PHOENIX — Brooklyn’s Huge Three experiment with Kevin Durant flanked by Kyrie Irving and James Harden flamed out.
Wednesday was the league’s first take a look at Durant’s Huge Three model with the Suns throughout a 116-112 loss to his former workforce.
Durant was upgraded to possible to face the Nets after lacking the prior two video games with a sprained left ankle. He, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal — all elite scorers — had solely performed a half collectively as a result of accidents, that coming within the preseason.
After all, the Nets’ Huge Three famously performed simply 16 video games collectively, going 13-3. Irving’s lack of availability for numerous causes and Ben Simmons’ unhealthy again — after Harden had pressured his method out through commerce — contributed to Durant lastly asking for a transfer to Phoenix in February, a megadeal that introduced again Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, 4 first-round picks and one other first-round swap.
Simmons (left decrease again nerve impingement), defensive backup Dennis Smith Jr. (higher again sprain) and sixth man Lonnie Walker IV (left hamstring pressure) had been sidelined Wednesday. Rookie first-round picks Dariq Whitehead and Noah Clowney, in addition to two-way Keon Johnson, had been on G-League assignments.
Jalen Wilson and Armoni Brooks had been known as up from Lengthy Island to hitch the Nets on this journey.
Nassir Little, who cleared concussion protocol, scored 10 in 27 minutes for Phoenix. Grayson Allen (proper groin pressure), Damion Lee (proper meniscus surgical procedure) and Josh Okogie (proper hip) had been out for the Suns.
Because the trade-deadline swap final season, Durant got here into Wednesday having performed 27 out of doable 50 video games for Phoenix — averaging 29.5 factors, 6.Three rebounds and 5 assists.
Bridges had performed all 49 doable video games for Brooklyn — averaging 24.5 factors, 5.2 boards and three.Three assists (all career-highs) — and Johnson had logged 40 out of 49 — averaging 15.9 factors and 5.2 rebounds.
Cam Thomas performed his sixth straight sport since coming back from his sprained ankle, breaking out of a a modest skid. The high-scoring younger guard had averaged 15.Eight factors over his earlier 4 however scored a team-high 24 Wednesday — going 6-for-17 from the sector, together with 4-for-Eight from 3.
The Nets don’t plan on resting any gamers for the second night time of the again to again Thursday at mile-high Denver.
“That’s not the intention. We’ll be able to rock and roll. We’ll get a postgame evaluation for our group. However all intent is we’re attempting to get one [Thursday] too,” mentioned Jacque Vaughn.
Because the 2018-19 season, groups taking part in a street sport in Denver on the second sport of a back-to-back have collectively gone simply 8-27, in accordance with Elias Sports activities Bureau.
After getting lured into too many midrange makes an attempt in Monday’s loss at Sacramento, Brooklyn was 15 of 41 from deep in opposition to the Suns with a shot profile way more consistent with their workforce character.