NBA: Nets roll past Wizards to fourth straight victory

LOS ANGELES -- The Brooklyn Nets cruised to their fourth straight NBA victory on Monday as Kevin Durant's 30 points fueled a 112-100 win over the Wizards in Washington.

The Nets, who battled through early season struggles that saw coach Steve Nash sacked then dealt with the suspension of Kyrie Irving in an anti-Semitism row, have now won eight of their last nine games.

"We're building something," Durant said. "We've got to keep fine-tuning."

Durant said the Nets' recent strong run owed something to seven straight games at home, and also to the fact that a few opponents were shorthanded.

But he added: "For the most part, I like the brand of basketball we played on both ends of the court."

"Regardless of who was on the floor, we still played our system."

On Monday, the Nets led by double digits for much of the second half, holding the Wizards to 45 points after the interval.

Durant added nine rebounds and six assists and Irving added 24 points as the Nets dealt the Wizards a seventh straight defeat.

Will Barton scored 22 points off the bench to lead the Wizards, who had 20 points apiece from Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Kuzma.

The Nets trail Cleveland by just half a game for third place in the East after the Cavaliers were up-ended by Western Conference stragglers San Antonio 112-111.

Josh Richardson scored 24 points to lead the Spurs, who were up by 10 with 4:35 to play and held on despite a Cavs rally that cut the deficit to two on Donovan Mitchell's putback basket with 53 seconds remaining.

Evan Mobley added a free throw that pulled Cleveland within one with 37.9 seconds left.

But Keldon Johnson blocked a shot by Mitchell, Cleveland's Darius Garland missed a three-pointer and Spurs reserve Devin Vassell came up with a steal to seal the victory.

The injury absence of Ja Morant was no problem for the Memphis Grizzlies, who roared to a 128-103 home victory over the Atlanta Hawks.

Tyus Jones scored 22 points and Jaren Jackson delivered 15 points, seven rebounds and a career-high eight blocked shots -- which tied the Grizzlies' franchise single-game record shared by Marc Gasol, Pau Gasol and Stromile swift.

His defensive efforts were key to holding the Hawks, who connected on just 37 of the 104 shots they put up.

The Grizzlies won their sixth straight and moved within half a game of the New Orleans Pelicans atop the Western Conference.

Morant was sidelined with a sore right thigh while the Hawks were without their top scorer in Trae Young, who sat out with a tight low back a day after Atlanta's overtime victory over Chicago.

The Miami Heat clawed out a much-needed win in Indianapolis, where Bam Adebayo scored 22 points and grabbed 17 rebounds, Jimmy Butler added 20 points and the Heat clamped down defensively for an 87-82 victory over the Pacers.

The Heat led 74-73 with 4:59 remaining when Kyle Lowry's three-pointer launched a 10-2 Miami scoring run.

Butler scored seven straight points in the burst and Miami held on for the win.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Durant scoring streak rolls on as Nets sink Knicks

Kevin Durant extended his 25-point scoring streak with a triple double as the Brooklyn Nets launched Jacque Vaughn's reign as head coach with a 112-85 rout of the New York Knicks on Wednesday.

Durant gave Brooklyn's fans some respite from recent off-court drama with a superb performance, scoring 29 points with 12 rebounds and 12 assists in a wire-to-wire victory at the Barclays Center.

The 34-year-old has now scored at least 25 points in each of Brooklyn's 12 games since the start of the season -- the longest streak since Michael Jordan opened the 1988-1989 campaign with 16 games scoring 25 points or more per game.

More significantly, Durant's latest dominant performance ensured a smooth start to Vaughn's tenure as head coach.

Vaughn took over as interim coach last week after the sacking of Steve Nash, but was only confirmed as the permanent replacement earlier on Wednesday.

"I just liked how we were all on the same page," Durant told ESPN after the win. 

"I'm only as good as my team-mates so them setting me up, helping me out on defense, helping me rebound -– it's a team effort helping to get me going."

Durant was also happy to have helped deliver a win for Vaughn that saw the Nets improve to 5-7.

"He's been around this group for a while, been around this organization for a while, so he understands us," Durant said.

As well as the dismissal of Nash last week, the Nets have also been buffeted by controversy surrounding Kyrie Irving, who was suspended by the club last week after posting a link to an anti-Semitic film on his social media.

- LeBron hurt in Lakers loss -

In other games Wednesday, the Los Angeles Lakers' miserable season continued with a 114-101 defeat to city rivals the Clippers that saw LeBron James hobble off with an apparent injury.

James, who finished with 30 points, eight rebounds and five assists, left the court with just over five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

The defeat leaves the Lakers just one place off the bottom of the Western Conference with a dismal 2-9 record. Only the Houston Rockets (2-10) have a worse record.

Utah's blistering start to the season continued with a 125-119 win over the Atlanta Hawks in Georgia. 

The Hawks had gone into the game on a high after ending Milwaukee's unbeaten start to the season in their previous game.

But Jazz star Lauri Markkanen put on a shooting clinic with 32 points while Jordan Clarkson added 23 as Utah improved to 10-3 to maintain their lead at the top of the Western Conference standings.

Markkanen's exhibition of shooting included six buckets from three-point range and a perfect eight-from-eight from the free-throw line.

Dejounte Murray led the Atlanta scorers with 26 points while the returning Trae Young had 22 points.

The Phoenix Suns remain in hot pursuit of Utah at the top of the Western Conference after romping to a 129-117 road win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. 

Devin Booker's 32-point haul and 31 from Mikal Bridges set up victory for Phoenix, who improved to 8-3 to remain second in the standings.

The Portland Trail Blazers are also on 8-3 in the West after sending the Charlotte Hornets to a sixth straight loss with a 105-95 win on the road on Wednesday.

Damian Lillard led the Blazers scoring with 26 points, six assists with seven rebounds.

The Denver Nuggets are level with Phoenix and Portland on 8-3 after their 122-119 win over the Indiana Pacers. 

Reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic led the Denver scoring with 24 points while Bennedict Mathurin topped the Pacers scorers with 30 points.

There was an upset in Sacramento where the high-flying Cleveland Cavaliers were taken down by the Kings 127-120.

Donovan Mitchell put on a 38-point scoring show for Cleveland but the Kings claimed the victory after a balanced offensive performance that saw seven players in double figures.

The Boston Celtics (8-3) were too strong for the 3-9 Detroit Pistons, cruising to a 128-112 win after 31 points from Jayson Tatum.

Milwaukee bounced back from their defeat to Atlanta to score a 136-132 overtime win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Jevon Carter scored 36 points including five-of-10 from beyond the arc, on a night when all of the Bucks starters finished in double figures.

Agence France-Presse

Irving will opt into NBA deal and stay with Nets, report says

Brooklyn star guard Kyrie Irving says he will opt into a $37 million player contract option for next season to remain with the NBA Nets, The Athletic reported Monday.

The report came two days before a deadline for Irving, 30, to decide about fulfilling his four-year commitment to the Nets and star big man Kevin Durant.

"Normal people keep the world going, but those who dare to be different lead us into tomorrow. I've made my decision to opt in. See you in the fall," Irving told The Athletic.

The report said Irving is skipping possible opt-in and trade moves to remain with Brooklyn and Durant, with hopes of finally producing an NBA title contender.

Irving has played only 103 games for the Nets over the past three seasons due to a variety of injuries and issues, including not being vaccinated for COVID-19 and prevented from playing in home games by New York safety regulations.

Even with two superstars, the Nets have been a disappointment, going 44-38 last season and being swept by Boston in the first round of the playoffs. Brooklyn lost to eventual champion Milwaukee in the second round last year.

Irving averaged 27.4 points, 5.8 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals a game over 29 contests for the Nets last season.

Over three seasons with Brooklyn, Irving has averaged 27.1 points and 6.0 assists.

The Nets traded star guard James Harden to Philadelphia late last season for Australian star Ben Simmons and if he returns at top form after back surgery it could help boost Brooklyn next season.

Durant was waiting to see about Irving's future plans before firming up his own long-term intentions.

The Nets have not gone past the second round of the NBA playoffs since losing the 2003 NBA Finals to San Antonio, when the Nets were based in New Jersey.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Kevin Durant scores 41 as Nets rally past Pistons

Kevin Durant collected 41 points and 11 rebounds as the Brooklyn Nets rallied in the second half and recorded a 130-123 victory over the Detroit Pistons Tuesday night in New York.

The Nets (40-36) won for the eighth time in 11 games after trailing by 12 in the first half. Brooklyn moved one game ahead of the ninth-place Charlotte Hornets in the race for a play-in berth in the Eastern Conference.

Durant scored 16 points in the third quarter and hit the tiebreaking 11-footer that gave the Nets a 110-108 lead with 4:54 remaining and helped Brooklyn outscore Detroit 22-15 to finish the game.

Durant made 14 of 23 shots as the Nets shot 55.3 percent and hit 15 3-pointers in 28 attempts.

Kyrie Irving added 24 in his second home game of the season after the unvaccinated guard was granted an exemption from New York City's private employer mandate last week. He made 7 of 18 shots, including a 19-footer that put Brooklyn up 126-118 with 90 seconds left.

Bruce Brown contributed 15 points and Andre Drummond totaled 14 points and 13 boards for the Nets. Seth Curry and Nic Claxton added 11 apiece for the Nets.

Rookie Cade Cunningham matched his career high with 34 points as the Pistons (20-56) lost for the ninth time in 11 games. Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart added 15 apiece as Detroit shot 48 percent and hit 16 3-pointers while taking its eighth loss by single digits in its skid.

Despite allowing the Nets to shoot 59.1 percent, the Pistons held a 35-33 lead through the opening quarter. The Pistons ripped off a 14-4 run to open a 53-41 lead when Killian Hayes hit a 3-pointer with 7:58 left and held a 64-58 lead at halftime.

The Nets regained the lead when Brown's 3-pointer made it 69-67 with 9:56 left in the third, held an eight-point lead midway through the quarter and took a 96-94 lead into the fourth.

The Pistons took a 101-99 lead on Frank Jackson's layup with 10:01 remaining, Irving hit a tough 3 from the left side for a 104-101 lead with 9:08 left but Cunningham's reverse layup forged a 108-all tie with 5:09 left before the Nets closed it out.

-reuters-

NBA: Kevin Durant does it again as Nets surge past Hawks

Kevin Durant scored 31 points and James Harden collected 20 points and 11 assists to lift the visiting Brooklyn Nets to a 113-105 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday.

Durant made 12 of 22 shots from the floor to torment the Hawks for the second time this season. He scored 32 points in Brooklyn's 117-108 home win over Atlanta on Nov. 3.

LaMarcus Aldridge and Bruce Brown each had 15 points for the Nets, who exploited the interior by scoring 66 points in the paint. Brooklyn also stepped it up in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Hawks by a 24-14 margin.

Trae Young recorded 31 points and 10 assists, marking the fifth straight game he has reached at least 25 and 10, respectively.

Atlanta's John Collins had 20 points and Kevin Huerter sank five 3-pointers to highlight his 19-point performance. Clint Capela collected 14 points and 16 rebounds and Danilo Gallinari added 13 points for the Hawks, who have lost three of their last four games.

Durant made a mid-range jumper to give Brooklyn a 97-95 lead with 7:02 remaining in the fourth quarter. James Johnson followed with a layup and Harden added four quick points to cap an 8-0 run for the Nets.

Capela's basket and Young's 3-pointer and driving layup pulled the Hawks within one with 3:35 to play. However, Harden answered with a layup at the other end.

Durant forced a turnover at one end and sank a 19-foot jumper at the other to give Brooklyn a 107-102 lead with 2:14 remaining. He essentially sealed the win by making four straight foul shots down the stretch.

Atlanta scored 18 of the first 28 points of the third quarter to secure a 73-62 lead, capped by Huerter's fourth 3-pointer of the night. Undaunted, Brooklyn slowly chipped away before Cam Thomas calmly sank a pair of 3-pointers to give the Nets an 89-88 lead.

Durant made 6 of 8 shots from the floor to finish with 12 points in the first quarter. He drained a mid-range jumper and a driving layup to pull the Nets into a tie at 26 to the end the period.

-reuters-

NBA: Kevin Durant, Nets stave off Pistons' late charge

Kevin Durant had 29 points, 10 rebounds and five assists as the visiting Brooklyn Nets held off a late Detroit rally to down the Pistons 96-90 on Friday.

LaMarcus Aldridge had 16 points and five rebounds and James Harden compiled 13 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists but also committed nine turnovers. Blake Griffin added 13 points and Bruce Brown chipped in 10 for the Nets, who have won four straight.

Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 17 points. Kelly Olynyk contributed 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Cory Joseph and Saddiq Bey added 12 points each.

Defenses ruled the opening half as it ended tied at 39 apiece.

Durant led the Nets with nine points but shot 3-for-11 from the field. Harden made just one of six shots while scoring seven. Cunningham paced the Pistons with nine points. Brooklyn shot 32.5 percent from the field, while Detroit made 33.3 percent of its attempts.

Brooklyn scored the first eight points of the second half, including five by Brown. After the Pistons closed to within three points, the Nets went on a 13-3 run to stretch their lead to 62-49. Durant and Harden began that spurt with 3-pointers. Harden had another 3 during that span and Griffin finished it off with a dunk.

Griffin's 3-pointer with 2:29 remaining in the quarter gave Brooklyn a 72-57 lead. Durant had 12 points in the quarter as the Nets carried a 78-62 lead into the fourth.

Detroit started the quarter with a 9-2 run, which included two Frank Jackson 3-pointers.

With Brooklyn up 86-75, the Pistons made another run. Cunningham and Joseph made 3-pointers to pull Detroit within two at 88-86 with four minutes remaining.

A Durant floater doubled the Nets' lead but Cunningham answered with a 3-pointer. Durant hit a mid-range jumper to make it 92-89.

Griffin then drew a charge against Bey and made an offensive rebound to set up Durant's clinching layup with 12.9 seconds remaining.

-reuters-

NBA: Bam Adebayo scores 24 to help Heat dominate Nets

Bam Adebayo totaled 24 points and nine rebounds as the visiting Miami Heat dominated inside and recorded a 106-93 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night in New York.

Adebayo highlighted an 8-for-17 showing by converting four dunks. He hit consecutive dunks to put Miami up 98-89 with about 3 1/2 minutes left.

Jimmy Butler supported Adebayo's big night with a stellar all-around showing. He added 17 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists and four steals.

The big nights by Butler and Adebayo helped Miami to a commanding 62-42 rebounding margin.

P.J. Tucker added 15 points and seven boards as the Heat survived shooting 39.6 percent. Dewayne Dedmon and Tyler Herro added 14 points apiece as Miami scored 48 in the paint.

Kevin Durant led all scorers with 25 points, but the Nets shot just 38.8 percent and scored two baskets in the final 4:33. The Nets lost for the third time in five games this season, and each loss has been by double digits.

Joe Harris contributed 15 points and James Harden chipped in 14 for Brooklyn, which shot 32.6 percent from behind the arc.

Miami held a 29-22 lead after the first quarter by ending the period with a 14-4 run over the last 4:59. A basket by Butler put Miami up 41-29 with 7:07 left in the second, but the Nets ended the first half with a 22-8 run and held a 51-49 lead by halftime after Blake Griffin converted a 3-point play with 34.4 seconds remaining.

Miami ripped off 14 straight points for a 63-57 lead on a 3-pointer by Duncan Robinson with 7:38 left. The Heat held an 81-74 lead into the fourth after Harris missed a 3-pointer right before the buzzer.

-reuters-

‘Bonded for life’: Kevin Durant revels in his 3rd Olympic gold

Kevin Durant said he is "bonded for life" with his US teammates after they beat France to win basketball gold Saturday, ensuring the Brooklyn Nets star joined all-time great Carmelo Anthony with a third Olympic title.

The 32-year-old has been the backbone of the team for a decade, scoring more Olympic points than any player in US men's basketball history, and he was again the standout against France.

He drilled 29 points to go with the 30 he bagged in the 2012 final against Spain and 30 in the 2016 decider against Serbia, reinforcing his incredible consistency. 

In doing so, he became the first American player to score more than 100 points in three different Olympics, accumulating 124 in Japan. 

"When you are part of a team that is evolving by the second, it's just amazing to see. Every game we continued to grow," he said, after the US were stunned in their opening group game by France.

"It's just that journey that is so important, you realise. You finish the job and get the gold medal, but when you go through that journey, man, it is just so special.

"I am bonded with these guys for life, it's a family for life. I am grateful we all committed to this (Olympics) early and finished it off." 

Durant who is poised to sign a four-year, $198 million contract extension with the Nets, according to his manager, scored 21 of his points Saturday in the first half.

He was quieter in the fourth term until he drained a pair of crucial free throws with eight seconds left.

Durant said he was reluctant to compare the gold medal in Japan with his previous two "because everything is its own memory". 

"But this is one of those special journeys that is hard to describe," he added.

"Each one of us put in that work every single day. From the coaches, to the trainers, to the players.

"We all came in with the goal of let's finish this thing off, let's build a family, let's build a team, let's finish this thing off."

US coach Gregg Popovich said he was "totally frozen" when his team won, calling it "an out of body experience when you are in those kinds of games".

"Every championship is special, every group is special, but I can be honest and say this the most responsibility I've ever felt, because you're playing for so many people that are watching it for your country," he said.

Popovich had special praise for Durant, whose experience proved vital to taking home the title.

"The relationships he builds with team-mates, the respect he garners, the joy he has in playing is like osmosis. It goes into all the other players," he said.

"That sort of love of the game and of people is what makes him more special as a player."

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Kevin Durant's 49-point explosion leads Nets to 3-2 series edge

Kevin Durant totaled 49 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists as the Brooklyn Nets stormed back and beat the Milwaukee Bucks, 114-108, Tuesday night in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals in New York.

The Nets, who overcame a 17-point, third-quarter deficit, lead the best-of-seven series, 3-2, thanks to one of Durant's most impressive postseason performances. They would advance to their first Eastern Conference finals since 2003 if they can win Thursday night in Milwaukee. Game 7, if necessary, would be played in Brooklyn on Saturday.

Durant set a franchise record for points in a playoff game, breaking the mark of 43 set by Vince Carter in 2006. He also posted his second career postseason triple-double and joined Hall of Famers Oscar Robertson, Charles Barkley and Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic as the fourth player with at least 40 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in a postseason game.

Durant shot 16 of 23 from the field, made four of nine 3-point attempts and hit 13 of 16 free throws. He finished one point shy of postseason career high set with the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of the 2019 Western Conference finals against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Durant scored 31 of his points in the final 18:38 when the Nets outscored Milwaukee, 54-32. He scored 11 in the third to get Brooklyn within 87-81 entering the fourth and then gave the Nets a 97-96 lead on a 3-pointer with 7:54 remaining.

The Bucks tied the game at 104 apiece on a short jumper by Jrue Holiday with 2:24 remaining, but the Nets took the lead for good on two free throws by James Harden with 87 seconds to go. Durant finished off his big game with a 3-pointer and three free throws in the final 50.5 seconds.

Brooklyn's Jeff Green added a playoff-career-high 27 points by shooting 8 of 11 and hitting 7 of 8 3-point tries. Blake Griffin chipped in 17 points for the Nets, who shot 49.4 percent from the floor.

Harden went from doubtful to active but wound up with just five points on 1-of-10 shooting. He missed the previous three games due to right hamstring tightness.

Giannis Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee with 34 points and 12 rebounds. Khris Middleton added 25 and Holiday chipped in 19 for the Bucks, who also shot 49.4 percent on field-goal attempts.

Antetokounmpo, Holiday and Middleton combined for 22 points as the Bucks smothered the Nets into missing 16 of 20 shots, guiding Milwaukee to a 29-15 lead after the opening quarter. The visitors held a 59-43 edge at halftime.

-reuters-

NBA: Nets' stars shoot lights out in Game 4 win over Celtics

Kevin Durant scored 42 points and Kyrie Irving added 39 as the Brooklyn Nets took control in the second quarter and pulled away in the third for a 141-126 rout of the host Boston Celtics Sunday night in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.

The Nets, the No. 2 seed in the East, lead the series three games to one and can secure their first trip to the conference semifinals since 2014 Tuesday night in Brooklyn. If they win, they will face the third-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in the second round.

Durant produced his 12th career 40-point postseason game by shooting 14 of 20 from the field and hitting all 11 of his free throws. 

Durant finished one point shy of the Nets' single-game postseason scoring record set by Vince Carter against the Miami Heat in 2006.

Irving bounced back from shooting 6 of 17 in Game 3 on Friday to shoot 11 of 24 overall and make 6 of 12 3-point tries. The former Celtics guard also made 11 of 11 free throws and grabbed 11 rebounds while hearing boos throughout the game from the sellout crowd of 17,226.

James Harden added 23 and a playoff career-high 18 assists to fall one shy of the franchise's postseason record for assists set by Jason Kidd against the Toronto Raptors in 2007.

Brooklyn's star trio combined to shoot 33-of-56 from the field while the Nets shot 57.8 percent and set a franchise record for points in a playoff game.

Jayson Tatum followed up his 50-point game from Friday by scoring 40 but Boston had little answers defensively for the Brooklyn's stars. 

Marcus Smart and Evan Fournier added 16 apiece for the Celtics, who shot 43.5 percent and were without Kemba Walker (left knee) and Robert Williams III (sprained left ankle).

Tatum scored 14 points as the Celtics held a 34-33 lead after the opening quarter.

Harden and Irving combined for 26 of Brooklyn's 40 points in the second when the Nets shot 70 percent and made their first 10 shots to grab a 73-60 lead.

Irving's tip-in dunk with 7:07 left in the third period gave the Nets their first 20-point lead at 88-68. Brooklyn then reached the century mark when Bruce Brown hit a layup for a 100-77 lead with 4:08 remaining and held a 112-91 lead into the fourth.

Two free throws by Smart cut Boston's deficit to within 121-103 with 8:07 remaining but Durant hit consecutive 3-pointers for a 127-103 lead less than a minute later to finish it off.

-reuters-

NBA: Durant, Nets try to take 2-0 series lead vs Celtics

At one point in the Eastern Conference playoff opener between the Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics on Saturday, Brooklyn's Kevin Durant was 2-for-10 from the field, and his team had missed its first 10 3-point attempts.

It was part of a slow start by the Nets, but they ultimately got it done by improving defensively and getting a big second half from their star trio of Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden in a 104-93 victory.

On Tuesday night, the Nets hope to get off to a quicker start and take a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven quarterfinal series when they host the Celtics in Game 2.

"We found a way to win," Brooklyn coach Steve Nash said after his team shot 41.7 percent from the field. 

"We didn't play well offensively. Some of it was shot-making. Some of it was cohesion. Some of it was the first time out in the playoffs with fans."

The Nets opened the series in front of their largest crowd of the season, with 14,391 fans, 93 percent of whom were vaccinated. Those fans watched the stars align and take over in the second half, and now they will see if the Nets can take a 2-0 lead in a postseason series for the first time since sweeping the New York Knicks in the 2004 first round.

Brooklyn achieved its win Saturday by getting a combined 82 points from Durant, Irving and Harden.

Durant finished with 32 points, 12 rebounds and shot 10-of-25 from the field. He was 2-of-10 in the first quarter when the Nets scored 16 points and was on the bench when the Nets faced a 12-point deficit nearly three minutes into the second quarter.

Irving added 29 points while Harden totaled 21, nine rebounds and eight assists. The trio was 11-for-32 from the floor when the Nets trailed by six at halftime and then scored 28 of Brooklyn's 31 points in the third when the Nets went ahead for good.

"We just missed shots. It's not like we don't know what we're doing out there. We just missed shots, that's it," Harden said of the early struggles by Brooklyn's offense on Saturday.

Besides stopping Brooklyn's trio from dominating, the Celtics are looking to even the series by getting better offensive showings from Jayson Tatum.

Tatum scored 50 points in last Tuesday's 118-100 win over the Washington Wizards in the play-in round but struggled to get into a flow, especially after halftime, on Saturday. He led the Celtics with 22 points but was 6-of-20 from the floor and was particularly quiet in the second half.

The Celtics were outscored 57-40 after halftime, and Tatum was 0-of-6 from the field on a night Durant frequently guarded him.

Boston is trying to avoid going down 2-0 in a first-round series for the first time since 2017, when it lost the first two games to the Chicago Bulls and won the series in six, but it knows its low point total from Game 1 is unlikely to be enough.

"We're going to have to go down the court and do better than scoring 93 or 94 points. It's not going to be enough," Boston coach Brad Stevens said Sunday. "We gotta move the ball and move bodies, and then we have to read the over-help at the end of the plays better. It's easier said than done."

Besides doing all the things Stevens mentioned at practice, the Celtics hope to provide better help for Tatum after shooting 36.9 percent in the series opener. Marcus Smart added 17 points on 6-of-13 from the field, but Kemba Walker was held to 15 points on 5-of-16 shooting after getting 29 points in the play-in game.

"We just gotta knock them down," Walker said. "We gotta be confident. Just knock (down) some shots. When we get those opportunities again, I think we'll be a lot better."

-reuters-

NBA: Nets overcome slow start, take series opener vs. Celtics

Kevin Durant recorded 32 points and 12 rebounds to help the Brooklyn Nets notch a 104-93 victory over the visiting Boston Celtics in the opening game of the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series on Saturday night.

Kyrie Irving scored 29 points and James Harden added 21 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and four steals for the second-seeded Nets. The contest was just the ninth in which Durant, Harden and Irving played together.

Jayson Tatum scored 22 points for seventh-seeded Boston but he was just 6 of 20 from the field.

Marcus Smart scored 17 points and Kemba Walker added 15 for the Celtics. Robert Williams III contributed 11 points, nine rebounds and nine blocked shots, with the rejections falling just one shy of the NBA postseason record.

Game 2 is Tuesday on the Nets' home floor.

Joe Harris added 10 points for Brooklyn, which shot 41.7 percent from the field, including 8 of 34 from 3-point range.

Evan Fournier had 10 points for the Celtics, who made 36.9 percent of their shots and hit 11 of 30 from behind the arc.

Boston was within 82-79 after two free throws by Jabari Parker with 7:27 left before the Nets responded with nine straight points.

Irving scored five in a row and Durant followed with a fast-break dunk to make it a 10-point margin with 5:48 left. Irving capped the burst with two free throws to make it 91-79 with 5:08 remaining.

A tip-in by Irving boosted the score to 94-81 with 3:37 left and the Nets led by as many as 17 en route to closing it out.

Brooklyn trailed 53-47 at halftime but came out storming in the third quarter with seven straight points and 18 of the first 22.

Harden's 3-pointer ended the 7-0 run with 10:13 left to give Brooklyn its first lead since 2-0.

Tristan Thompson and Walker scored back-to-back baskets as Boston went back ahead at 57-54 before the Nets ripped off 11 straight, capped by Harden's 3-pointer to give Brooklyn a 65-57 advantage with 7:16 remaining.

Durant's basket gave the Nets a 76-67 lead with 2:02 left before they settled for a 78-73 edge entering the final stanza.

-reuters-

NBA: Kevin Durant returns as Nets destroy Pelicans

Kevin Durant played for the first time in nearly two months and was one of seven Brooklyn players to score in double figures as the host Nets routed the New Orleans Pelicans 139-111 on Wednesday night.

Durant, who last played on Feb. 13 and missed 23 consecutive games because of a hamstring injury, didn't enter the game until the second quarter was nearly halfway over. He scored 17 points, making 5-of-5 field goals, 2-of-2 3-pointers and 5-of-5 free throws in 19 minutes.

Kyrie Irving led Brooklyn with 24 points, LaMarcus Aldridge had 22, Joe Harris scored 14, Chris Chiozza scored 12, Jeff Green had 11 and Blake Griffin 10.

Brooklyn had a season-high 37 assists on 51 field goals.

The Nets outscored the Pelicans 43-26 in the second quarter to take command and coast to their ninth consecutive victory at home. Brooklyn led by as many as 38 points.

Eric Bledsoe led New Orleans with 26 points despite being ejected after receiving two technical fouls late in the third quarter.

Zion Williamson scored 16 points on 4-of-12 shooting to end his streak of 25 consecutive games with 20-plus points on 50 percent shooting or better, which tied Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal's record. Lonzo Ball added 15 points and Jaxson Hayes and Isaiah Thomas had 11 each.

The score was tied five times in the first quarter, the last at 33 after Williamson scored five straight points. Griffin beat the buzzer with a 3-pointer that gave the Nets a 36-33 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Durant didn't enter the game until 7:37 was left in the second quarter and less than a minute later he made his first shot on a mid-range jumper that gave Brooklyn a 58-46 lead.

The Nets continued to increase the lead on their way to a 79-59 halftime lead. It was their highest-scoring half of the season as they scored the most first-half points by a Pelicans opponent this season.

Brooklyn made 11 of 18 3-pointers and 16 of 20 free throws in the first half.

-reuters-

NBA: Kevin Durant 'sorry' over actor tirade

LOS ANGELES -- Kevin Durant has apologized to fans following the release of a slew of profane social media messages riddled with misogynistic and homophobic language.

The Brooklyn Nets superstar said he was sorry that the messages -- part of an angry private exchange with actor and comedian Michael Rapaport -- had emerged in the public domain.

"I'm sorry that people seen that language I used," Durant told reporters late Thursday.

"That's not really what I want people to see and hear from me, but hopefully I can move past it and get back out there on the floor."

Durant lashed out at Rapaport in a series of direct messages sent via Instagram after the actor had criticized the former NBA Most Valuable Player's conduct during a post-game television interview last December.

"I receive threats and disgusting messages DAILY, but never in my wildest dreams did I think @KDTrey5 (Durant) would be among them," Rapaport wrote in a Twitter post containing multiple screenshots of the messages.

"The Snake himself is now threatening me, bringing up my wife and wants to fight."

The NBA has not said if Durant is likely to face sanction for the remarks but the league has in the past issued fines for players using homophobic language.

In 2011, the late Kobe Bryant was fined $100,000 for directing an anti-gay slur towards referee Bennie Adams.

Durant, meanwhile, said Thursday he is close to a return to action after several weeks on the sidelines since suffering a hamstring strain against Golden State in mid-February.

"I'm progressing pretty well," Durant said. "Looking forward to being out there with my teammates pretty soon."

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Durant among Brooklyn Nets players diagnosed with COVID-19

NEW YORK -- Kevin Durant is reportedly among four Brooklyn Nets players who have tested positive for the new coronavirus and are in isolation.

The injured Durant, who has yet to play for the Nets since signing for the club last year, confirmed to The Athletic website he had tested positive for the virus.

"Everyone be careful, take care of yourself and quarantine. We're going to get through this," Durant was quoted as saying.

News that the 2-time NBA Finals MVP was among those who had contracted the virus came soon after the Nets confirmed 4 players had tested positive for COVID-19.

"Four Brooklyn Nets players have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus," the team said in a statement. "Of the 4, one player is exhibiting symptoms while 3 are asymptomatic.

"All 4 players are presently isolated and under the care of team physicians."

The Nets said they were notifying known contacts of the players including those from teams who played against the Nets shortly before the NBA shut down its season indefinitely on March 12.

The last team to play the Nets was the Western Conference-leading Los Angeles Lakers, who were stunned 104-102 by Brooklyn on March 10.

"All players and members of the Nets travel party are being asked to remain isolated, closely monitor their health and maintain constant communication with team medical staff," the Nets said.

The 4 cases more than double the known number of cases of COVID-19 among NBA players.

Utah Jazz defensive standout Rudy Gobert was the first NBA player to test positive -- his illness triggering the NBA's current closure.

Teammate Donovan Mitchell and Christian Wood of the Detroit Pistons have also tested positive for the virus.

Woods was tested after reporting flu-like symptoms to the Pistons medical staff.

Mitchell was tested after Gobert's positive test, but had not experienced symptoms.

"I don't have any symptoms," Mitchell said in an interview broadcast by ABC television on Monday. "I could walk down the street (and) if it wasn't public knowledge that I was sick, you wouldn't know it. I think that's the scariest part about this virus.

"You may seem fine, be fine. And you never know who you may be talking to, who they're going home to."

Agence France-Presse

Kevin Durant says Warriors not to blame for torn Achilles

Kevin Durant said the Golden State Warriors aren't responsible for the Achilles injury that likely will force him to sit out the 2019-20 season.

"Hell, no. How can you blame (the Warriors)? Hell, no," Durant told Yahoo Sports in his first interview since suffering the injury in Game 5 of the NBA Finals in June.

Durant returned to the court for Game 5 after missing nine straight postseason games with a right calf strain.

"I heard the Warriors pressured me into getting back. Nobody never said a word to me during rehab as I was coming back. It was only me and (trainer) Rick (Celebrini) working out every day.

"Right when the series started, I targeted Game 5. Hell, nah. It just happened. It's basketball. S--- happens. Nobody was responsible for it. It was just the game. "

Durant has moved on from the Warriors, signing a four-year, $164 million contract to play for the Brooklyn Nets when he returns. He spent three seasons with the Warriors, winning two NBA championships.

Durant, who turns 31 in September, told Yahoo Sports he watched most of the rest of Game 5 on television.

"Yeah, I still think about that night," Durant said.

"Every experience I've been through in the league is obviously always ingrained in my mind, but that one is definitely always going to be a huge part of my career because it's the biggest stage and the type of injury I had. But now I look at it as me just going out there playing basketball, and I happened to get hurt. And now I'm just waiting to get back.

"I know it's a huge deal to everybody else, but I just try to take it on the chin and keep it moving."

--Field Level Media

source: news.abs-cbn.com

ANALYSIS: Durant chooses to go his own way with move to Nets

With his decision to join the Brooklyn Nets, Kevin Durant ended an era in Golden State while advancing a trend of the NBA's elite players forging their own paths with new teams.

Durant will now team up with fellow All Star Kyrie Irving, who will depart Boston after just two seasons, leaving behind a Warriors franchise he helped lead to three consecutive NBA finals.

Durant, 30, is expected to miss most if not all of next season while recuperating from a ruptured Achilles suffered during this month's NBA finals defeat by Toronto.

On paper, Golden State had more to offer Durant than any other team.

The Warriors could have rewarded Durant with a five-year, $221 million super max contract – far more than the $164 million he will receive from the Nets. They also provided the stability of a championship pedigree as Durant rehabs his injury.

Golden State have played in the last five finals and the presence of Stephen Curry and exceptional coaching and ownership offers promise of a competitive future.

None of those factors were apparently more valuable than Durant’s freedom to choose his own path.

And in that regard he is following something of a trend.

LeBron James helped pioneer the way by leaving Cleveland to form a super team with Miami, returning to the Cavaliers following a four-year run with the Heat, before settling with the Los Angeles Lakers this past year.

James’ new running mate, Anthony Davis, forced his way from the New Orleans Pelicans in order to join the Lakers.

Even reigning NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard could soon be choosing a fresh destination over Toronto.

Durant previously made a splash in free agency by moving from Oklahoma City to the Warriors three years ago.

The decision will perhaps leave the Warriors with a question mark hanging over them as they enter the 2019-20 season.

In response to Durant’s move, the team on Sunday acquired All Star guard D'Angelo Russell in a sign-and-trade deal with the Nets that will send championship stalwart Andre Iguodala packing.

With shooting guard Klay Thompson also missing considerable time with a knee injury, for the first time in a long time the Warriors may not be calling the shots in the new season. 

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: Durant, Irving discuss merging forces -- report

Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving reportedly huddled in New York City to talk about joining forces with the same team in free agency.

Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report said Friday on "The Herd with Colin Cowherd" on Fox Sports Radio that the meeting between the two basketball superstars likely means Durant won't be returning to the Golden State Warriors.

Durant has been in New York City since traveling there to have surgery for a ruptured Achilles he suffered Monday in Toronto during Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

He is expected to miss the 2019-20 season.

"I'm told Kevin Durant is out of the hospital, moved into a hotel for the time being in the New York area, and him and Kyrie have met and have continued to discuss playing together next season. KD has moved all his stuff and will spend his summer in New York," Bucher said. 

"... Every indication says KD is making plans to be elsewhere because obviously Kyrie will not be joining the Warriors any time soon."

Multiple reports in recent days said Irving intends to leave the Boston Celtics when he becomes a free agent on June 30, with the Brooklyn Nets predicted to be his desired destination.

Brooklyn has one slot available for a max contract, but Ian Begley of SNY reported a second spot could open up if the Nets don't bring back point guard D'Angelo Russell.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Golf: Woods feels Durant's pain after Achilles injury

PEBBLE BEACH, California -- Knowing all too well what it is like to be struck down by injury, Tiger Woods spared a thought for Kevin Durant on Tuesday, after watching the Golden State Warriors forward crumple to the floor during a game against the Toronto Raptors.

"It was sad," said Woods, during his U.S. Open pre-tournament media conference. "As athletes we've all been there, to that spot when you just know it, that something just went, and can't move, can't do much of anything.

"You can see it on his face. You just know."

Sidelined by a calf injury since the second round of the post-season, Durant made his long-awaited return to the Golden State lineup on Monday for a must win Game Five of the NBA Finals only to go down suddenly in the opening minutes of the second quarter with a suspected Achilles injury.

The sight of Durant on the floor clutching at his leg brought back all too painful memories for Woods who battled career threatening back issues until undergoing surgery just over two years ago.

"I've been there. I've had it to my own Achilles," said Woods. "I've had it to my own back.

"I know what it feels like. It's an awful feeling. And no one can help you.

"That's the hard part."

If Durant has suffered an Achilles injury Woods knows what awaits the NBA all-star.

The 15-time major winner injured his left Achilles during the 2011 Masters and missed three months of action. He was diagnosed with a mild Achilles tendon strain the following year.

"If he popped it, then that's six to nine months of rehabbing," said Woods. "That's what people don't see, is all those long hours that really do suck.

"Why do we do it? Because we're competitors.

"As athletes our job is to make the human body do something it was never meant to do and to do it efficiently and better than anybody who is doing it at the same time.

"Well, sometimes things go awry. And we saw it last night with Kevin."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: Warriors top Rockets as Curry, Harden play through injuries

Kevin Durant led a balanced attack with 29 points Tuesday night as the Golden State Warriors went up 2-0 in their Western Conference semifinal series against the Houston Rockets with a 115-109 win in Oakland, Calif.

Both Warriors star Stephen Curry and Rockets star James Harden sustained injuries in the contest.

After a three-day break, the West semifinals now shift to Houston on Saturday and Monday.

For the second game in a row, all five Warriors starters scored in double figures, including Curry, who dislocated the middle finger on his left hand early in the game and yet still managed 20 points.

Curry didn't seem bothered by the injury after returning quickly to the game, but the same couldn't be said of Harden, who sustained a scratched left eye shortly after Curry's mishap.

Harden finished with a game-high-tying 29 points but often was seen squinting and rubbing his eye after returning to action.

The Warriors took advantage of 18 offensive rebounds and 24 points off 18 Rockets turnovers to overcome Houston's 51-33 dominance in points scored off 3-pointers.

Durant, who had 35 points in Golden State's home win in Game 1 on Sunday, shot 9-for-22 from the field in Game 2.

Klay Thompson added 21 points and Andre Iguodala 16 for Golden State. Warriors forward Draymond Green had another outstanding all-around game with 15 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists.

Chris Paul complemented Harden with 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists for the Rockets, who went 3-0 at home in their first-round triumph over the Utah Jazz.

Eric Gordon had 15 points and Austin Rivers 14 for Houston, while Clint Capela (14 points, 10 rebounds) and PJ Tucker (13 points, 10 rebounds) collected double-doubles.

The Rockets outshot the Warriors 46.8 percent to 46.2 percent but took 14 fewer field-goal attempts.

Curry was the first to head to the locker room just 3:29 into the game, having jammed his finger into the basketball.

X-rays were negative, and Curry, with two fingers on his left hand taped together, was able to return to the game a little more than three minutes later.

Harden was inadvertently swiped in the left eye by Green just before the midpoint of the first quarter.

Harden, who had yet to score in the game, was gone for nearly a full quarter, returning to the game with 7:09 left in the half and Houston trailing 36-31.

The Rockets fell back by as many as 11 before Harden poured in 10 points in the final 4:27 of the half, helping Houston stay within arm's length at 58-49 at the break.

source: news.abs-cbn.com