NEW YORK (AP) — James Harden and Kevin Durant carried Brooklyn all the way until James Johnson made two free throws with 2.2 seconds left to give the Nets a 112-110 victory over the New York Knicks on Tuesday night.
Harden had 34 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, and Durant heated up after a slow start to finish with 27 points and nine assists. He had 11 points in the final 5:45, but the Knicks sent a second defender to force him to give the ball up on the last possession.
The ball went to Johnson, who was fouled in the lane and made the free throws for the final points of an entertaining, nationally televised undercard to the Warriors-Suns main event.
Alec Burks scored a season-high 25 points in his new role as the Knicks' starting point guard. Julius Randle added 24 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.
The teams traded leads throughout the fourth quarter in front of a split crowd of 18,081, the largest in Brooklyn history.
The Nets had highlight plays all over the floor to open the second half, with Harden's soaring follow slam and DeAndre' Bembry's swatted shot into the seats coming during a 14-0 spurt that turned a one-point halftime deficit into a 74-61 lead.
Brooklyn had the lead up to 16 with 4 minutes left in the third period, but the Knicks whittled it down to 88-84 heading to the fourth. The lead was never bigger than that in the final 12 minutes.
Harden had 15 points in the first quarter and 13 more in the second, including a 3-pointer with 3.5 seconds left that cut New York's lead to 61-60.
TIP-INS
Knicks: RJ Barrett played only 8 1/2 minutes because of illness. ... Derrick Rose had 16 points and nine assists off the bench.
Nets: Harden surpassed 2,500 3-pointers, joining Ray Allen, Stephen Curry and Reggie Miller. .... With Kyrie Irving absent all season after refusing to get vaccinated as mandated in New York City and Joe Harris recovering from ankle surgery, Durant has had to take on a heavier load than expected.
“It’s not ideal to have him have such a burden, but I don’t know what options we have other than to play him less and lose more,” coach Steve Nash said. “He's a great player and we’re down a few really, a great player and a really good player and a few others, so I don’t know that we have the luxury right now.”
TOUGH TIMES
Kemba Walker, replaced as the starting point guard for the Knicks, isn't the only former All-Star to go from former starter to not playing. Blake Griffin has fallen out of the Nets' rotation.
“Kemba’s a great human being, great teammate,” Nash said. “No matter how great a teammate and how great an attitude you have, to take that scenario into account, it’s very difficult for a guy who competes and wants to play and prepares the way he does to play.”
EXPECTING EXCELLENCE
Count Tom Thibodeau as another person who isn't surprised by how good Durant has been after missing the 2019-20 season recovering from Achilles tendon surgery.
“I’ve gotten to know Kevin over the years and the talent is the talent, but it's all the other stuff really. Those type of guys overcome whatever’s in front of them,” Thibodeau said. “His love of the game, his competitiveness, his drive, it’s special. That’s what makes him who he is.”
UP NEXT
Knicks: Host Chicago on Thursday.
Nets: Host Minnesota on Friday.
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