Favorite, Brooklyn was able to count on Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, 59 cumulative points.
But the meeting that we thought folded at the end of the first quarter (40-20), was finally made more indecisive by the Cavs.
“We had ups and downs, but we stayed together, we were resilient. We feel good, even if we know that the work is not finished”, commented Kyrie Irving (34 pts, 12 assists ).
The leader, long deprived of basketball this season because of his refusal to be vaccinated against the Covid, so flew over the debates in the first period that he was still 100% successful in shooting (9/9, 12/ 15 in the end) after his basket at the buzzer, just before the break (57-43).
Whereupon, Cleveland gradually returned to the game, six points behind the Nets, twice in the 4th quarter, thanks to Darius Garland (32 pts) and Evan Mobley (17 pts).
Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets overflows Isaac Okoro of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA play-off on April 12, 2022 in Brooklyn Sarah Stier GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
Kevin Durant (25 pts, 11 assists, 3 blocks, 2 interceptions) then conditioned these enthusiasms, planting the banderillas that matter.
Behind the arc after the first close, then twice at mid-range after the second.
moment of silence
But the Cavaliers came back to minus five in the last minute.
And this time "KD" and Kyrie found teammates to score, before maintaining the gap on free throws themselves.
"Our group remained confident throughout. We have a lot of room to improve. Individually and collectively," said coach Steve Nash positively.
Relieved to see his team in the play-offs, the public at Barclays Center showed contained joy, because the emotion was still palpable, after the attack that occurred in the morning in the subway not far from Brooklyn, where a man opened fire, injuring 23, including ten by bullets.
A minute of silence was observed before the match.
Darius Garland of the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA play-off on April 12, 2022 in Brooklyn Sarah Stier GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
The Nets will have a hard time facing the Celtics of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, authors of a resounding second half of the regular season, as they have gone from 9th to 2nd place in four months.
For Cleveland, there remains a hope of hanging the play-offs.
This will require winning at home on Friday against the winner of the play-off between Atlanta and Charlotte.
With a first round in sight against Miami.
Sticky parquet
Anthony Edwards congratulated by Patrick Beverley after the Minnesota Timberwolves' victory over the LA Clippers in NBA battle on April 12, 2022 in Minneapolis David Berding GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
In the West, there was electricity in the air between Wolves and Clippers, with sometimes borderline contact, Patrick Beverley and Marcus Morris excelling in their notorious ability to pick trouble.
And there was even glue on the floor, where a spectator with obscure motives tried to stick her hands together, before the security service excluded her.
And it was Minnesota who had the last word, at the cost of a fiery money-time, where, trailing by ten points, he inflicted a 16-2 to take the lead, thanks to Anthony Edwards (30 pts ) and D'Angelo Russell (29 pts, 6 assists).
All without Karl-Anthony Towns, out for six fouls, after going through (11 pts, 3/11 on shots).
On the LA side, which will play its joker on Friday at home against the winner of the dam between New Orleans and San Antonio, Paul George floated (34 pts, 7 rebounds), Nicolas Batum remaining discreet (7 pts, 4 rebounds, 1 against) .
Patrick Beverley overjoyed after the Minnesota Timberwolves' victory over the LA Clippers in the NBA play-off on April 12, 2022 in Minneapolis David Berding GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
Quite the opposite of his former teammate Beverley, who was screaming and running around after the victory in the Target Center, as if he had just won a championship ring.
However, he is still far from it: there is Ja Morant and his Grizzlies waiting for him on the road to Memphis.
© 2022 AFP