photo credit: (AP Photo/Matt York)
Resiliency, perseverance, determination are the words that describe the Brooklyn Nets’ performance against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday.
With Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant out after a big win in Sacramento, the only remaining member of “The Big 3”, James Harden had a lot of added weight to carry. Durant hasn’t played since his return to Golden State last Saturday, and Irving is out in the second game of this back-to-back. Tuesday night in Phoenix, an already struggling Nets defense seemed to get worse coming off of a long game just a day prior. The Nets allowed 75 points in the first half and trailed by 21 at halftime, posting 54 points in the first twenty-four minutes of play. Harden dropped 20 points, 2 rebounds, and 4 assists in the first half, but the Nets dug themselves into a hole. The damage that the Suns did wasn’t irrevocable, but Brooklyn needed an excellent second half to get back on track and possibly win this basketball game. Slowly but surely, the Nets chipped away at the Suns’ lead, and we eventually had a basketball game that Nets fans will remember forever. In the third quarter, the Nets outscored Phoenix 34-25, but still trailed by 12 points. The fourth quarter was all Nets. Both teams exchanged points, but the Nets secured their defensive game and outscored the Suns 40-24 in the final quarter. James Harden hit a clutch three-pointer with 29.8 seconds remaining to give the Nets the lead. With 11.3 seconds to go, Harden went to the free-throw line and nailed both shots, giving the Nets a 4 point lead. The clock ticked down, and Brooklyn won the basketball game 128-124. What a game. The Nets, without two of their top players, beat a red hot Suns team in Steve Nash’s return to the place where his NBA journey began. James Harden went off once again, registering 38 points, 7 rebounds, and 11 assists. He was all smiles after the game, and rightfully so. Joe Harris had another fantastic night and had 22 points, 4 rebounds, and an assist. Jeff Green continues to impress and had 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists. Tyler Johnson had 17 points and 5 rebounds. Landry Shamet dropped 13 points, as well as 2 rebounds and assists. Overall, this was far and away the greatest team game that the Nets have played all season. With Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant back in the lineup, they are nothing short of scary. The Nets look to continue this incredible stretch against the 2020 NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday at the Staples Center in LA. Tip-off is set for 10:00 PM Eastern Time.