PORTLAND, Ore. -- Who saw this coming?
Who thought that the Brooklyn Nets – a team with more negative story lines than a season-ending episode of "Succession" – could put together a game like they did Thursday night when they needed it most?
Getting contributions for almost every corner of their roster, the Nets scored their most important win of the season when Royce O’Neale tipped in Kevin Durant’s off-balance fadeaway to give the Nets a 109-107 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Kevin Durant led all scorers with 35 points and was one of six Nets to finish in double figures.
Yuta Watanabe was the second-leading scorer with 20 points and seven rebounds. Joe Harris and Ben Simmons each had 15 points. Simmons played his best game as a Net and his contributions included going 3-for-4 from the free-throw line in the final minutes.
“If coach could draw up a game that ended with a win at the last moment, that was it,” coach Jacque Vaughn said. “We didn’t panic. A group grows that way.”
Portland was led by Damian Lillard’s 25 points. Anfernee Simons added 24.
