By Andrew Rosario
The San Antonio Spurs and their first ballot Hall of Fame coach Gregg Popovich could not get out of dodge fast enough. It began last Sunday afternoon when the Nets hosted the Spurs in a rare Sunday afternoon game. After watching guard Kyrie Irving make his season debut against the Indiana Pacers the week before in which he described it as “my best debut” in the win, the Nets would get mauled the next game at home against the Milwaukee Bucks. Due to the New York City Covid restrictions, lrving is not allowed to play here.
Led by the Nets other big two, Kevin Durant (game high 28) and James Harden (26) Brooklyn was able to overcome a balanced San Antonio team that saw all of their starters and two bench players score in double figures. The Spurs battled in the second half with Lonnie Walker IV leading the team (25 point) and getting 18 points off the bench from Bryn Forbes. The Spurs pushed the Nets into overtime only to come up short 121-119.
Photo: Special to the NY Beacon
Next stop was Madison Square Garden Monday night facing a Knicks team who had just gotten blown out in Boston last Saturday. This came after RJ Barrett hit a 3-point off the glass buzzer beater completing a 25-point deficit win against the Celtics the Thursday before. San Antonio was hoping to get out town with at least one win. It did not happen.
Similar to the game against the Nets, the Spurs kept the game close for the first three quarters. They trailed by 3 (26-23) after the first and by 2 (51-49) at halftime. New York took a 7-point lead (82-75) at the end of the third quarter with Eric Fournier (back after missing the last game with a bruised thigh) scoring 10 points and RJ Barrett adding 8.
The back to back games might have caught up to the Spurs as the Knicks pulled away in the fourth. They outscored San Antonio 29-21 for the 111-96 win. Barrett scored the first 7 points of the quarter and finished his night with 31 points (12-20, 3-4 from 3 point land) with Fournier adding 18. The home crowd calling Barrett’s name. Said Barrett of his performance, “It’s a big thing for sure, but also I just feel like my work is starting to show. I feel like my teammates and I, we’re really giving everything we’ve got out there on the court. So not even just for me, just to show that our team is playing well.”
The Nets traveled to Portland Monday night to take on the Trailblazers getting Kyrie Irving back in the line up. Unfortunately, they were without James Harden who was out with a hyperextended left knee. From the start it did not appear his absence affected the team as Brooklyn took a 62-55 halftime lead. The Nets increased the lead in the third (74-68) but saw Portland close out the quarter on a 19-7 taking a 87-81 lead never looking back in the 114-108 win. The Nets came off their overtime win the day before and then had to fly cross country that night. Said second year head coach Steve Nash, “guys were gassed, really. There were some good stretches, but overall I don’t think we had the juice to follow through and finish the job.”
Kevin Durant finished with 28 points (game high) and 10 rebounds. Irving had 22 points and eight rebounds tweaking his ankle at one point. He is expected to play when they traveled to Chicago Wednesday night. The Knicks hosted the Dallas Mavericks that same night.
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