Durant powers Nets

NEW YORK (AFP) — Kevin Durant scored a season-high 45 points to power Brooklyn to a 109-102 victory over the Orlando Magic on Monday that kept the Nets trending in the right direction in the National Basketball Association.

While the league-leading Boston Celtics romped again, leading wire-to-wire in a 140-105 victory over the Charlotte Hornets, the Philadelphia 76ers erased a 16-point deficit to beat the Atlanta Hawks, 104-101, in star center Joel Embiid’s return from injury.

In Brooklyn, the Nets had their hands full early with the Magic, who led by 10 in the first quarter.

The Nets were up by one at halftime, and Durant erupted in the third quarter, scoring 19 points, blocking two shots and coming up with a steal in the period as the Nets seized control.

“Teammates set great screens for me, the paint was opened up because we were spaced off properly and I was able to knock some shots down,” Durant said after the game.

It’s been a rocky season for Brooklyn, who had just sacked coach Steve Nash in the wake of a 1-5 start when star guard Kyrie Irving was embroiled in controversy after posting a link to an anti-Semitic film on social media.

Durant, who was a ruthlessly efficient 19 of 24 from the floor and also had seven rebounds and five assists, was delighted to see them put together back-to-back victories and move to 11-11 for the season.