MILWAUKEE (AP) – Kyrie Irving scored 23 points, Kevin Durant had 19 points and eight assists and the Brooklyn Nets won their first game of the preseason, beating the Milwaukee Bucks 107-97 yesterday.
Nick Claxton had 16 points and nine rebounds for Brooklyn, which snapped a two-game skid. Ben Simmons finished with seven points, 10 assists and eight rebounds.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led winless Milwaukee with 24 points and 14 rebounds in 32 minutes. Jrue Holiday finished with 20 points and Jevon Carter, starting alongside Holiday at guard, added 15 points on six-for-12 shooting. The Bucks fell to 0-5 in the pre-season.
Nets coach Steve Nash said before the game that he wanted his key players – Irving, Durant and Simmons – to play some extra minutes together as players began ramping up for the start of the regular season next week. Irving played 33 minutes, while Durant played 31. Simmons, who also had a pair of steals, logged 28 minutes.
The game matched Eastern Conference teams entering the season with plenty of optimism. Milwaukee is a year removed from its championship. For Brooklyn, a lot of promise last season was hindered by injuries and Irving’s inability to play at home because of COVID-19 vaccination issues.
HEAT 120, PELICANS 103
Bam Adebayo scored 25 points, Tyler Herro finished with 23 and host Miami handed New Orleans its first loss in four pre-season games as Pelicans star Zion Williamson (11 points) played only 11 minutes before leaving the game after rolling his left ankle.
Jimmy Butler had 12 points and six assists in 25 minutes for the Heat. Max Strus finished with 11 points.
Willy Hernangomez, filling in at centre for the resting Jonas Valanciunas, scored 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead New Orleans. Trey Murphy III and Naji Marshall finished with 15 points apiece.
Williamson – who didn’t play at all last season because of problems with his right foot – got hurt on a play where he grabbed a rebound, brought the ball downcourt, split multiple Heat defenders and got to the rim. His left ankle appeared to buckle as he planted, without making contact with any other player. CJ McCollum played 18 minutes and was one of seven from the field, finishing with three points.
CAVALIERS 105, HAWKS 99
Donovan Mitchell had 24 points and eight rebounds and Darius Garland added 23 points, 12 assists and three steals as the backcourt duo led host Cleveland to a victory over Atlanta.
Cedi Osman and Isaac Okoro finished with 16 points each, and Mamadi Diakite had 11 rebounds and 13 points, making five of seven shots. Jarrett Allen had five blocks.
Dejounte Murray led the Hawks with 17 points, and John Collins had 15 points and seven rebounds. Trae Young scored 14 points, but was three of 17 from the field.
