Albany Times Union

Durant returns in Nets’ win

Player recovering from leg injury spurs Brooklyn

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Kevin Durant returned from a 23-game absence to spark Brooklyn’s most explosive half of the season, finishing with 17 points and perfect shooting in the Nets’ 139-111 rout of the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night.

Durant came off the bench with about 7 1⁄2 minutes left in the second quarter and by the time the period ended, the Nets had 79 points and a 20point halftime lead. Brooklyn was a sizzling 14-for-18 (78 percent) in its 43-point quarter.

Durant went 5-for-5 and added seven rebounds and five assists in 19 minutes in his return from a strained left hamstring. He was originally listed in the starting lineup but was removed in a revised lineup distribute­d minutes before his first game since Feb. 13.

The All-star forward got an ovation from the first home crowd he’d played in front of with the Nets. Barclays Center only began allowing limited crowds on Feb. 23.

Kyrie Irving scored 24 points and Lamarcus Aldridge had 22 in the Nets’ ninth straight home win.

Eric Bledsoe scored 26 points for the Pelicans before being ejected in the third quarter.

Zion Williamson had just 16 on 4-for-12 shooting, ending his streak of 25 straight games with 20 points and 50 percent shooting. That tied Shaquille O’neal for the longest such streak since 1954-55, when the shot clock debuted.

The Nets shot 55 percent and made 19 3-pointers. They did it all without James Harden, who will miss at least 10 days with his own hamstring injury.

Celtics 101, Knicks 99:

Jaylen Brown had 32 points and 10 rebounds, and Boston rallied in the fourth quarter to beat New York. Jayson Tatum committed eight turnovers but finished with 25 points and 10 rebounds. Marcus Smart added 17 points, 14 in the fourth quarter, and nine assists for the Celtics, who have won three of four. Tristan Thompson had seven points, eight rebounds and three blocks in his return after missing 12 games due to the league’s health and safety protocols. RJ Barrett scored 29 points and Julius Randle added 22 points and nine rebounds for the Knicks, who have dropped two straight.

Grizzlies 131, Hawks 113:

Grayson Allen scored 17 of his season-high 30 points in a dominant third quarter, leading Memphis to a win over shorthande­d Atlanta. Shenendeho­wa graduate Kevin Huerter had 13 points, five rebounds and four assists in 30 minutes for the Hawks. Bogdan Bogdanovic led Atlanta with 24 points in the defeat.

Wizards 131, Magic 116: Bradley Beal returned from a

five-game absence to score 26 points, Russell Westbrook had his 20th triple-double of the season and Washington made a season-best 19 3-pointers in a victory over Orlando. Washington snapped a four-game losing streak, but not before it blew most of a 21-point third-quarter lead. The Wizards also had a second-half meltdown Monday night, when they coughed up a 19-point lead in a loss to Toronto.

Pacers 141, Timberwolv­es 137:

Aaron Holiday scored 22 points, brother Justin Holiday had 21 and short-handed Indiana beat Minnesota. The Pacers were without All-star forward Domantas Sabonis and three other injured starters and had lost nine of 10 home games. Karl

Anthony-towns led Nba-worst Minnesota with 32 points. Anthony Edwards had 27.

Rockets 102, Mavericks 93:

John Wall had 31 points and seven assists in his return from injury, and Houston snapped a five-game skid with a win over Dallas.

Hornets 113, Thunder 102: Jalen Mcdaniels had a careerhigh 21 points in his second career start to help Charlotte beat Oklahoma City.

Note: The Detroit Pistons signed forward Tyler Cook to a multi-year contract . ... Dr. Benjamin Paolucci, a longtime team physician for the Detroit Pistons who was with the franchise for each of its three NBA championsh­ips, has died. He was 84.

 ?? Elsa / Getty Images ?? Kevin Durant of the Nets gets fouled by James Johnson of the Pelicans. Durant scored 17.
Elsa / Getty Images Kevin Durant of the Nets gets fouled by James Johnson of the Pelicans. Durant scored 17.

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