Nets take over in 3rd quarter, topple Kings

NEW YORK — Blowing thirdquarter leads might be a thing of the past.

For the second game in a row, the Nets built a double-digit second-half lead, and for the second game in a row, their resolve to hold onto that lead was tested. The Nets pulled ahead by 22 points in the third during their 116-97 win over a hobbled Sacramento Kings team.

The Nets haven’t been the only team battling injuries. The Kings were short De’Aaron Fox, Marvin Bagley III, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Trevor Ariza and rookie Kyle Guy. Sacramento looked like they didn’t belong on the same court as the Nets, and that’s telling, given the Nets were short their two primary play-makers in Kyrie Irving and Caris LeVert.

Joe Harris led the way for the Nets and finished with 22 points in 24 minutes. Harris shot 8 of 11 from the field and was a torrid 5 of 7 from downtown. With both Irving and LeVert out nursing injuries, the question for this Nets team has been: who among them would step up?

Spencer Dinwiddie has been the man in Irving’s absence. He’s averaging almost 24 points per game in the four games Irving has missed, including 23 points against the Kings. The Nets haven’t consistently had a second player step up. It was Harris against the Kings and Bulls. Taurean Prince shined in the win over the Hornets.

The Nets also got a boost from Garrett Temple, who started in place of LeVert and chipped in 18 points on 6-of-13 shooting. If the Nets are going to survive this stretch, for however long Irving may be out, it’s going to take a group effort.

It also doesn’t hurt their schedule has been friendly. The only team they’ve played with legitimate playoff aspirations is the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers — without Victor Oladipo, Malcolm Brogdon, Jeremy Lamb and TJ McConnell — blew the Nets out of the water Monday. The Nets have two more games they should be able to win: against the Knicks on Sunday, then at the Cavaliers on Tuesday, before facing the Celtics in back-to-back games.

Things pick up for the Nets after those Celtics showdowns and 13 of their next 20 games after come against teams angling themselves for a postseason run.

For now, the name of the game is keep the ship afloat until both Irving and LeVert return from their injuries. There is no timetable on Irving’s return, but the longer he’s out, the more likely it is he may need surgery on his shoulder, a shoulder expert told The Daily News. LeVert has been out since the Nets’ Nov. 10

matchup against the Suns and has a four-to-six week return

timeline after undergoing thumb surgery.

Head coach Kenny Atkinson has said he’s going to rely heavily on the youngsters on the roster, and Theo Pinson and Dzanan

Musa combined for 17 points against the Kings. The Nets also got help from Iman Shumpert off the bench, who finished with eight points on 50% shooting from the field.