In a potential finals preview, the Nets big three in Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden, ousted the Clippers big two of Kawahi Leanord, and Paul George, in a one of the best games of this NBA season thus far, with Brooklyn winning it 124-120 at Barclays Center, in TNT televised affair.
Down 20-8, a nice 16-12 run to end the first led by the big 3 cut it to eight at 32-24.
The game continued to go back and forth in the second, with Reggie Jackson, Marcus Morris JR, and Kwahi getting into the action for the Clips, while the big three dominated the floor for Brooklyn, along with Joe Harris to keep pace with LA. Some late shots to end the half by KD, Harris, and Kyrie cut the Brooklyn deficit to 58-57 at the break.
The second half saw a sea-saw battle between the heavyweights, with the stars stealing the show early and often. It was PG13, and Kawhi just bullying that wary Nets defense, but a strong push by KD, Kyrie, and James Harden continued to keep Brooklyn close, with the role players in ,Ivac Zuabc of LA, and Deandre Jordan of the Nets, continuing to pave the way for the fireworks during this nationally televised contest.
A Paul George buzzer-beater, put the Clippers into the lead at 90-88, heading into the final stanza.
The fourth was for all the marbles and both teams played like it. The coaching staff players, and commentators, could only watch in awe as the superstars mentioned above took this thriller to new heights, turning it into an instant classic. Lead changes, jaw-dropping shots in big moments, and scrappy ball allowed this game to reach it’s climax, tied at 102 with five minutes remaining.
What happened next, was the “Kyrie &Harden show”, as the duo erupted with brilliant two way ball, and their offensive firepower, giving the hosts a commanding 115-106 lead, with 2:30 remaining.
However, the Clippers wouldn’t go down quietly, as “The claw” in Leanord carried them back into the contest, aided by a huge three from Nicolas Batum, and a jumper+ free throws by Morris, cut the Nets lead to 118-114, with 45 seconds to go.
But just when it seemed like they would collapse again just like they did on Sunday in Washington, the Brooklyn defense rose up, taking Kawahi head-on, leading him to miss a jumper, and although that resulted in a PG three, it took time off the clock, down to 25 seconds, as the Clippers played the foul game.
After some successful “keep-away ball”, LA finally sent Kevin Durant to the charity stripe, who went 6/6, as Brooklyn hung on for the exhilarating 124-120 victory.
Durant continued his improbable MVP campaign, with 28 points and nine rebounds, Kyrie Irving continued his hot streak, leading the way with 39 points, while James Harden picked up where when left off after being named “Eastern Conference player of the week”, by posting a 23 point, 11 rebound, and 14 assists night, against his old west foe.
For LA, Leanord had 33 points, while Paul George had 26 in the defeat.
But as Kyrie Irving said postgame,
the Clippers(16-6) have the same goal as the Nets(14-9) and these two teams could ultimately meet down the line:
“We wanted to come out and make an impression”, and that they did.
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