MANILA – Brooklyn Nets survived Chicago Bulls’ late uprising for a 115-107 victory in the 2020-2021 National Basketball Association Season on Tuesday night (Wednesday in the Philippines) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
Kevin Durant top-scored with 21 points, eight assists and four rebounds, and Joe Harris added 17 markers, as the Nets notched its second straight win to improve to 45-24, second in the East.
Bruce Brown had double-double 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Jeff Green and Blake Griffin contributed 14 and 13 markers, respectively, for Brooklyn.
The Nets’ victory, however, was dampened by the third quarter exit of Kyrie Irving, who was elbowed in the head by Bulls center Nikola Vucevic. He finished the game with 13 points.
Brooklyn was comfortably ahead by 20 in the third period, but Chicago went on a huge rally in the fourth quarter, trimming the deficit to 101-107 on free throws by Zach LaVine.
Green and Durant, however, scored back-to-back baskets to make it 111-101 with two minutes left before Mike James sealed the win for the Nets with free throw hits.
LaVine finished the game with 41 points, while Coby White and Vucevic added 16 and 12 markers, respectively, for the Bulls, whose playoffs bid was dampened as they fell to 29-40.
Meanwhile, Golden State Warriors (37-33) heated up in the endgame to pull off a stunning 122-116 victory over Phoenix Suns (48-21), to stay at seventh place in the Western Conference.
Trailing 107-110, the Warriors drained three consecutive triples from Andrew Wiggins, Juan Toscano-Anderson and Jordan Poole to seize a 118-113 lead.
The Suns made its last push at 116-118 after a triple by Jae Crowder, but a two-pointer by Stephen Curry and two free throws by Poole completed the Warriors’ come-from-behind triumph.
Wiggins finished the match with a season-high 38 points, while Curry and Poole chipped in 21 and 20 markers, respectively, while Draymond Green had triple-double 11 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds for the Warriors.
BOX SCORE:
BROOKLYN 115 – Durant 21, Harris 17, Brown 15, Green 14, Griffin 13, Irving 13, James 11, Claxton 10, Shamet 1.
CHICAGO 107 – LaVine 41, White 16, Vucevic 12, Markannen 11, Theis 10, Temple 7, Williams 5, Young 4, Satoransky 1, Green 0.
QUARTERSCORES:
32-23, 64-51, 93-74, 115-107/PN
