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SALT LAKE CITY — Kyrie Irving stored up the red-hot type he discovered Thursday in opposition to the Suns — and he confirmed the Nets really can win a recreation with out Kevin Durant.
Irving poured in a game-high 48 factors and the Nets pulled out a 117-106 victory over the Jazz earlier than a sellout crowd of 18,206 at Vivint Enviornment. And in contrast to an evening earlier at Phoenix, this time Irving’s brilliance was greater than sufficient.
He scored essentially the most factors by a Web this season, hit a season-high eight 3-pointers, tied his season excessive with 11 rebounds and added six assists. In brief, he did all of it, and he did it when the Nets wanted it most — pouring in 21 factors within the fourth quarter alone.
The back-and-forth affair was knotted at 102-all after a Jordan Clarkson basket with 3:18 left, however Irving responded with a 3-pointer simply 17 seconds later to provide the Nets a lead they by no means surrendered. Heart Nic Claxton (20 factors, 5 rebounds) then blocked Clarkson on Utah’s subsequent journey downcourt, and Seth Curry hit one other 3-pointer to make it 108-102 with 2:18 remaining.
The Nets (28-17) completed the sport off and made certain it didn’t get to additional time. The win snapped an 0-4 skid since Kevin Durant went down on Jan. 8 in Miami with a sprained proper MCL. Durant remains to be in a knee brace, and gained’t be reevaluated till early subsequent week.
On Thursday in Phoenix, the Nets clearly hadn’t been even reasonably targeted at first, recognizing the Suns a 24-point lead within the third quarter earlier than Irving scored 21 within the fourth. They ended up dropping that recreation 117-112, however Friday they gained.
The Nets didn’t repair their flaws, as a lot as overcome them in opposition to the Jazz. They nonetheless bought battered on the glass, and dedicated completely too many fouls. However they discovered a option to win, with Claxton and a few well timed stops proving to be sufficient.
The sport was a seesaw affair.
Irving scored seven factors in a 14-0 Nets run, and his 15-foot jumper put the Nets forward 16-5 with 6:40 left within the first quarter.
A Clarkson bucket snapped the run, however Royce O’Neale drilled a 3-pointer to place the Nets up 24-11 with 4:37 left within the first.
Their lead was at 12 early within the second, when Claxton sailed in unopposed for a tip dunk. That gave the Nets a 36-24 cushion with 10:07 left within the half. Naturally, they couldn’t maintain it, their acquainted latest frailties nonetheless on full show.
The Nets bought mauled on the offensive glass and confronted an enormous disparity on the free throw line, not taking a single foul shot till there have been practically 4 minutes left within the first half. Once they went ice-cold from the ground, the Jazz went on a 14-0 run of their very own.
The Nets missed six straight pictures and dedicated a few turnovers. And by the point they let Collin Sexton get free for a reverse layup, they trailed 38-36 with 5:34 to go within the half.
They trailed 67-61 early within the second half after an all-too-easy Walker Kessler dunk.
However the Nets responded with a 17-5 run to swing the momentum once more. O’Neale discovered Yuta Watanabe for an enormous 3-pointer to cap the spurt and put the Nets forward 78-72 with 2:55 left within the third.
It was knotted at 83-all going into the fourth.
It was nonetheless tied at 92-all after a Sexton reverse with 8:27 to play, however that’s when the Nets edged forward with seven unanswered factors.
Two Curry free throws 17 seconds later gave the Nets the lead. Then Claxton adopted with an alley-oop, and an Irving 3-pointer made it 99-92 with 7:24 to play.
The Nets by no means trailed once more.
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