Brooklyn Boro

Booker and Durant thaw out in Brooklyn

Suns' tandem hands Nets ninth straight home loss

January 23, 2025 John Torenli, Sports Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle
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The arctic temperatures in Downtown Brooklyn Wednesday night couldn’t cool off Devin Booker, former Net Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns.

Rookie coach Jordi Fernández’s slumping, shorthanded squad, however, continued to be in a deep chill in its own building.

Booker poured in 32 points and Durant had 19 of his 24 in the first half as Phoenix shook off an outdoor real feel of 10 degrees to torch Brooklyn, 108-84, before a crowd of 17,077 that braved the elements to watch the Nets lose their ninth straight game at Barclays Center.

Booker and Durant went a combined 22-of-39 from the field, including 7-of-15 from 3-point range, as the Suns (22-21) kept the Nets (14-31) winless on the corner of Atlantic and Flatbush since a 99-90 triumph over Indiana here on Dec. 4.

Traded to Phoenix in the February 2023 deadline deal that has since sent Brooklyn into full rebuild mode, Durant won his second straight visit to our borough since the swap.

He put up 33 points on the Nets last Jan. 31, shushing the crowd as he helped the Suns to a 136-120 victory.

Durant hardly had to be as demonstrative in his return trip as Booker made sure the Nets lost their season high-tying fifth straight with a variety of mid-range jumpers, three 3-balls and six assists.

Brooklyn’s departed superstar, who voiced his displeasure within the organization prior to his eventual trade, insisted pregame that he enjoyed his tenure here and believed in what the Nets were building.

“Even though we went through a lot of dysfunction I guess you could call it, for lack of a better term,” he said.
“Regardless of that, a lot of people in those stands still supported, still came out and cheered loud as hell for the game of basketball and for the Nets, so that’s what stood out the most.”

What stood out most for the Nets again Wednesday was the list of players not available for duty.

Cam Thomas (hamstring), Cam Johnson (ankle), Ben Simmons (illness), Ziaire Williams (ankle), Trendon Watford (hamstring) and D’Angelo Russell (rest) left Fernández with nine warm bodies on a frigid night.

Despite an impressive 20-point, seven-rebound effort from Keon Johnson and 12 points, 11 of which came in the first half, from seldom-used forward Dariq Whitehead, the Nets struggled to find the basket in their own building.

Keon Johnson made nine shots from the field Wednesday. The other eight Nets combined to hit only 25 more. AP Photo by Nate Billings

Brooklyn went 37% from the floor, including a dismal 19% (7-of-36) from beyond the arc. Also, the Nets failed to score a single point off the fast break.

After falling behind by as many as 12 points in the first half in a game it never led, Brooklyn did make a brief second-quarter push.

Whitehead’s 7-footer with just under four minutes remaining in the period cut the deficit to 39-36, but Tyus Jones drained a 23-footer coming back the other way and Durant’s shot from three feet deeper gave the Suns a 54-42 cushion at intermission.

“That second quarter, we were under 10 and we missed a couple of defensive rebounds and they hit a 3. I think we gave up nine second-chance points in the first half,” lamented Fernández.

“We had a lot of turnovers in transition,” he added. “(Just) the (lack of) discipline of running and running to
spots. I’m so proud of the guys that we cut it to 12.”

Jalen Wilson scored 15 points and, Nic Claxton had 10 points and 12 rebounds and Noah Clowney added 10 points for Brooklyn, which has dropped 10 of its last 11 and is in a 5-21 spiral since beginning the year with an inspiring 9-10 mark.

Clowney and Tosan Evbuomwan were the top clangers, shooting a combined 4-for-25. Evbuomwan missed all five of his long-range shots.

“You can miss shots, but being connected, being in the right spot, those are the exercises we have to do ourselves,” noted Fernández.

“Obviously 2-for-15 is not good, and 0-for-5. I told (Evbuomwan) keep being aggressive. He’s gotta play free. He cannot expect any calls.”

Nor can the Nets expect any breaks from their opponents after losing back-to-backs to open this thus-far fruitless four-game homestand.

They will get Thursday and Friday off before hosting Miami here Saturday and Sacramento on Monday.

“We have a day off, a day of practice to get one percent better and play a good team at home,” said Fernández. “Having (healthy) bodies back is just going to make us better and better.”

Tip-off vs. the Heat is slated for 6 p.m., but fans should arrive early for the Vince Carter jersey retirement ceremony, which starts at 5 p.m.

Tyrese Martin was held to two points by the Suns after putting up a career-high 30 in Phoenix on Nov. 27. AP Photo by Frank Franklin II

NOTHING BUT NET: Whitehead’s performance kept the Nets within striking distance of the Suns in the opening half. The 20-year-old Duke alum also earned praise from his coach for being up to the task after sitting on the bench since Jan. 25 in Los Angeles. “He had great energy and wasn’t second-guessing. It was great to see,” said Fernández. “I think he was 4-for-4 in the first half. He knows what we’re trying to do and he was ready to do it.” … Tyrese Martin scored a career-high 30 points in Phoenix during Brooklyn’s 127-117 win over the Suns on Nov. 27. He only managed two points on 1-of-10 shooting in the rematch. … The Nets will host the Kings at 7:30 p.m. on Monday before embarking on a two-game road trip through Charlotte on Wednesday and Houston on Feb. 1.





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