ESNY’s 5 gif reaction to the New York Knicks vs. Brooklyn Nets

Kevin Durant’s sleek night time provides the Nets a get in excess of the New York Knicks, capping off a massive day in Brooklyn.

ESNY’s 5 gif reaction to the New York Knicks vs. Brooklyn Nets

Effectively, the 1st meeting of the year between the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets was fully overshadowed by the blockbuster trade for James Harden that broke on Wednesday afternoon. The Beard is reuniting with his old teammate Kevin Durant and the Nets are about to be will have to-look at basketball.

But even though they wait around for Harden’s arrival (and Kyrie Irving‘s return), they even now experienced to participate in the Knicks on Wednesday. Durant’s star shined shiny in a 116-109 victory in an empty Madison Square Backyard garden.

No comment on the James Harden trade

The James Harden to Brooklyn information dropped soon in advance of the pregame press conferences for Tom Thibodeau and Steve Nash. Each coaches averted commenting on the trade owing to the reality that it was not finalized at the time.

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O Kyrie, Where by Art Thou?

Now that Harden is coming to be a part of the Nets, is it eventually time for Kyrie Irving to resurface? The star position guard is currently on a split from his playing obligations and the Nets don’t feel to have any thought when he is likely to return to the workforce.

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Julius Randle was cooking early

Julius Randle carries on to participate in the very best basketball of his job. The offense in New York leaves a great deal to be wanted correct now, but it is mainly because of Randle. He’s averaging job-highs across the board and set up 30 points for the 2nd time this season.

Thibodeau should really consider tweaking the lineup around Randle and RJ Barrett likely forward. Elfrid Payton’s deficiency of shooting is killing the offensive circulation in the starting off lineup. Inserting Kevin Knox and shifting Barrett into far more of an on-ball role could enable open up items up in a massive way.

Either way, Randle is even now cooking.

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Kevin Durant is even now Kevin Durant

It wasn’t his most flashy overall performance, but Kevin Durant was Kevin Durant on Wednesday night time. Irving’s apparent absence coupled with investing absent two critical rotational gamers built it very clear that Durant would have to have to be the alpha.

He was.

Durant dropped twelve points in the 1st 50 percent and twelve far more in the third quarter en route to a amazing 26 points in 30 minutes. This was his 1st again-to-again he performed considering the fact that rupturing his Achilles in the 2019 NBA Finals. It was simple dollars for KD.

We’re substituting a video clip for a gif tonight. This pass from Chris Chiozza to Durant is very well value it.

Far too little, much too late

The Knicks ended up down eighteen with 3:forty to go in the fourth quarter. The Nets began packing it in, but the Knicks refused to roll in excess of and die. New York embarked on a 14-one run to slash the lead down to 5.

Having said that, it was much too little, much too late and the comeback ran out of time. It is a positive signal to see this “never say die” mindset, but a decline is a decline. The Knicks have four of all those in a row and drop to 5-7 on the season.

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Participant of the match: Kevin Durant

Randle set up the greater counting stats, but the player of the match is likely to a person on the profitable workforce. That is clearly Durant. There ended up a great deal of Net contributors like Bruce Brown, Landry Shamet, DeAndre Jordan, Reggie Perry, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, and Joe Harris — so in essence the full workforce — but Durant was the motor for Brooklyn.