Kevin Durant, for his return after three games without playing due to an injury, scored 33 points for Brooklyn on Sunday against Phoenix (128-119), during the summit between the two best franchises of the moment in the NBA, consolidating the first place des Nets in the Eastern Conference. Durant, entered at the very start of the second quarter, remained on the floor for 28 minutes. “It was a good start. Now I hope to use this game to keep moving forward, ”said Durant, returning from a bruised left thigh. His teammate Kyrie Irving was not to be outdone, for his part, scoring 34 points, passing the 30 point mark for the 15th time this season, and Blake Griffin ensured with 16 points.Jeff Green and Joe Harris completed Brooklyn's points with ten more points each, while DeAndre Jordan managed 12 rebounds, in front of some 1,700 spectators gathered at the Barclays Center in New York.
33 points in 28 minutes for KD.
34 points, 12 assists for Kyrie. @ KDTrey5, @KyrieIrving power @BrooklynNets!
pic.twitter.com/WJaDdqVVKX
- NBA (@NBA) April 25, 2021
Opposite, Devin Booker did the job for the Suns with 36 points, while Deandre Ayton passed 20 points and managed 13 rebounds, yet did not prevent Phoenix from losing its second game in a row, a first since January for the franchise, second in the West behind Utah.
"We got off to a good start, but they haven't stopped shooting, and shooting again," Booker explained after the meeting.
"And then I believe that we sinned by lack of communication between us at the time of the changes and that, that, that does not forgive".
Phoenix warned, Curry still on fire
This defeat sounds like a warning for Phoenix, who has five matches in the East (two wins, two losses), the last of which will take place on Monday, against the very fit New York Knicks, on a good series of nine straight wins. . The Nets, still without James Harden for the 10th meeting in a row, were better than their opponents by three points, reaching almost 50% (46.4) of success. It is also thanks to a three-point basket from the impeccable Kevin Durant that the Nets clearly took the advantage (102-92) at the start of the 4th quarter, a gap that Phoenix did not delivered.
"There you go, that's one of my favorite things about him, and it's something we all know is how much he loves this game and the way he proves it," Griffin said. about his teammate. "You can see it when he's on the bench, you have the impression that it's as if we had killed him, so to see his joy when he comes back to play basketball, it's so great!", A- he added.
In the other matches of the evening, Atlanta, deprived for the second consecutive game of Trae Young (ankle injury) achieved a good operation by winning over Milwaukee 111 to 104, thanks in particular to 32 points from Bogdan Bogdanovic. Giannis Antetokounmpo finished the game with 31 points and 14 rebounds to his name for the Bucks, third in the East behind Philadelphia, his teammate Khris Middleton for his part scoring 23 points. Charlotte, led by Devonte 'Graham (24 points), dominated Boston 125-104 while Golden State, with a decisive Stephen Curry (37 points), beat Sacramento (117-113). Finally, Memphis won in Portland (120-113), while Indiana outscored Orlando (131-112).
Steph Curry (37 PTS) knocks down 7 threes to bring his April total to 85 .. the most threes made over a calendar month in @NBAHistory! @ StephenCurry30 x # DubNationpic.twitter.com / dsgIBtBtWv
- NBA (@NBA) April 26, 2021
The results of the night:
Washington Wizards
119 - 110 Cleveland Cavaliers
Atlanta Hawks
111 - 104 Milwaukee Bucks
Orlando Magic 112 - 131
Indiana Pacers
Golden State Warriors
117 - 113 Sacramento Kings
Charlotte Hornets
125 - 104 Boston Celtics
Brooklyn Nets
128 - 119 Phoenix Suns
Portland Trail Blazers 113 - 120
Memphis Grizzlies
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