Kyrie Irving scored 15 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter, Kevin Durant had 26 points and a season-high 16 rebounds and the Brooklyn Nets won their 10th straight game, 108-107 against the short-handed Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night.
The winning streak is the longest in the NBA this season and the Nets’ longest since they took 10 straight in 2005-06. The 2002-03 team also won 10 straight. The franchise record is 14, set in 2003-04 and matched in 2005-06.
Brooklyn (23-12) has won 14 of 15.
Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) drives to the basket against Atlanta Hawks’ Aaron Holiday
‘For me specifically, when the fourth quarter hits, it’s winning time,’ Irving said. That’s all I really know. When I’m out there with that group to start the fourth, I know KD is resting a little bit, so I just have to raise my aggression level and raise my efficiency, and I’m thankful to have the trust of my teammates. and coaching staff.’
Yuta Watanabe’s layup in the final minute of the third made it 81-80 for Brooklyn’s first lead since it was 33-32. Durant closed out the third with a pair of free throws, and the Nets never trailed again. Irving scored eight straight points early in the fourth to put Brooklyn up 93-82 and cap a 17-3 run, and the Hawks called timeout.
‘I think the whole second half we were there for each other,’ said Durant. ‘We made some adjustments with a couple of guys and we were able to do that. We managed to slow them down a bit.’
Irving (11) and Brooklyn Nets forward Yuta Watanabe (18) react after scoring in the second half
The injury-riddled Hawks (17-18) are without leading scorer Trae Young, leading rebounder Clint Capela and starting forward De’Andre Hunter. Young was scratched before tipoff with a left calf contusion. Capela and Hunter were ruled out long before the game started.
Dejounte Murray scored 24 points and John Collins had 21 for Atlanta, which tied it at 104 on Aaron Holiday’s 3 but never led in the final minutes of the fourth. Onyeka Okongwu finished with 18 points and a season-high 13 rebounds.
“I saw fight from our guys tonight,” Hawks coach Nate McMillan said. ‘You can live with that. I thought from start to finish we stepped up and played. We didn’t think about the men outside. The guys who played came out and played to win.’
Murray hit a 27-footer with 0.1 seconds left as the buzzer sounded. He also missed a layup from the baseline with 50.6 seconds left and one of two free throws with 29.9 seconds left that ended the scoring.
Irving and Kevin Durant celebrate after beating the Atlanta Hawks by one point on Wednesday
BULLS 119, BUCKS 113, OT
DeMar DeRozan scored 42 points and Chicago rallied to beat Giannis Antetokounmpo and Milwaukee in overtime.
The Bulls trailed by 15 early in the fourth quarter, only trailing in the closing minute of regulation. DeRozan scored 10 in overtime, Nikola Vucevic hit 3 in the extra period and the Bulls beat one of the NBA’s best teams after losing to one of the worst – Houston – two nights earlier.
Antetokounmpo matched a season high with 45 points and set another with 20 rebounds. He also committed two turnovers in the closing seconds of regulation, and the Bucks extended their season-high losing streak to four.
Chicago Bulls’ DeMar DeRozan (11) reacts after scoring against the Milwaukee Bucks in OT
PELICANS 119, TIMBERWOLVES 118
Zion Williamson scored a career-high 43 points, New Orleans’ final 14 points in the final 2:44 capped it, and the Pelicans beat Minnesota for their fourth straight win.
Anthony Edwards, who scored 27 points for Minnesota, missed the winning baseline fade as time expired in a game in which the Wolves led by as many as 11 points, before losing their fourth straight .
Trey Murphy III scored 21 points, 5 of 6 from 3, and CJ McCollum had 20 points for the Pelicans. Jonas Valanciunas had 12 points and 11 rebounds. D’Angelo Russell had 27 points for Minnesota.
New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) dunks the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves
HEAT 112, LAKERS 98
Jimmy Butler scored 27 points, Bam Adebayo added 23 points and 14 rebounds and Miami beat Los Angeles to go over .500.
Tyler Herro had 18 points and nine assists for the Heat (18-17). Caleb Martin scored 13 points and Gabe Vincent added 12.
LeBron James had 27 points, nine rebounds and six assists for the Lakers, playing the second night of a back-to-back. Russell Westbrook and Dennis Schroder each had 15 for the Lakers.
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) dribbles the ball down the court against the Los Angeles Lakers
WIZARDS 127, SUNS 102
Rui Hachimura matched his career high with 30 points and converted a pivotal three-point play to help Washington beat Phoenix in a meeting of depleted teams.
Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Kuzma each had 22 points for Washington while three-time Wizards All-Star Bradley Beal sat out with a sore hamstring.
Deandre Ayton scored 31 points for the Suns, who said Wednesday that All-Star guard Devin Booker will miss at least four weeks with a left groin strain. Phoenix is also missing Cam Johnson, Cam Payne and Landry Shamet.
Washington Wizards forward Rui Hachimura (8) celebrates with center Kristaps Porzingis (6)
PISTONS 121, MAGIC 101
Alec Burks scored a season-high 32 points, Saddiq Bey added 28 and the Detroit Pistons overcame a two-player ejection after a scrimmage to beat the Orlando Magic 121-101 on Wednesday night and snap a six-game losing streak. consecutive defeats.
Killian Hayes and Hamadou Diallo were ejected after the match before halftime. Moritz Wagner pitched for Orlando and took a shot to the back of the head from Hayes and appeared to be briefly knocked down.
Jalen Duren finished with seven points and 18 rebounds for the Pistons, who got 76 points from their bench.
Detroit Pistons guard Alec Burks (5) drives against Orlando Magic guard Markelle Fultz
KINGS 127, NUGGETS 126
Malik Monk scored 33 points, including the tiebreaking free throw with 0.7 seconds left, and the Sacramento Kings rallied from a 19-point deficit late in the third quarter to beat the Denver Nuggets 127-126 on Wednesday night.
Nikola Jokic scored 40 points for Denver but missed a 3-pointer at the top of the key as time expired.
De’Aaron Fox had 31 points and 13 assists, while Domantas Sabonis returned to the lineup with 31 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. The Kings have lost three of four at home.
Malik Monk #0 of the Sacramento Kings shoots a free throw to win against the Denver Nuggets
WARRIORS 112, JAZZ 107
Jordan Poole scored 26 points and converted a key layup with 1:27 left and the undermanned Golden State Warriors rallied to beat the Utah Jazz 112-107 on Wednesday night.
Ty Jerome hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 5:18 to play after his own steal, then made a key rebound to help set up Donte DiVincenzo’s 3 on the next down while getting Golden State got another big performance from the backups.
DiVincenzo scored 19 points and Jerome 17 as the Warriors completed the back-to-back minus starters Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins. Poole tied it at 94 on a 3 with 11:03 left.
Lauri Markkanen scored 29 points and had seven 3-pointers and a season-best 16 rebounds for the Jazz. Jordan Clarkson’s 3 with 1:37 left made it a one-point game before Poole delivered moments later.
Jordan Poole #3 of the Golden State Warriors celebrates against the Utah Jazz
