Durant, Irving help Nets edge Hawks to end 6-1 homestand

Published Dec. 9, 2022 10:09 p.m. ET

Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Kevin Durant scored 34 points, Kyrie Irving had 33 points and 11 rebounds and the Brooklyn Nets finished a seven-game homestand at 6-1 by beating the Atlanta Hawks 120-116 on Friday night.

TJ Warren added 14 points and Ben Simmons returned from a four-game absence with a left calf strain with six points, seven rebounds and six assists as the Nets won for the ninth time in 12 games overall.

They hadn't played seven straight home games since moving to Brooklyn a decade ago and they took advantage, losing only to the NBA-leading Boston Celtics while surging into fourth place in the Eastern Conference.

Trae Young had 33 points and nine assists for the Hawks, while Bogdan Bogdanovic rebounded from a miserable game at the Knicks two nights earlier with 31 points.

Clint Capela had 15 points and 11 rebounds, but the Hawks dropped their third straight while playing without injured starters John Collins, De'Andre Hunter and Dejounte Murray.

Durant scored 18 points in the first quarter, but the Nets had to rally after the Hawks came back to take the lead in the fourth. Durant's 3-pointer with 3:17 to play gave Brooklyn back the lead for good and he finished the scoring with two free throws with 6.3 seconds remaining.

Durant was 9 for 11 shooting in the first quarter as the Nets led 36-30. Bogdanovic had 13 in the second as the Nets took a 68-64 edge to the break.

TIP-INS

Hawks: Bogdanovic was 3 for 16 overall and missed all 10 3-point attempts in the loss at Madison Square Garden. ... Trent Forrest returned after missing three games while in concussion protocol.

Nets: Starting center Nic Claxton sat out with right hamstring tightness. ... Coach Jacque Vaughn said he expected Simmons to sit out Saturday in Indiana on the second night of back-to-back games but that Yuta Watanabe would return after a nine-game absence with a strained right hamstring.

UP NEXT

Hawks: Host Chicago on Sunday

Nets: At Indiana on Saturday.

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