By Adrian Stewart Co
Brooklyn Nets got back on the winning track with a 127-97 victory over Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2020-2021 NBA Season on Tuesday (Wednesday in the Philippines) at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Kevin Durant waxed hot with 31 points in just 27 minutes, while Joe Harris added 23, including five triples, as the Nets tied Philadelphia 76ers on top of the Eastern Conference standings with 37-17 win-loss slate.
Landry Shamet chipped in 19 markers, DeAndre Jordan made his return to Brooklyn rotation as he scored 13 points, while Bruce Brown added 12 rebounds to go along with nine points.
Brooklyn was shorthanded entering the match with James Harden, LaMarcus Aldridge, Tyler Johnson, and Spencer Dinwiddie out with injuries and Kyrie Irving absent due to personal reasons.
Their absence, however, were hardly felt as the Nets surged to a 22-8 start on baskets from Durant, Harris and Brown. The Timberwolves chopped into the deficit as they came to within 25-33.
Brooklyn widened the gap in the second period with Shamet and Harris converting from outside while Brown and Jordan connecting in the paint as the lead went up to 73-52 at the half.
The Nets went for the kill in the second half with Durant waxing hot in the third period as the lead reached its largest at 121-76 on a basket by Alize Johnson in the fourth.
Rookie Anthony Edwards top-scored with 27 points to go along with eight rebounds, while D’Angelo Russell added 15 markers as the Timberwolves dropped to 14-41.
Meanwhile, Denver Nuggets suffered a huge blow as guard Jamal Murray was ruled out for the rest of the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament on his left knee.
Murray sustained the injury after driving to the basket with 50 seconds remaining in their 116-107 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Monday night (Tuesday in the Philippines).
BOX SCORE:
BROOKLYN 127 – Durant 31, Harris 23, Shamet 19, Jordan 13, Luwawu-Cabarrot 9, Brown 9, Green 7, Claxton 6, Chiozza 4, Griffin 4, A. Johnson 2, Perry 0.
MINNESOTA 97 – Edwards 27, Russell 15, Layman 9, Vanderbilt 9, McLaughlin 9, Rubio 5, McDaniels 5, Culver 4, Nowell 3, Reid 2, Davis 2, Hernangomez 0.
Quarterscores: 33-25, 73-52, 104-74, 127-97./ASC, WDJ