Nets roll past Suns, Kevin Durant behind two-way players 30 points in Cam Thomas absence
PHOENIX — The Nets lost their leading scorer, but they won the game.Shorthanded Brooklyn won’t have Cam Thomas for at least three weeks with a hamstring injury.But they had enough to beat Phoenix and old friend Kevin Durant, 127-117, at Footprint Center.One player’s injury is another’s opportunity.
And in their next-man-up mantra, Tyrese Martin stepped up and showed out.Martin poured in a career-high 30 points off the bench, surpassing Jeremiah Martin’s 24 as the most ever by a Nets two-way player.He was 8-for-10 from deep, after having been just 5-for-18 combined over the first 21 games of his career.
It was one 3-pointer shy of the most ever off the bench for the Nets.“We’re going to miss [Thomas].With that being said, it is what it is.
We’re going to move on now, play this game, fight, compete and find a way,” coach Jordi Fernandez said.And that’s exactly what his Nets did, improving to 9-10.Fernandez has urged the Nets to play faster.They piled up a 24-11 edge in fast break points, getting out in transition and running the Suns out of their own building.Dennis Schroder stepped up with 29 points, trash-talking Durant right from the very first possession, even taking a charge on the star.Ben Simmons added 14 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.After losing Friday in Philadelphia, the Nets have taken three straight to close this four-game swing, winning at Sacramento, Golden State and now Phoenix.The Suns had been 9-1 with Durant, who called himself a “Net for life” and praised their play.“They’re playing great ball,” Durant said.
“I mean, people didn’t expect them to be out here beating teams like Golden State.They had some good wins throughout the season.”Add this one to the list.Brooklyn erased a seven-point first-half deficit to have it knotted at 63-all with the Suns at the break.
They seized the game coming out of intermission.The Nets stormed out of the locker room with a 17-3 run, including a dozen unanswered fro...