Brooklyn Nets player grades: Kevin Durant drops 38 on Trail Blazers
The Brooklyn Nets bounced back from their Wednesday loss to the Dallas Mavericks with a 128-123 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. After trailing by as many as 18 points, the Nets managed to mount a second-half comeback in this one.
“Halftime, I was a little upset. We didn’t come to play, and we really played one half tonight. We’re just lucky it was enough to win the game,” Nash said.
Things changed in the second half and Kevin Durant’s 38 points overall on the night proved to be a real boost. He managed to overcome another team sending frequent double-teams his way. There were still struggles with turnovers, but overall, he was efficient.
Seth Curry made his return to the lineup after a three-game absence due to an ankle injury. He stepped right in and made a big difference with 27 points on seven makes from 3-point range. He finished with a team-high eight points in the fourth quarter.
Kyrie Irving did not participate in this game due to his continued ineligibility to play at Barclays Center. Ben Simmons remains sidelined as he continues to recover from back problems.
Here are the player grades after a comeback win over the Trail Blazers:
Kevin Durant: A-
It was a strong outing from Kevin Durant in this one as he finished with 38 points, six rebounds, and six assists. The main knock on his performance would be the eight turnovers he recorded but going 11-15 from the floor and 14-15 from the free throw line certainly was as close to ideal as it gets. Despite finishing with such a high volume of turnovers, he still produced 1.27 points per possession.
Seth Curry: A+
With Kyrie Irving ineligible to play, Seth Curry was a key spark with a highly efficient 27 points with seven makes from beyond the arc. No player on the Nets scored more points in the fourth quarter than Curry’s eight. He was integral in alleviating pressure off Kevin Durant throughout the course of the game due to his off-ball prowess.
Bruce Brown: B+
Finishing with 17 points, seven rebounds, and three rebounds in 34 minutes, Bruce Brown made a quality impact for the Nets in ways that showed in the box score. He was often taking advantage of the Trail Blazers’ defense loading up on the ball by staying active as a cutter and being ready to attack off the catch, which is all you can ask for. His usual dirty work impact was important in the second half.
The Trail Blazers often failed to account for Andre Drummond in the paint after sending extra ball pressure. They also struggled to contain him when they deployed ultra-small lineups due to their lack of center depth. In the end, Drummond finished with 17 points and nine rebounds in 23 minutes with six of his boards coming on the offensive glass.
Goran Dragic: B-
It was a largely quiet night from Goran Dragic in the scoring department as he finished with nine points with an output of just 0.69 points per possession. He was finding teammates throughout the game and racked up 10 assists, but his five turnovers weighed down the value of his performance as a whole. He’s been quite helpful as another playmaker, especially when Kyrie Irving has been sidelined.
Patty Mills: D
Much of Patty Mills’ role is predicated on his ability to shoot the basketball, and if he’s not hitting shots, it’s going to be challenging for him to overcome that to have a strong overall outing. All four of his shot attempts came from beyond the arc and he missed all of them and finished scoreless.
Nicolas Claxton: B+
Against a Trail Blazers squad that lacks much for center talent, Nicolas Claxton made the most of it off the bench with seven points, nine rebounds, and two blocks. He’s been a helpful change of pace from Andre Drummond when the team needs a big with more quickness to match the athleticism of certain lineups, and he showed that in this one.
Cam Thomas: A
With the Nets needing one of their bench backcourt players to step up and have a solid outing with Kyrie Irving sidelined, Cam Thomas answered the call. While he did not convert on a 3-point attempt in this one, he finished 5-8 from the floor and chipped in five rebounds and two assists with a steal. The flashes he’s shown throughout the season have been intriguing and this was another one of his positive performances.
James Johnson: C-
There wasn’t a significant amount of opportunity for James Johnson in this one as he finished with 11 minutes. In his time on the floor, he totaled two points and two rebounds. There’s value in doing dirty work on both ends, but also, being a non-shooting threat makes it more challenging for the half-court offense to space and that should be taken into account.
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