MANILA – After four consecutive defeats, Brooklyn Nets got right back on the winning track on Saturday following a 125-119 triumph over the Denver Nuggets in the 2020-2021 National Basketball Association season at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado.
Kevin Durant scored 11 of the Nets’ last 13 points and top-scored with 33 points to go along with 11 rebounds and seven assists, while Kyrie Irving added 31 markers, including four three-point conversions.
Blake Griffin came alive offensively in the second half to finish with 20 points. Jeff Green also made 15 markers for the Nets, which snapped its four-game losing skid to improve to 44-24.
Down by as much as 20 points in the first half, the Nets slowly clawed their way back in the third period on baskets by Griffin and Irving to come to within 74-77. The Nuggets, however, countered with hits to widen the lead anew at 104-92.
Brooklyn continued to play catch up in the fourth quarter with seven straight points from Green and a triple by Durant to tie the score at 108-all before taking the lead at 111-110 on a Joe Harris triple.
The Nuggets were still hanging around at 117-118 with under two minutes left before Durant put the game away with a basket and consecutive free throw conversions.
Nikola Jokić ended with 29 points, seven rebounds, and six assists, while Michael Porter Jr. and Facundo Campazzo added 28 and 19 markers, respectively, as the Nuggets dropped to 44-24.
Meanwhile, Stephen Curry displayed his scoring prowess anew to carry the injury-hit Golden State Warriors to a lopsided 136-97 victory over Oklahoma City Thunder.
Curry drained 11 triples and dropped 49 points in just 29 minutes to lead the Warriors. Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole added 18 and 16 markers, respectively.
The victory allowed the Warriors to stay at the eighth spot in the Western Conference with a 35-33 win-loss slate, keeping its distance from Memphis Grizzlies, which improved to 34-33 with its 109-99 triumph over Toronto Raptors.
BOX SCORE:
BROOKLYN 125 – Durant 33, Irving 31, Griffin 20, Green 15, Harris 8, James 6, Brown 4, Claxton 4, Shamet 3, Jordan 1.
DENVER 119 – Jokić 29, Porter 28, Campazzo 15, Howard 13, Rivers 12, Green 9, McGee 4, Cancar 3, Harrison 2, Bol 0.
QUARTERSCORES:
24-37, 56-71, 97-104, 125-119./PN
