Kevin Durant scores 51 in Nets' win over Pistons
Nets forward Kevin Durant dunks during the second half of an NBA game against the Pistons on Sunday in Detroit. Credit: AP/Carlos Osorio
DETROIT — With fellow superstar James Harden resting, Kevin Durant staged a virtual one-man show Sunday night at Little Caesars Arena. Durant scored a season-high 51 points to lead the Nets to a 116-104 victory over the Pistons. They completed their four-game road trip with a 3-1 record that included fourth-quarter comebacks for all three wins.
The Nets trailed the Pistons by five entering the fourth quarter, but they opened the period with an 11-0 run that included seven points from Durant to take a 97-91 lead. The Pistons scored their first point of the quarter on a free throw at 8:46 and did not make a field goal until Frank Jackson nailed a three-pointer with 5:23 left to cut a 13-point Nets lead to 105-95. The Pistons scored only 13 fourth-quarter points.
"Kevin was incredible," Nets coach Steve Nash said. "Not an easy night. They played extremely hard. Tons of energy. We were playing different lineups, and so there were some challenges there for us. For him to be able to score 51 and nine assists, seven rebounds, two blocks and a steal. Unbelievable."
Durant set the single-game scoring record for Little Caesars Arena breaking teammate Blake Griffin’s previous record of 50 when he was with the Pistons. Durant played all but the final 1:05 of the second half and finished 16-for-31, including 5-for-10 on three-pointers. He was 14-for-15 from the foul line. The Nets (19-8) also got 18 points from Patty Mills and 15 from LaMarcus Aldridge.
Cade Cunningham paced the Pistons (4-22) with 26 points, and Jackson added 25. The pair combined for 11-of-19 shooting from three-point range.
Without Harden, the Nets rolled out their ninth different starting lineup of the season. Their defensive prowess was evident early as they built a 13-point lead in the opening quarter before back-to-back three-pointers by the Pistons closed the gap to 31-24.
With Durant resting on the bench early in the second quarter, things quickly came unraveled for the Nets at both ends of the floor as the Pistons went on a 16-1 run fueled by 10 Jackson points to take a 42-38 lead. The Nets missed eight straight shots in that span before two Aldridge free throws cut their deficit to two points.
When Durant returned to the game, so did the Nets’ offense. From that point until the middle of the fourth quarter, Durant scored 35 of the next 55 Nets points.
"I felt like we started the game off with a nice flow, a nice energy and got up double-digits, ball was popping, everyone was touching it and then second quarter they upped the pressure a little bit," Durant said. "Threw some full court traps in there and were able to get their hands on the basketball. I feel like we turned it over a lot in between the second and third quarter. So I just tried to keep the ball in our hands, take a shot every time down because I was turning it over, too, and I was able to make some."
The Nets had a five-point lead early in the third quarter when they committed six straight turnovers to fuel a 12-0 Pistons run. The quarter ended with the Pistons holding a 91-86 lead.
Durant credited the Nets’ defense for the fourth quarter turnaround that began with a 19-1 run. "It’s just being physical, keeping bodies in front, not giving up the easy cuts to the rim," Durant said. "We were able to run out and get layups. Starting off 19-1 to start that quarter, I feel like we were running out a lot because we were getting stops. So that is the formula for us."
Durant was tickled to learn he broke Griffin’s arena record.
"He had 50 here?" Durant said. "It’s good to break Blake’s record."
Greg Logan has worked for Newsday since 1982 covering a wide array of sports and events, currently including the Brooklyn Nets beat.
