MIAMI (AP) — Royce O’Neale’s layup with three.2 seconds left stored Brooklyn going and the Nets beat the Miami Warmth 102-101 on Sunday night time in a recreation during which Kevin Durant left early, injured proper knee.
Kyrie Irving scored 29 to guide the Nets, who’ve now gained 18 of their final 20 – after successful simply 9 of their first 20 video games. Durant had 17 earlier than leaving and Seth Curry scored 14 for Brooklyn.
Nic Claxton had 13 factors and 11 rebounds for the Nets.
Jimmy Butler scored 26 for Miami, which obtained 24 from Tyler Herro. Butler missed a contested shot on the rim on the ultimate play of the sport, and Herro was additionally rocked earlier than going limp — replays displaying he may need slipped.
Bam Adebayo was restricted within the second half with a proper hand drawback and scored 10 for Miami, as did Max Strus and Haywood Highsmith.
Durant left with 36.6 seconds left within the third quarter, not lengthy after showing to injure himself on a drive by Butler. Durant clutched his proper knee after Butler, who had simply gotten to the basket, landed together with his again to Durant and fell into him.
Durant stayed within the recreation briefly, then went into the locker room for analysis. The Nets rapidly decided he wouldn’t return to the sport.
Brooklyn led 66-64 on the half, with Irving main the Nets with 24 and each groups capturing effectively — 54 p.c for Miami, 57 p.c for Brooklyn.
After which within the third got here the defenses.
Brooklyn shot 28 p.c within the quarter, Miami 25 p.c, and the Warmth outscored the Nets 18-13 within the interval to take a three-point lead into the fourth.
Miami led by as many as 9 within the last quarter, went up 101-100 on back-to-back baskets by Butler late, however could not block Irving’s 30-footer within the last seconds. O’Neale obtained the rebound and turned it into the eventual winner.
TYPE-INS
Nets: Claxton blocked three photographs and has at the very least three shutouts in six straight video games. Solely the Lakers’ Anthony Davis has achieved it this season, and no Nets participant has achieved it since Shawn Bradley had two streaks separated by 11 video games in 1996.
Warmth: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was in attendance, as was DJ Khaled. … Caleb Martin (left quad pressure) is out. … Victor Oladipo and Kyle Lowry had been every 2 for 10. … Miami is 21-20 halfway by the season.
DURING MILESTONE
Durant wanted simply two factors to cross Dominique Wilkins (26,668) for 14th on the NBA’s profession scoring record. With 17 on Sunday, Durant reaches 26,684.
He’s 26 factors behind No. 13 Oscar Robertson (26,710).
PLAYOFFS
The Miami Dolphins snapped a five-game shedding streak and can play Buffalo within the NFL wild-card spherical this weekend. If the Warmth make the playoffs this season, it is going to mark the primary time since 2009 that Miami’s NBA and NFL groups have performed postseason video games in the identical 12 months.
“It was nice for the town,” stated Warmth coach Erik Spoelstra, who spent a day with the Dolphins at their coaching camp. “I identical to to see groups come collectively, particularly when there’s adversity, and determine issues out.”
IT FOLLOWS
Nets: Host Boston Thursday.
Warmth: Host Oklahoma Metropolis on Tuesday.
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