The Brooklyn Nets annihilated the Warriors on Kevin Durant’s return to the San Francisco Bay area on Saturday night, defeating Golden State 134-117.
It was Brooklyn’s seventh game with 130 points, the best in the league.
“We went out and played a great game,” said Durant of his winning return. “We were focused since this morning on shootaround, and it was a good vibe all day.”
Before the game, Nets coach Steve Nash said that although he believed the dispute against his former team had added weight to Durant, the former league MVP had not shown it.
“We didn’t talk about it,” said Nash. “If there is a return game that is smaller than it could have been in a normal situation, it is one in which we have no fans, it is approaching two years from its last game here. So, it won’t have the same – – I don’t think – rawness that these games can sometimes present, but I still think it means something to him. “
Durant, who played for the Warriors for three seasons, finished with 20 points on Saturday. James Harden had 19 points and 16 assists. Kyrie Irving led the score for Brooklyn with 23 points. All five Nets matches ended in double digits.
Stephen Curry scored 27 points for the Golden State.
During the first quarter timeout, a tribute video was played at the Chase Center, thanking Durant for his stay at the Golden State. During his three years with the Warriors, the team won two NBA championships, and Durant was named MVP of the Finals twice.
“The tribute video was cool. I think about those moments daily,” said Durant. “Every moment I had in this league, I think about it and try to analyze and improve it. My time at Golden State was a lot of fun. It was a great learning experience, especially learning basketball in a philosophy. I will take this with me for the rest of my life. . “
A team spokesman said the Warriors plan to pass another thank-you video to Durant next season, when the team plans to have fans in the arena.
After building a 15-point lead at halftime, a third quarter of 42 points propelled the Nets to a 108-82 lead when entering the fourth half. Their 26-point lead was the Nets’ second biggest advantage of the season in three quarters, according to the ESPN Stats & Information survey.
The Nets’ biggest advantage in the fourth period of this season was also against the Warriors, when the team led 28 on their opening night in Brooklyn.
The Nets big three, Harden, Durant and Irving, scored or helped 100 of Brooklyn’s points on Saturday.
When Durant left the court, he gave hugs and handshakes to former Warriors teammates and coaches.