On March 9, Beijing time, the Nets finally won, they defeated the Hornets 132-121 on the road, ending their 4-game losing streak, after which the Nets also returned to the top 8 in the East. Durant was rarely sluggish in this game, his shooting efficiency was not high, there were many mistakes, and he played one of the worst performances of the season against the Hornets' defense, with only 14 points and 7 assists in the whole game, and 5 turnovers, which was lower than the season average. But fortunately, Irving ushered in this game, he scored 50 points and 6 assists, shot 9 three-pointers on the outside, and 50 points in a single game also created a new single-game scoring record for him this season, his presence in the game is very strong, giving the team a very big help on the offensive end, he is the biggest contributor to the Nets' ability to win this game.
In this game, the Nets showed a very good competitive state in the first quarter, Irving scored 12 points on 3-of-4 shooting in a single quarter, and the team exploded a 34-20 attack in the single quarter under his leadership, and the Nets held a 14-point lead in the first quarter, and the advantage was very obvious.
In the second quarter, the Nets went a step further, performing well in sharing the ball, and the team delivered 20 assists throughout the first half, setting a new halftime assist for the team this season. Under the tandem of Irving and Durant, the Nets again beat the Hornets by 12 points in the second quarter. At the end of the half, the Nets led the Hornets by 26 points, and the 26-point lead at halftime was also the Nets' second-time lead of the season.
In the third quarter, the Hornets did not intend to give up the game, three goals, Rozier and Bridges broke out at the same time, including three goals in a single quarter to score 12 points, Rozier contributed 14 points, and Bridges scored 8 points on 3-of-3 shooting, and the team scored 41 points in a single quarter to recover 10 points. At the end of the third quarter, the Hornets narrowed the gap to 16 points, and the game still had suspense.
In the final quarter, the Nets' Irving once again played a brilliant offensive performance, he hit a long-range three-pointer, and then he also caused the Hornets to foul the three-pointer, personal consecutive points, and Mills also hit a three-pointer from the outside. The Nets withstood the Hornets' counterattack in the final quarter and managed to keep the lead to the end, ending their previous losing streak with an away win.
This game is very critical for the Nets because before this game, the Nets and Hornets had the same record, and they were direct contenders for a play-off spot. With little left in the regular season, this game is what the Nets need to win. And they didn't disappoint, under Irving's leadership, the Nets played one of the best offensive performances of the season, their consecutive points made the Hornets powerless, the Nets led by 34 points at the most in the game, the team as a whole performed well. In the end, the Nets won this crucial card battle, ending the losing streak and returning to the top 8 in the East.
After winning this game, the Nets will go to the 76ers on the road in the next round, and the next game is also crucial for the team, and it is worth looking forward to whether Durant and Irving can win the game on the road and help the team win consecutive wins when facing the combination of Harden and Embiid.