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PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Anfernee Simons had 23 factors and 11 assists, and the short-handed Portland Path Blazers took benefit of James Harden‘s absence for a 114-108 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Monday evening.
Harden was out with a hyperextended left knee. Kyrie Irving began in his second recreation of the season and completed with 22 factors. Kevin Durant led all scorers with 28 factors and 10 rebounds for the Nets.
Robert Covington had 21 factors, together with 5 3-pointers, for the Blazers, who noticed all 5 starters rating in double figures.
Simons stated Covington’s play in opposition to Durant boosted the workforce.
“I believe RoCo did a very good job of taking part in him the second half,” Simons stated. “In order that was that was massive for us to gradual him down and simply type of play workforce protection. We’ve been taking part in very exhausting, we’ve been making rather a lot much less errors on protection. That’s been serving to us.”
Monday’s recreation was initially scheduled for Dec. 23 however was postponed due to COVID-19 points. In making up the sport, each groups have been taking part in the second of back-to-backs.
Portland led 87-81 going into the ultimate quarter. Covington’s 3-pointer put Portland up 107-100 with 2:15 to go however the Nets closed inside 110-105 down the stretch.
Ben McLemore‘s 3 with 31.9 seconds left made it 113-105 and sealed it for Portland. McLemore completed with 20 factors and 5 3s.
“Definitely no person on this planet thought that we’d win this recreation with the blokes that we’ve lacking, though they’re lacking some vital gamers too,” Portland first-year coach Chauncey Billups stated. “I am extra completely satisfied than something for our workforce, to be trustworthy. We have suffered quite a lot of losses on this constructing, quite a lot of dangerous losses.”
The Blazers once more have been with out Damian Lillard, out with decrease stomach tendinopathy, and backcourt teammate CJ McCollum, who has been out for 14 video games after a collapsed lung. Fellow starters Norman Powell (COVID-19 protocols) and Larry Nance Jr. (proper knee) have been additionally out for Portland.
In the meantime, Nets coach Steve Nash stated the workforce was being cautious with Harden in a dense stretch of video games and that Harden must be obtainable on Wednesday at Chicago.
Irving, who has refused to get the COVID-19 vaccine and is barred from taking part in in New York because of the metropolis’s vaccine mandate, has resumed taking part in on the highway. For his first recreation final week at Indiana, he completed with 22 factors in almost 32 minutes.
“It felt like I made a couple of good strikes, however now it is simply getting again in that NBA motion of that athleticism and catching as much as that pace, that’s actually what it’s at this level, I really feel,” Irving stated.
Irving appeared to tweak his ankle within the fourth quarter however afterward stated he was high-quality and would play Wednesday. He criticized Portland’s Nassir Little for diving on the play: “I attempted to get out of the way in which however I simply felt prefer it was pointless for him to dive that distant from the ball.”
Brooklyn led 62-55 on the break, paced by Durant with 20 factors. It was his nineteenth straight recreation with 20 or extra factors, the second-longest streak of 20-point video games in Nets historical past.
“Second half, they hit 3s in that third quarter, they hit 3s in that fourth quarter. You gotta give them credit score for pulling down pictures however I assumed we have been there, intentions have been good,” Durant stated. “We have simply received to complete it somewhat higher, end performs somewhat higher.”
TOUGH TRAVEL
The Nets arrived in Portland late Sunday after wrapping up the win over the Spurs and flying throughout the nation. Then there’s one other lengthy flight forward for Wednesday evening’s recreation on the Bulls. And on Thursday, they’re again at residence in opposition to the Thunder.
The Nets are taking part in 4 video games in 5 days, and 5 video games within the subsequent seven days.
“I believe it is actually vital for us to take day-by-day proper now. I do know that is a cliche, however I believe that’s the smartest method to method this,” Nash stated.
TIP INS
Nets: Becoming a member of Harden on the Nets’ harm report was former Blazer LaMarcus Aldridge, who has a sore proper foot and likewise missed the sport in opposition to the Spurs. … The Nets lead the league with a 15-4 highway file.
Path Blazers: Portland was coming off a 103-88 victory at residence over Sacramento on Sunday evening. … Simons made a seemingly unimaginable layup to finish the primary half, going up in opposition to two defenders and throwing the ball up behind his again.
UP NEXT
Nets: Go to Chicago on Wednesday.
Path Blazers: Kick off a six-game highway journey at Denver on Wednesday.
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Extra AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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