TORONTO (AP) — Kyrie Irving hit a game-winning 3-pointer on the buzzer and the Brooklyn Nets rallied to beat the Toronto Raptors 119-116 on Friday night, extending their winning streak to a season-high five.
Irving scored 15 of his 32 points within the fourth quarter, eluding Toronto’s Fred VanVleet to attach on the decisive basket — the primary game-winning buzzer-beater of his NBA profession.
“Truthfully, I used to be considering basket,” Irving said. “I saw Juancho (Hernangomez) come over a bit bit earlier so I made a decision to drag it back and took my time, got my balance underneath me.”
Nets coach Jacque Vaughn said he planned to offer Kevin Durant the ball for the ultimate shot, but Durant convinced Vaughn to let Irving shoot as a substitute.
“He was already cooking so I didn’t wish to get in his way,” Durant said of Irving. “I felt like he could get whatever he wanted there. I also felt like they weren’t going to run and double him, either. They let him play 1-on-1 and it was a special, special shot.”
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It was Brooklyn’s first game-winning buzzer-beater since Brook Lopez hit one in a house victory over Detroit on March 21, 2017.
Vaughn said Irving has the fitting personality for such a high-pressure shot.
“He definitely has an inner peace and poise that you have got to have in that situation to not panic,” Vaughn said. “And he has an innate ability to get to his spot. He desired to stand up, he created space with balance.”
Irving said competitive desire, not comfort, is his primary driver.
“I’m not likely comfortable, I just wish to be great in those situations,” he said. “I’ve failed greater than I’ve succeeded.”
A disillusioned VanVleet said Irving deserved credit for his cold-blooded basket.
“He’s the most effective on the earth at that right there,” VanVleet said. “You might have to salute him”
Durant scored 26 points and Nic Claxton had 15 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high six blocks because the Nets overcame an 18-point deficit to comb the season series from Toronto for the primary time since 2002-03.
VanVleet matched his season high with 39 points. Scottie Barnes had 26 and Pascal Siakam added 17 because the struggling Raptors lost their season-worst fourth straight.
Yuta Watanabe scored 17 points for the Nets against his former team, including a go-ahead 3 with 14 seconds left. Ben Simmons and T.J. Warren each had 10 points for Brooklyn, which has won nine of 10.
Toronto’s O.G. Anunoby sat out for the third straight game due to a sore left hip, while guard Gary Trent Jr. was not available due to a sore left quad.
Malachi Flynn scored 13 points because the Raptors lost back-to-back home games for the primary time. Toronto is 10-5 north of the border.
The Raptors led 62-44 after a 3-pointer by Siakam with 1:17 left in the primary half, but Brooklyn closed the second quarter on an 8-0 run, cutting it to 62-52.
“That was an enormous little stretch for us to get to 10 at halftime,” Vaughn said.
The Nets outscored Toronto 17-8 in the primary five minutes of the third to chop the deficit to 70-69, and Durant’s basket with 3:25 left within the quarter gave Brooklyn a 77-76 lead, its first of the sport.
Toronto went 0 for five from 3-point range within the third and the Nets took an 88-84 result in the fourth.
Nets: G Patty Mills (non-COVID-19 illness) didn’t travel to Toronto and is doubtful for Sunday’s game at Detroit. … Won their third straight road game, a season high. Brooklyn is 8-7 on the road. … Shot a season-best 60.5% (46 for 76), including going 14 for 20 within the fourth.
Raptors: VanVleet scored 25 points before halftime, a season high for any half. … Hernangomez made his second start of the season as Toronto used its sixteenth starting lineup in 29 games.
Nets: At Detroit on Sunday night.
Raptors: Host Golden State on Sunday night.
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