If you didn’t believe the Brooklyn Nets entering Tuesday’s game against the Phoenix Suns, well, you weren’t exactly alone. The Suns were the home favorites against a Nets team without Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, and in the first 24 minutes of the game, that status seemed justified. Phoenix ran to a 75-54 lead at halftime and, at one point, led by up to 24 points. The Nets, in the middle of a five-game trip with the games against the Lakers and the Clippers soon, probably would have been justified in packing everything up and ending the night.
But that is not what happened. Behind a sizzling half-turn and James Harden’s individual brilliance, Brooklyn had one of the most impressive twists of the season and won, by 128-124, to keep his journey unbeaten and move into the exclusive possession of the runner-up at the Conference East.
The comeback started for real in the middle of the third quarter. With Phoenix leading by 20, a quick 7-0 run brought the Nets back to attack distance. The two sides exchanged blows for a while before Harden led another 7-0 series that reduced the advantage to single digits. The Suns increased to 12 to end the third, but with Harden on the bench, Joe Harris, Tyler Johnson and Landry Shamet led a fierce streak in the fourth quarter that reduced the lead to two. That was all the help that Harden needed. Despite some of Paul Paul’s almost heroics, Harden scored nine huge points and helped with three other buckets to ensure victory. His 3-point basket with 30 seconds remaining turned a one-point deficit into permanent leadership.
The success or failure of Harden’s negotiation will be determined in the postseason, but in a way, that victory can be seen as a justification for the deal. While the Nets obviously plan to have all three stars available when needed, they, having three, means having an extra out there when injuries or circumstances force one or two of them to get off the ground. The Nets, in theory, will not have to play a single big minute without a superstar on the floor. As Harden showed on Tuesday, that alone is enough to steal a victory.
But perhaps more importantly, this was a victory marked by defense and depth, two things that many assumed Brooklyn did not have. The Nets held Phoenix with just 49 points in the second half, and a large part of the comeback came with Harden on the bench. Winning a team like Phoenix on the road under such circumstances is one of the most impressive feats of the Brooklyn season and franchise history.
The Nets never got over the 21-point deficit at halftime on Tuesday. They have now. The 24-point advantage is the biggest that Phoenix has ever exploded. With as many shots as Brooklyn has, the Nets are never out of play and Tuesday will prove that for the rest of the season.