INDIANAPOLIS – Brooklyn Nets got back to their winning ways with a come-from-behind 129-121 triumph over the Indiana Pacers, 129-121, in the 2021-2022 NBA Season on Wednesday night (Thursday in the Philippines) at the Gainbridge FieldHouse in Indianapolis.
Trailing 62-81 early in the third quarter, the Nets slowly clawed its way back behind Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and DeAndre’ Bembry to cut the deficit to 94-101.
The Nets continued its run in the fourth period with inside conversions from Nicholas Claxton and perimeter hits by Patrick Mills and Irving to snatch a 111-106 lead.
It was all Brooklyn since then. Inside and outside baskets from Durant, Bembry and James Harden gave the team its biggest lead at 129-117 with under a minute left.
Durant finished the match with 39 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, while Irving played his first game this season to end up with 22 markers for Brooklyn.
Harden and LaMarcus Aldridge chipped in 18 and 13 markers, respectively, while Bembry and Claxton ended up with 12 each as the Nets snapped its three-game slide to improve to 24-12.
Domantas Sabonis dropped triple-double 32 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, while Lance Stephenson added 30 markers as the Pacers slumped to 14-25.
Meanwhile, Kevin Porter Jr. drilled a game-winning triple as the Houston Rockets (11-28) stuns Washington Wizards (19-19), 114-111, at the Capital One Arena in Washington.
Struggling with his offense all-match long, Porter rose to the occasion as he converted a left wing triple with 0.9 ticks left to surge the Rockets ahead for good.
Porter, who came from a one-game team suspension, finished the match with nine points, eight assists and seven rebounds as the Rockets halted its eight-game losing skid.
Filipino-American guard Jalen Green and Christian Wood added 22 points each, while Eric Gordon, Jae’Sean Tate and KJ Martin added 19, 13 and 11, respectively, for Houston./PN
