Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson and the Brooklyn Nets placed on a masterclass of workforce basketball Wednesday night time, making the additional move, enjoying good defence and hitting a couple of clutch photographs.
In a method, it was a reminder of what the Phoenix Suns used to have.
Bridges scored 21 factors and Johnson added 15 in an emotional return to the desert, main the Nets to a 116-112 victory and spoiling the debut of the Suns’ All-Star trio. The two gamers have been traded from the Suns to the Nets final season in a package deal that despatched 13-time All-Star Kevin Durant again to Phoenix.
“It feels great,” Johnson mentioned about his return. “This building welcomed me with open arms a long time ago and welcomed me with open arms tonight. It’s pretty cool when you have the opportunity to come back to a place where the people still support you and care about you.”
The Nets have gained seven of their previous 9. Cam Thomas led Brooklyn with 24 factors.
The Suns trailed by eight factors on the break however rallied for an 88-86 lead heading into the fourth. The recreation stayed tight all through the ultimate quarter, however the Nets took the lead with about 10 minutes remaining and by no means gave it up.
Spencer Dinwiddie hit a 3 to place the Nets up 112-106 with 1:54 left. He adopted with a layup on the workforce’s subsequent offensive possession and completed with 16 factors.
“We did a great job of relying on each other at different parts of the game,” Nets coach Jacque Vaughn mentioned.
The Suns minimize it to 114-112 with 28 seconds left, however Thomas hit two free throws with 3 seconds left to seal it. Thomas scored 10 factors within the fourth.
It was the primary time this season — within the twenty fourth recreation — that Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal performed for the Suns on the identical night time. The trio’s debut was delayed due to numerous accidents, notably Beal’s sore again, which has restricted him to 5 video games this season.
Booker had 34 factors and 12 assists, Durant added 27 factors and Beal had 14. Jusuf Nurkic had 15 factors and a season-high 22 rebounds.
Houston Rockets 117-104 Memphis Grizzlies.
In the opposite NBA match, Tari Eason scored a career-high 25 factors, Jabari Smith Jr. added 20 factors and 10 rebounds and the Houston Rockets prolonged their house successful streak to 11 video games with a 117-104 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.
Eason got here off the bench to shoot 10 for 16 and matched a career-high with 14 rebounds.
“I feel like this is something where I always play hard,” Eason mentioned. “When you play hard, all the extra stuff happens, but I wouldn’t say I am doing anything outside of myself.”
The Rockets and Grizzlies face off once more Friday night time in Memphis within the second recreation of the home-and-home set.
Houston’s bench outscored the Grizzlies’ backups 58-19.
Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks every scored 11 factors and Jae’Sean Tate had 10 factors and 7 rebounds for Houston, which shot 45 per cent, together with 12 of 32 from 3-point vary. Houston outrebounded Memphis 58-39.
The Rockets’ 11-game house successful streak is its longest since a franchise report 20-game run from January 10-April 5, 2018.
Jaren Jackson Jr. had a career-high 44 factors and 7 rebounds for Memphis, which misplaced its third straight recreation. Derrick Rose added 19 factors and 6 assists and Vince Williams Jr. had 10 factors and 7 rebounds.
Jackson was 15 of 24 from the sector and scored 29 factors within the second half.
The Grizzlies shot 43 per cent however have been simply 10 of 38 from lengthy distance. Memphis compelled 19 Houston turnovers, which it transformed into 23 factors.
Desmond Bane, who’s Memphis’ main scorer at 24.8 factors per recreation, was out with an sickness. Bane grew to become the eleventh Grizzlies participant to overlook a recreation as a consequence of damage or sickness this season.
Houston led by as many as 19 factors within the second quarter earlier than Memphis minimize the result in 57-43 on the half. The Grizzlies opened the second half on a 15-3 run and minimize the Rockets’ result in 60-58 on a free throw by Williams with eight minutes remaining within the third.
Leading 82-81 to begin the fourth, Houston opened the quarter on a 10-2 run, stretching its result in 92-83 on a jumper by VanVleet with 9 1/2 minutes left. Memphis bought no nearer than six factors the remainder of the best way.
