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Showing posts with label Featured. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Featured. Show all posts

Kyrie on vaccination status: 'I made my decision and I'm standing on it'




One thing is clear, no outside pressure or influence is going to sway Kyrie Irving to change his vaccination stance. Even Kevin Durant's injured left knee and Joe Harris still working back from shoulder surgery won't sway Irving off his decision.

'I made my decision and I'm standing on it", Irving told beat reporters following the Nets loss in Cleveland.

 

The Nets reversed course on their preseason decision to preclude Irving from being a part-time player, but don't count on the Nets' point guard pivoting on his vaccination choice.

Brooklyn's GM Sean Marks will need to be active ahead of the February trade deadline anticipating Irving will only be available for road games and Durant and Harris likely only with the team for the final 4-6 weeks of the regular season coming off injury.

As Omicron cases hit a peak last week, public health officials are cautiously optimistic that the country and world at large is through the worst of the latest spike in cases from the variant.

This doesn't mean that there's an imminent change to vaccine mandates in public spaces within New York City, but it leaves open the possibility that Irving can return in a full capacity as it's clear he's not budging from his decision.

Joe Harris takes major step forward in return to Nets after ankle surgery




Nba.com

 Finally, a positive update on the injury front for the Brooklyn Nets as Joe Harris has been cleared for light shooting and made the trip with the Nets to Cleveland on MLK day, according to head coach Steve Nash.

Harris underwent ankle surgery on November 29 and was expected to miss 4-8 weeks. Brooklyn is right in the middle of that recovery timeframe and Nash indicated that Brooklyn's sharpshooter is making progress and starting on court work. 



The Nets did not issue a single update on Harris' progress since late-November, so while he's not quite practicing with the team, this encouraging news will help ease the loss of Kevin Durant for the next 4-6 weeks.

Nash has turned to a trio of rookies in Cam Thomas, Kessler Edwards and Day'Ron Sharpe to shoulder significant minutes with the team shorthanded.

James Harden and Kyrie Irving as a part-time road star, will need to elevate their games.

The more healthy bodies in the rotation, the better likelihood the Nets will remain near the top of the Eastern Conference, even with Durant on the shelf until at least after the All-Star Break.

Basketball Gods not shining down on Nets' Big 3

photo by Doug Bearak

It seems as though a greater force is preventing Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden from taking the court together. 

 Brooklyn's Big 3 is 13-3 playing together and 59-35 when missing at least one head of the three-headed monster. Playing just 14.5 percent of 110 possible games is not something that GM Sean Marks and head coach Steve Nash envisioned for the superstars. 

 Even before Harden's arrival, Durant missed the 2019-2020 campaign rehabbing his Achilles injury and Irving played in just 20 games before undergoing shoulder surgery. Don't mention to Nets fans the shuffling on and off the injury report for Harden and Durant last year, while Irving missed time due to personal reasons. 

Harden re-aggravated his hamstring in Game 1 of the 2021 NBA playoff semifinal round against Milwaukee before returning for the final three games of the series seriously hampered by the setback.

 Irving suffered a serious ankle injury in Game 4 and missed the remainder of the playoffs. Optimism was running high heading into 2021 Nets training camp that finally the three amigos would stay healthy and eligible, but Irving's refusal to comply with New York City's vaccine mandates forced him to miss the first 39 contests of this year. 

 Now just when Irving is cemented as a part-time player and optimism growing that either he will warm to the idea of getting vaccinated or mandates will be loosened or lifted this spring, Durant will miss 4-6 weeks with a MCL sprain in his left knee. Bad luck is one thing, but when a franchise that has often been snakebitten throughout its history, fans can't but wonder if this simply another chapter in a cursed story?

 Brooklyn's championship window is in Year 2 with no guarantee that Harden or Irving will re-sign as both are set to become free agents. The reality is that the arrow is still pointing up at a potential first NBA championship for the Nets and perhaps the sun will finally shine on this hard luck organization

Nets need to play long game and hold KD out until after All-Star Break

 

WikiCommons

Kevin Durant is everything to the Brooklyn Nets. The gifted 7-footer is the heartbeat of the team and his health and well being should be a top priority.

The Nets are notoriously tight-lipped discussing injuries with the media and need to remain ultra conservative with the timeline for his return to the court whether an MRI confirms a knee sprain or even a better prognosis.

Sans Kyrie Irving until this past week, Durant's minutes were getting out of control this season and even Steve Nash admitted that his workload needed to be curtailed and urged his star to take more rest days.


With over three weeks until the All-Star break and a road heavy schedule where Irving will be eligible to play alongside Harden, Durant's next game should not come until February 24 against the Celtics.

As Nash knows better than anyone, Durant is a gamer and wants to play every minute of every game. Brooklyn is learning it needs to protect Durant from himself and this instance is a perfect example.

Irving and Harden can hold down the fort in his absence and the Nets can play the long game and hold Durant out as an extra precaution.

Brooklyn holds collective breath as KD to undergo MRI on injured knee

 


The Brooklyn Nets played arguably their best home game of the season, a place they're a middling 11-11, but the biggest storyline to emerge from Saturday's win over New Orleans is that Kevin Durant exited in the second quarter in what the team classified as a knee sprain.

After Bruce Brown crashed into Durant's knee, causing it to hyperextend, the Nets' power forward tried to shake off the injury before signaling to the bench and walking off the court with play still going on.

Durant is scheduled for an MRI, and while it appears as though he's avoided a major injury, watching the franchise leave the game in that fashion and undergo further testing, is concern enough for Nets' fans.

Brooklyn travels to Cleveland on MLK day, with Kyrie Irving and James Harden expected in the starting lineup, but the biggest star of the Big 3 will not play and now the question remains how much time with Durant miss?

The All-Star break is a little more than three weeks away, so it's  plausible, the Nets could hold Durant out until after the break.


Nets must inquire about this player ahead of NBA Trade Deadline

NBA.com
 

The Houston Rockets have overcome a disastrous start to the season but are still heading nowhere fast. Stephen Silas' group jumped out of the gate with a 1-16 start and currently sit at an improved mark of 12-31 yet are not even within an earshot of a playoff spot. 

The Rockets will be sellers ahead of the February trade deadline and the Nets, despite holding claim to the NBA's most efficient offense in league history last season, are struggling to produce points against elite teams. 

No timetable has been given for Joe Harris' return from ankle surgery and Kyrie Irving's part-time status is helping fill the scoring void, but not entirely. 

Enter Eric Gordon, who is in the final year of a four-year, $75.6 million deal he signed in 2019. At 33, Gordon is still chasing an NBA title. Gordon was James Harden's running mate in Houston for several title pushes that fell short, but he remained loyal to the organization through the rebuild. 

Gordon was less than complimentary regarding Harden's unceremonious exit from the Rockets, but if R.J. Barrett and Cam Reddish can patch up a rocky relationship from their time with Duke, now as teammates on the Knicks, so too can Harden and Gordon in Brooklyn. 

The Rockets' shooting guard is averaging 14.8 points on 50 percent shooting from the field and 45 percent from 3-point range. 

Harris' return to the Nets is still up in the air and its clear Brooklyn is missing a knockdown perimeter shooter to space the floor and creative driving lines for Harden, Irving and Kevin Durant to attack the paint. 

Gordon is also an underrated defender and has playoff battle scars from several deep Western Conference Finals runs with Houston. With still heavy money and two more years left on his current deal, the Rockets are very likely to try and move him and will have a modest asking price to take on that type of contract for an aging sharpshooter. 

For the likes of Brooklyn, Golden State and Phoenix, Gordon makes a ton of sense. The leader in the clubhouse from a fit standpoint remains the Suns as he'd reunite with Chris Paul and flourish in that offensive system, but with ownership turmoil in the Valley of the Sun and organization's refusal to extend big man Deandre Ayton, Gordon might land elsewhere. Depending on interest in Gordon, he could be a buyout candidate as his most productive years are behind him. 

 Nets' GM Sean Marks has been very creative around the trade deadline to improve the team and given the heavy minutes Harden and Durant have amassed, an inconsistent supporting cast and Irving being ineligible for home games, netting a perimeter defender like Gordon with a smooth shooting stroke is something to strongly consider in Brooklyn. 

Nets' Big 3 damn nearly unbeatable when healthy, but that never seems to be the case

             Photo by Doug Berak

The Brooklyn Nets are 13-3 when Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving take the floor together and 59-35 when at least one superstar is sidelined. 

The reality may be sinking in that a combination of age, overusage and injury might prevent fans from seeing the ultimate version of the Big 3 that many anticipated. Whether it's hamstring strains, COVID-19 protocols, compliance with local vaccine mandates, missing time for personal reasons and a multitude of other issues, the Nets are, in fact, hardly ever whole. In the tiny sample size as a complete unit, Brooklyn has shown glimpses of being a dynastic group and deserving of the title as the odds-on favorite to win the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

 As the Nets found out in the 2021 NBA Playoffs, championships are not won on paper. Steve Nash has been dealt a hand of three Aces, but when he's unable to play his best cards, the Nets' bench and supporting cast has been exposed. Despite the emergence of a trio of talented rookies in Cam Thomas, Kessler Edwards and David Duke, the win-now Brooklyn Nets are now just 1-8 against the top-four seeds in each conference and even after shellacking the East's top club in the Bulls on Wednesday night, two-thirds of the Big 3 was sidelined in a lopsided loss to Oklahoma City on Thursday. Just when Brooklyn appears to be building momentum, camaraderie and chemistry, something pops up that disrupts that progress. The Nets are their own worst enemy. 

When Nash's crew is locked in on both sides of the ball, compliant with local vaccine mandates and perhaps most importantly, healthy, there are only a handful of teams who can hang with the group labeled "Scary Hours". The Nets are halfway through the regular season, Irving has played in merely three games, Durant's minutes are at an all-time high and Harden took nearly 30 games to start resembling the player who carried the Nets for stretches of the 2020-2021 season. The NBA All-Star break is less than a month away and Brooklyn needs to get its ducks in a row if it hopes to ramp things up in time for a championship pursuit. 

Keeping the Big 3 healthy, developing chemistry with the supporting cast, while not overtaxing them with heavy minutes should be on Nash's mind throughout the remainder of the year. As the numbers show, the Nets are one of the most talented Big 3's the league has ever seen, but unless they're whole in more aspects than one, this team may fall short of its tremendous upside.

Harden quips about Irving's eligibility for future Nets' home games

This global pandemic is no joke matter. The COVID-19 Omnicron variant is spreading like wildfire across all corners on the globe. Now with unvaccinated Kyrie Irving back on the court for Nets' road games after the team reversed course on its preseason decision to preclude him from being a part-time player, the attention has turned to the point guard's eligibility to play in home games. James Harden, clearly being facetious with the media, who has harping on this issue, joked he would take matters into his own hands. With a report from the New York Daily News suggesting that New York City's local vaccine mandate has a loophole where the Nets' could allow Irving to play by paying a nominal fine. The first violation amounts to a warning followed by $1,000, $2,000 and $5,000 fines to infinity for all future violations. For billionaire owner Joseph Tsai, the financial penalty is hardly anything at all, but what kind of message does that send to fellow New Yorkers that money can simply buy an unvaccinated individual a Golden Ticket into a vaccinated palace? How far are the Nets willing to go to make a sure a key piece of the championship puzzle is in place? Time will tell, but Brooklyn earned an impressive 138-112 blowout win at the United Center over the top-seeded Chicago in Wednesday with Irving eligible and in the starting lineup.

Kyrie Irving eligible to play in 13 of Nets' next 18 games

Brooklyn plays Portland Monday night with and Kyrie Irving listed in the starting lineup. Irving will be able to play in 13 of the Nets next 18 games as they approach the All-Star break. This stretch will represent one of the most important in the team's championship pursuit as Irving will need to develop a rapport with new teammates and build his stamina after missing the beginning of the season. Brooklyn had lost five straight homes games before squeaking by the Spurs in overtime on Sunday at Barclays. With a NBA-best 14-3 road record, it's expected Irving added to the lineup will only improve that sterling mark. Milwaukee and Miami are both 2.5 games back of Brooklyn and the Nets trail top seeded Chicago, who they play at the United Center on Wednesday night, by 1.5 games. The Nets can either leapfrog Chicago ahead of the All-Star break or sink back into the pack over the next 18 contests. Irving is a difference-maker and glue guy in the locker room despite his icy relationship with the media. It's clear Brooklyn's title hopes hinge on Irving's availability and whether or not he's seamlessly integrated into the lineup and meshes with a new supporting cast. Steve Nash will need to capture the moment over the next 18 games and inspire the Nets to stack as many wins as possible before the All-Star break to ascend atop the Eastern Conference.

Nets taking their foot off the gas in anticipation of Kyrie's return

Losers of three straight games, the Brooklyn Nets are showing signs of a team exhaling and waiting for their third star to return to the court. Call it a midseason slump, but the absence of bench production, outside of a furious fourth quarter rally against Memphis on Monday night, point to the Nets taking their eyes off the ball. Brooklyn has dropped behind Chicago at the top of the East while Milwaukee is closing ground fast. Yes, Kyrie Irving will pay when the Nets take on the Pacers in Indiana on Wednesday, but the team can't simply continue playing lackluster fourth quarter basketball and expect star power to carry it through difficult times. Once Irving ramps up and with roughly just 18 road games he's eligible for playing in the rest of the way, the playoffs will be here before we know it. The Nets have built some bad habits over this three game skid and while their talent is undeniable, Steve Nash will need to correct the team's untimely mistakes and lack of cohesion regardless of whether Irving is in the lineup or not.

James Harden back to pre-injury form is bad news for rest of NBA

After 15 days away from the Nets in COVID-19 protocols, James Harden is back and better than ever. On Christmas Day, Harden lit up the Lakers with a 36 point, 10 rebound and 10 assist triple-double outing including a picturesque lob to Nic Claxton to give the Nets a late lead they never relinquished. Two days later, Harden dismantled the Clippers with a season-high in both points (39) and assists (15) to go along with eight rebounds to propel Brooklyn to a 16-point victory. A well-rested Harden, who came off an asymptomatic positive virus test, used the time off to get into tip top shape and shed the extra weight that was limiting his explosiveness to the basket. After using the entire off-season to rehab his Grade 2 hamstring strain suffered in the 2021 NBA playoffs, Harden barely played and trained prior to 2021 training camp opening. Harden struggled to catch a rhythm and the league's leader in free throw line trips was not getting to the charity stripe with regularity. Basketball fans and pundits speculated that the diminished version of Harden was a result of age and NBA rule changes that aimed not to reward offensive players using crafty techniques to create contract and draw fouls. Through 30 games, Harden was sluggish, carrying extra weight and still developing chemistry with teammates while working back to peak conditioning and shooting form. Prior to the COVID-19 positive test, Harden was showing signs of turning the corner, and the time off did wonders for him. With Harden ascending back to an MVP level, the rest of the NBA will be put on notice. Kevin Durant is expected back with the team on Thursday against Philadelphia and Kyrie Irving is one to two weeks away from returning, according to head coach Steve Nash. Things are heating up in Brooklyn as the Nets big-three will be whole again before the All-Star break and ready to wreak havoc on the league.

Ex-Net Deron Williams wins exhibition boxing bout with former NFL RB Frank Gore

Deron Williams may have missed his calling. The Brooklyn Nets former franchise point guard took his talents to the boxing ring as an undercard in a heavyweight exhibition match with Frank Gore prior to Saturday night's main fight between Jake Paul and Tyron Woodley. The Williams and Gore fight was scheduled for four rounds with Williams getting a split decision from the judges. The fight was surprisingly chippy when Williams clinched Gore and knocked him into the ropes and out of the ring tumbling into the camera equipment. Gore appeared shaken up, but upon resuming action he got Williams in the clinch and nearly wrestled him out of the ring. After the fight Williams insisted his boxing debut is a one and done scenario, but he did call out ex-Jet receiver Brandon Marshall who challenged the toughness of NBA players as opposed to NFL players. Williams never panned out with Brooklyn despite being named an NBA All-Star in 2012. The Nets floor general drew major criticism after signing a near $100 million contract upon the team's move to Brooklyn and never living up to the hype. In fact, due to a stretch provision the Nets still paid Williams $5 million annually five years after he was released and up until June 2020 as part of the stretch provision. Williams was a terrific player in his heyday, but whether it be the pressure of playing in New York, or some of the aging supporting cast around him in Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Williams left Nets fans wishing for more

Nets changing course on Kyrie's status reeks of desperation

Nothing has changed since September when the Brooklyn Nets organization, including Joe Tsai, Steve Nash and Sean Marks, came together to rule out Kyrie Irving as a part-time, unvaccinated player. Irving is still unvaccinated, the New York City vaccine mandate hasn't changed and we are still very much living in a pandemic world. What has changed is the growing number of Nets landing on the virus protocols list and positive tests across the country and league. This development has prompted Marks to make quick decisions to fill roster holes by signing Langston Galloway, James Ennis and Shaquille Harrison to ten day contracts to fill the void. James Harden and Kevin Durant remain in virus protocols, while there's a high level of concern about the minutes Durant is logging in the early season. The timing of Irving's return couldn't be stranger as cases are increasing with the omnicon variant spreading throughout the United States. In fact, Irving has landed on the virus list and will need to produce negative tests two consecutive days to be eligible to play in addition to a ramp up period to make sure he's in game shape. The reality is, the decision to flip flop on Irving's eligibility is based on desperation and not logic. Brooklyn simply isn't a true title contender without Irving in the fold and now with him back, they become the team to beat in the Eastern Conference. Brooklyn's brass knows a championship is at stake and changing course shows exactly how dire things are in Brooklyn.

KD's hurt ankle, Seven on COVID-19 list, Kyrie teases return, all hell breaking loose in Nets' World

While you were sleeping a whole lot has changed around the Brooklyn Nets. Kevin Durant has a tweaked ankle, James Harden is among seven players in COVID-19 protocol and Kyrie Irving tweeted out a video that hints at a return to the court. Despite dressing eligible players, Brooklyn escaped in overtime by Toronto 131-129 on Tuesday night. Durant led the way with 34 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists while Patty Mills added 30 points. It was arguably the most impressive win of the year for the Nets against a Raptors squad that was winners of four of its last five heading into the contest and with plenty of offensive and defensive firepower. Brooklyn survived one night with rookies Cam Thomas (4), David Duke Jr. (10) and Kessler Edwards (17) contributing in the scoring column and playing meaningful minutes. The attention now turns to how Steve Nash will handle a paper thin roster and when Harden, LaMarcus Aldridge and Bruce Brown will be eligible to return to action. In the immediacy, Nash has his hands full, but a potentially season altering development came when Irving posted yet another cryptic tweet, this time a video of him lacing up sneakers. Speculation has been mounting that Irving could return to the Nets with reports indicating there's increased optimism among Nets players and coaches that may be in the offing. Brooklyn has its hands full right now, but at least there is one encouraging sign coming out of Nets world.

Kevin Durant questionable against Toronto with ankle injury, five Nets out due to COVID-19 protocols

The Brooklyn Nets have announced that Kevin Durant has officially been added to tonight's injury report and is questionable to play against Toronto. Coming off a 51 point game against Detroit, it's not clear exactly when Durant suffered the injury, but it's significant enough to potentially impact his playing status. Along with Durant, Joe Harris remains out following ankle surgery, but five players have landed on the league's COVID list including DeAndre Bembry, LaMarcus Aldridge, James Johnson, Jevon Carter and Paul Millsap.

Brooklyn will be extremely shorthanded and is now dealing with a potential COVID-19 outbreak. The Chicago Bulls already had their next two games postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak, so if things continue in this direction the Nets could be going down a similar path.

KD closing gap in MVP race with Curry

Take Kevin Durant off the Nets or Steph Curry off the Warriors and both clubs would be fighting for their playoff lives. 

 With both players in the fold, Golden State is the best out West and Brooklyn the beast of the East, record-wise. Durant and Curry are truly irreplaceable and it's not a coincidence they're in the middle of a MVP race that is tightening with each passing day. 

 Durant made his latest case for MVP with a 51 point outing in Detroit without James Harden, Paul Millsap, Joe Harris and oh yeah, Kyrie Irving. The Nets franchise player is leading the NBA in scoring at 29.4, 2.4 points higher than Curry and The Greek Freak. Durant is shooting a remarkable 52.9 percent from the field to lead the league and is 9.7 percentage points higher than Curry. 

 The numbers don't lie and Brooklyn's point forward passes the eye test, Durant is more than deserving of the MVP award. His unprecedented efficiency, clutch shooting and effortless scoring is the stuff of legends, not to mention Steve Nash has to literally force him to the bench to rest.

 At the quarter pole, Curry is just a hair ahead of Durant, due in large part to his team's overwhelming success and ascension back atop the Western Conference. 

Things can change in a hurry and with news breaking that optimism is growing around Irving's return to the court in Brooklyn, the Nets are hoping to stack wins and make an even stronger case for Durant during this superb season.

Report: 'Nets players and coaches want Kyrie to join team ASAP'

 According to Shams Charania of the Athletic, there is renewed optimism about Kyrie Irving returning to the Nets this season.

Charania indicates there's been increased dialogue between Kevin Durant and Irving about his fit on the team and analyzing Nets' game.

It's unclear the exact scenario around Irving's potential return. There's been no clear indication that vaccine mandates for pubic venues in New York City will be lifted anytime soon. 

Back in September, the Nets' brass of Joe Tsai, Sean Marks and Steve Nash refused to allow Kyrie to be a part-time player and practice with the team, while playing only in road games where the vaccine mandate doesn't apply.

The recent report could mean one of three things, either the Nets are softening their stance regarding Irving being a part-time player, Irving has agreed to get the vaccine or there has been a change to New York City's vaccine mandate.

Whatever the case may be, the report is a major development for the Nets' title chances this upcoming season. Brooklyn has the best record in the Eastern Conference, but has failed every litmus test against the NBA's elite teams. As this story is updated, further details will emerge, but this has to be an encouraging sign as virtually nothing has been reported about Irving's status changing since the start of the year.

Angry Nets Fans Remember, Without Kyrie there's no KD or Harden

 


Fans can be fickle and forgetful. Kyrie Irving is absorbing heat for his refusal to get vaccinated and comply with local mandates. The Nets don't want Irving as a part-time player and thus the standoff has reached its fifth month.

Fans and media clamoring for the Nets point guard to make the decision they want and what's best for their team, not the individual. 

At the end of the day, Irving has a personal choice, but he'll have to live with the consequences of his decision.

No NBA basketball unless there's a change to New York City vaccine requirements or he opts for some form of the vaccine.

Most fans and the public at large are outraged at Irving's decision amidst a health crisis with the pandemic simply much bigger than the game of basketball.

Most quickly forget that it was Irving who was the key driving force for bringing Kevin Durant to Brooklyn with him back in 2019 and forming a superstar duo that James Harden couldn't resist joining upon wiggling out of Houston.

The Brooklyn Nets as you see them today, are a culmination of Irving assuming the role as lead recruiter for his childhood team. 

So not matter how upset, annoyed or disenfranchised you are with the Nets franchise point guard, remember, there's no KD or Harden without Kyrie.


After 25 Games, Nets Still Searching For Team Identity

 


Who are the 2021-2022 Brooklyn Nets? Ask Steve Nash, Kevin Durant and James Harden and they'll all answer in a similar manner.

They're still trying to figure things out. Brooklyn's roster was built around three superstars and with Kyrie Irving still unvaccinated, he remains away from the team indefinitely.

Sean Marks has done a remarkable job of compiling assets to build the star-studded roster that you see in Brooklyn, but outside of Patty Mills, LaMarcus Aldridge, Bruce Brown and flashes of James Johnson, the Nets don't have any reliable players outside of Harden and Durant.

Last season, Brooklyn's big three played only 8 regular season games together, but its bench and role players held down the fort with stars shuffled in and out for a multitude of reasons.

That has been far from the case this year as Brooklyn has stood virtually no chance to win without Durant in the lineup and a diminished Harden who still doesn't look like himself.

Marks has received plenty of praise over the years for successfully building a championship contender, but the Nets don't pass the eye test despite being No. 1 in the East and look far more like pretenders.

The Nets' GM will need to navigate Irving's tricky vaccination situation sooner than later to determine whether he'll be part of the team's plans this year or a piece to bring in reinforcements for Durant and Harden.

NBA stats create their legacy based on what they do in the biggest games and in clutch moments and in the two months leading up to the trade deadline, Marks can either add to his legend or so things go South quickly depending on how the roster is handled from here on out.

Claxton's dust up with Doncic ignites Nets furious comeback win over Mavs

 


Down by 17 points in the third quarter, Steve Nash and the Nets could have easily packed it in and called off the dogs in the front end of a back to back Texas road trip. Instead, Brooklyn rallied to stun Luka Doncic and ex-Net player and coach Jason Kidd.

Behind a behind 24-13 fourth quarter and James Harden and Kevin Durant coming alive offensively late, Brooklyn finally secured a signature win against a quality opponent. 

Harden finished with 23 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds, while Durant dumped in 24 and seven rebounds including clutch basket after clutch basket in the final minutes.

One of the momentum changing sequences came with 3:24 remaining in the third quarter when Nic Claxton was called for a kick ball violation while guarding Doncic. After the whistle, Claxton went chest to chest with the Slovenian Sensation and jawed at him before Doncic shoved him away to draw a technical foul. From that point on, the Nets went on to outscore Dallas 34-22.

A visibly frustrated Doncic tried to answer the Nets furious rally, but the left for dead Brooklyn offense got a much needed spark from Claxton's dust up.

The Nets have been searching for their identity throughout the first quarter of the regular season and with Harden looking like a shell of himself and the team failing to pass the litmus test against tougher opponents, Tuesday's win answered some of these questions, at least for the night.

Brooklyn takes on Houston on Wednesday looking to improve on their 17-7 record and pad it's lead for first place in the Eastern Conference.


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