16-year veteran EJECTED after low blow; Aussie‘s ’electric’ pass stuns: NBA Wrap
Jacque Vaughn has requested — scratch that, demanded — the Nets to combat for one another. On Saturday (AEDT), they acquired again up off the mat and fought their technique to a shocking come-from-behind 119-116 victory over the Raptors.
It was Kyrie Irving — who final season couldn’t play in Canada on account of COVID-19 vaccine restrictions — that received it with a 27-footer on the buzzer. He had a team-high 32 factors, and Kevin Durant added 28 for the Nets, who’ve received 9 of 10.
It accomplished a season sweep of the Raptors, and it additionally was the most recent proof that this Nets group really has a jaw. They rallied from 18 factors right down to grind out a tricky, gritty win and disappoint the sellout crowd of 19,800 at Scotiabank Arena.
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The Nets (18-12) got here into Friday fourth within the Eastern Conference, a sport behind third-place Cleveland and one away from fifth-seeded Philadelphia, each of which have been in motion Friday.
Toronto (13-16) has dropped 4 straight.
The rating was knotted at 105-all after Fred VanVleet (game-high 39 factors) scored with 3:06 to play. But back-to-back dunks from Ben Simmons and Durant put the Nets forward.
The groups went backwards and forwards, with VanVleet, Irving and Toronto’s Scottie Barnes every taking turns giving their group the lead. But it was an unlikely hero for the Nets that got here by way of with the most important shot of the evening.
Irving drove and drew in three defenders, kicking out to ex-Raptor Yuta Watanabe within the nook. He drilled a clutch 3-pointer to place the Nets up, 116-114, with 14.1 seconds left.
Barnes tied it on the free throw line with eight seconds left. Irving then untied it along with his 3-pointer on the buzzer.
The Nets seemed good within the fourth quarter with Simmons at small-ball centre and size at each place round Irving. But it was the third quarter that put the Nets in place to win it.
Trailing 62-44 with 1:17 left within the first half after a Pascal Siakam 3-pointer, the Nets closed the half with eight unanswered factors, which grew to a 14-0 spurt that spanned intermission.
It was the beginning of an prolonged 35-14 run that modified the sport. The Nets shot 10 of 13, with Durant having seven factors on 3 of 5 from the ground.
The Nets harassed Toronto into 5-for-18 taking pictures — together with 0-for-6 from deep.
Durant gave the Nets the lead, and Watanabe’s finger roll on a three-on-two quick break made it 79-76 with simply over three minutes left within the third.
The fourth was drama stuffed, no play extra dramatic than Irving’s 3-pointer.
This article initially appeared on The New York Post and has been republished with permission.
HORFORD CHEAP SHOT
Al Horford’s return from a five-game absence hardly went to plan on Saturday, ejected within the third quarter of the Boston Celtics’ shock 117-109 loss to the Orlando Magic.
Horford, who had been sidelined on account of private causes, was referred to as for a foul on Orlando massive man Moe Wagner which was later deemed to be a flagrant two.
It meant Horford was mechanically ejected from the sport with simply over 10 minutes left within the third quarter, with replays later exhibiting he had elbowed Wagner within the groin space.
Horford had been on the courtroom for under 16 minutes earlier than his evening got here to an early finish, ending the sport with six factors and 6 rebounds.
Celtics teammate Jayson Tatum was in heavy disagreement with the ejection name after the sport.
“I didn’t think that was the right call,” Tatum stated, as seen on NBC Sports Boston’s post-game protection.
“ … That was unbelievable. I couldn’t believe Al got thrown out the game. I didn’t think that was warranted. Especially once they went to go review they saw that Mo fouled him first — that’s how I got to shoot the free throws. Sometimes guys get tired of people grabbing on them and the ref not seeing it.”
Tatum (31 factors, seven rebounds, three assists) and Jaylen Brown (26 factors, 4 rebounds, three assists) led the best way for the Celtics, who dropped to 22-8 with the loss.
As for the Magic, Cole Anthony was productive off the bench with 14 factors, 5 rebounds and three assists from 29 minutes.
Four of Orlando’s starters, excluding Bol Bol (4 factors) additionally hit double figures within the win, with Wagner (25 factors, eight rebounds) topping the scoring within the Magic’s tenth win of the season.
INCREDIBLE GIDDEY PASS
His Oklahoma City Thunder would possibly’ve misplaced, however Josh Giddey confirmed off his sensible basketball IQ with an epic help in opposition to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Guarded intently by veteran Austin Rivers, Giddey drove and dribbled in direction of the highest of the important thing earlier than pulling off an impressive right-handed bounce go to Jalen Williams, who timed his baseline reduce to perfection and nailed a working dunk.
The Aussie recorded one other double-double, ending with 11 factors, 13 rebounds and 6 assists, however the Timberwolves claimed a 112-110 victory.
Rivers, Naz Reid and Anthony Edwards mixed for 67 factors for Minnesota.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander prime scored for the Thunder with 35 factors.
EMBIID, HARDEN SPARK SIXERS AFTER SLOW START
The Philadelphia 76ers overcame a shaky begin, bouncing again from giving up a 38-point quarter in opposition to the undermanned Golden State Warriors to take a 118-106 win.
Joel Embiid and James Harden stood up when the Sixers wanted it most, scoring 34 and 27 factors respectively within the win, with the previous grabbing 10 defensive boards.
Harden, in the meantime, was dishing it out as he completed the sport with 9 assists.
The Warriors jumped out to a shock lead within the first quarter, with DiVincenzo (15 factors on 5-for-6 from deep) main the best way for Golden State.
Even with Steph Curry and Draymond Green sidelined, the Warriors have been having no hassle piling on the factors, taking a 38-33 lead over Philadelphia into the second quarter.
Overall, Golden State was taking pictures 9-for-12 from downtown within the opening interval and whereas that was not essentially sustainable, it was sufficient nonetheless to maintain the Sixers at bay.
Philadelphia should be with out Tyrese Maxey, who’s reportedly on observe to return from a left foot fracture by Christmas Day, however the 76ers additionally nonetheless had Embiid and Harden accessible.
The latter had 15 factors within the opening quarter on 5-for-8 from taking pictures, main the Sixers in scoring whereas Embiid had a stats line of eight factors, three rebounds and two assists.
The Sixers have been capable of decelerate the Warriors’ 3-point taking pictures barrage within the second quarter, drawing inside two factors at half-time, trailing 57-55.
Both Embiid and Harden had 17 factors at that time, with the previous discovering loads of success driving in direction of the basket, recording 9 free-throw makes an attempt by the half.
Philadelphia carried the momentum into the third quarter too, leaping out to a 88-81 lead heading into the ultimate interval of the sport as Embiid scored 12 within the quarter.
Australian Matisse Thybulle acquired concerned with a 3-pointer to open the scoring for the Sixers within the fourth quarter, whereas Georges Niang scored 5 fast factors to make it 98-83 with 9 minutes on the clock.
A number of Klay Thompson three-pointers helped scale back the deficit whereas Jordan Poole additionally had a pair of late buckets because the Warriors refused to go away, simply staying in contact.
One of these Poole buckets — a driving floating soar shot — reduce Philadelphia’s result in 109-99 with simply over three minutes left because the Sixers referred to as a time-out.
In the top the Warriors wouldn’t get a lot nearer, taking place 118-106.
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