Nets hold off Kevin Durant, Suns to win Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson's return to Phoenix

PHOENIX — Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson created plenty of memories with the Suns before being traded to the Nets Feb. 9. It was only right their first game back carried multiple emotions.

The love came early with a tribute video during starting lineup introductions. They were introduced together instead of separately and it continued with applause on made baskets even though they were visitors.

But Bridges and Johnson were upstaged by their teammates who helped the Nets hang on for a 116-112 win. Cam Thomas sealed the win with a pair of a free throws with three seconds left as the Nets (13-10) improved to 7-2 over their last nine games.

It made Bridges and Johnson’s return sweeter after slightly uneven performances. Bridges had 21 points despite shooting just 7-for-19 from the field. Johnson, who played four seasons with Suns scored 15 points with five rebounds and four assists but was scoreless in the second half on 0-for-5 shooting.

“It was dope. I mean, just really appreciative and being in the moment,” said Bridges, who spent five seasons in Phoenix. “Just appreciate everything and my years here and everything and this was really cool.

The duo got help to put the Suns (13-11) away. Thomas, who had a team-high 24 points, scored eight to start the fourth quarter and gave the Nets the lead they’d never relinquish.

Spencer Dinwiddie made a three-pointer and a layup to give the Nets an eight-point lead with 1:24 left.

However, the Suns cut that lead to two with 16 seconds left. After a Nets timeout, Johnson was fouled with seven seconds remaining as the Suns had a foul to give. The Nets then nearly turned the ball over on the inbounds pass before Dinwiddie recovered it and passed to Thomas, who was fouled.

After the win, Bridges and Johnson got one last cheer while leaving the court. Johnson spent his pregame warmups signing autographs for fans because he wanted them to know that he was all right and he loved them as much as they loved him.

“This building welcomed me with open arms a long time ago and welcomed me with open arms tonight,” Johnson said. “And it’s pretty cool when you have the opportunity to come back to a place where the people still support you and still care about you.”

Johnson and Bridges’ return was just one subplot Wednesday. It was Kevin Durant’s first game against the Nets since the trade and the first time Durant, Booker and Bradley Beal appeared in a game together all season.

Booker had 34 points and 12 assists while Beal had 14 points. Durant, who played four seasons with the Nets, had 27 points in his first game against his former club.

But the Nets, who led by as many 15 points in the first half, overcame that as no starter had fewer than 14 points. They also overcame being out-rebounded 48-36. Suns center Jusuf Turkic racked up 22 rebounds.

For Durant, the reunion was just as sweet as it was for Bridges and Johnson.

“It’s just good to see everybody. I haven’t seen these people in a while,” Durant said pregame. “Have some really great memories and some special times with them. So it’s good to give everybody a hug and just catch up.”

Dinwiddie finished with 16 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Nets while Nic Claxton added 14 points and seven rebounds.

The win was important but Johnson and Bridges knew this game meant more than just bouncing back from losing Monday. They knew they made connections in Phoenix but it took coming back to see how much they meant to the fans who appreciated them.

“I just know I put a lot of years here and building a culture and going to the NBA Finals and everything like that,” Bridges said. “But you just kind of forget, you know how great these fans are, until you come back.”

By Evan Barnes

evan.barnes@newsday.comevan_b

Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.