with three turnovers within the closing 17:22 of the sport.
“They did an important job,” Nets coach Steve Nash stated. “The hassle and simply the form of desperation we performed with within the fourth quarter was unbelievable. Actually happy with the defensive effort. It clearly was a loopy third quarter however the fourth quarter they turned up the screws and had been nice.”
Durant paced the Nets (18-8) with 31 factors and Harden had 20 factors and 11 assists. LaMarcus Aldridge and Bruce Brown every scored 15, and Patty Mills and Cam Thomas every had 11. Younger led the Hawks (13-13) with 31 factors however shot solely 10-for-27. John Collins added 20 factors and Kevin Huerter scored 19, together with 5-for-7 three-point capturing.
After resting two nights earlier in Houston on the second recreation of a back-to-back, Durant and Aldridge returned to the lineup. After that loss to the Rockets, Harden expressed some frustration about being undermanned and, in his personal case, having to play 85 minutes within the back-to-back.
Harden stated he must see how he felt on recreation day earlier than deciding whether or not he would relaxation or not, however when the time got here, he was not on the damage report. He wound up enjoying one other 40:31.
When requested how a lot he performed, Harden exclaimed, “Forty! Thrice in a row, 40!
“I wish to win, man. I don’t care about nothing else however profitable. Attempt to be in assault mode, attempt to discover open gamers and simply play the sport the suitable approach, however no matter it takes to win.”
After taking a 55-52 halftime lead, the Hawks had been in assault mode within the third interval, creating separation with a 14-4 run that included six factors from Younger to construct their largest result in that time at 73-62. However the Nets put collectively an prolonged 27-15 run that included a trio of threes from rookie Thomas to take a short lead earlier than setting for a 91-89 third-quarter deficit.
Claxton didn’t play in any respect within the first half, however when he entered and began switching out to cowl Younger on the perimeter, the complexion of the sport modified. “We needed to change one thing in that second half,” Nash stated. “We thought bringing Nic on for his exercise and size at each ends of the ground, however particularly when he switches on guards, he’s glorious. So placing him and Kevin in a switching protection the place they will cowl a number of positions was a pleasant change-up for us and one thing we’ve gone to clearly many occasions this 12 months, however that’s the place Nic is a particular participant is he can guard a number of positions.”
Greg Logan has labored for Newsday since 1982 masking a big selection of sports activities and occasions, at present together with the Brooklyn Nets beat.
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