NBA RESULTS
Detroit 120, Miami 100
Toronto 116, Charlotte 113
Portland 112, Atlanta 106
Memphis 106, Philadelphia 104
Brooklyn 122, Orlando 115
San Antonio 103, Houston 91
LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Kevin Durant scored a season-high 42 points as the James Harden-era began for the Brooklyn Nets with a triple double and a 122-115 NBA victory over the struggling Orlando Magic Saturday.
The 31-year-old Harden finished with 32 points, 14 assists, and 12 rebounds in his debut with the Nets, who will have to wait a little longer to show off their new “Big 3” of Harden, Durant, and Kyrie Irving.
Harden, who became the first player in history to record a 30-point triple double in their debut for a new club, slammed the door on his way out of Houston after a four-team trade deal was completed.
But he was clearly pleased with his new club Saturday, which sees him reunited with former Oklahoma City Thunder teammate Durant.
Despite winning the NBA scoring championship three times, Harden earned a reputation as being an underachiever in the playoffs with the Rockets.
His tenure in Houston came to a head after a one-sided loss to the Los Angeles Lakers Tuesday when Harden blasted the team’s talent level. Even before that, Harden had demanded out of Houston after failing to deliver them a championship despite some impressive individual performances which included being named the 2018 NBA Most Valuable Player.
Two days later after saying the Rockets were ”just not good enough,” Harden was on his way to Brooklyn after being acquired in a blockbuster four-team trade that saw Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, and a number of draft picks go to Houston.
Harden was averaging 24.8 points, 10.4 assists, and 5.1 rebounds in eight games with the Rockets this season.
He waited until late in the first quarter to score his first Nets points.
The Nets will still have to wait to see their fully functioning Big 3, as Harden’s backcourt partner Irving remains away from the team for personal reasons.
Irving missed his sixth straight game after being fined $50,000 by the NBA for violating health and safety protocols. He was seen on social media during his absence without a mask at an indoor family party.
He joined Harden as the second NBA player fined for violating the league’s COVID-19 rules.
Four-time scoring champ Durant shot 16-of-26 from the floor against the Magic and was a perfect 5-of-5 from the free throw line.
Heading into his 10th career game with Brooklyn, Durant was averaging 29 points and seven rebounds per game. Joe Harris tallied 17 points and Jeff Green scored 10 points in the win.
