How do you overcome a 24-point deficit to win on the road?
If you’re the Brooklyn Nets, the answer is with a whole lot of James Harden and enough of the other guys. That’s how it went down Monday in Phoenix, with Harden burying the game’s final 3-pointer in leading the Nets to a stunning 128-124 victory in front of 3,181 fans.
Harden finished with 38 points and 11 assists, as he took the reigns after Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant were ruled out. So Harden had to get it done with the likes of DeAndre Jordan, Joe Harris, Tyler Johnson, Landry Shamet and others.
It almost didn’t work, as the Suns dominated on their way to a 24-point lead in the first half. They led by 21 at halftime. And every time the Nets seemed to inch closer in the fourth quarter, Suns veteran (and former Harden backcourt-mate) Chris Paul buried a shot of his own.
But somehow, someway the Nets closed the game on a 12-0 run — and everyone contributed.
“It’s the true definition of a team,” Harden told reporters. “Coming in two men down, it’s next man up. [This] was the perfect example of that.
“We got down 20-something at halftime and we didn’t give up, we didn’t quit. We kept fighting and cut the deficit down and kept fighting and gave ourselves a chance to win at the end of the game and things went our way.”
For an every day regular-season game, the storylines were endless. One example: Johnson had a big night, scoring 17 points against the same team that waived him last season.
And for the Nets (18-12), their fourth-straight win showed things are coming together and this team is more than just a Big Three. It’s deep and determined, too.
“It’s a great morale booster, especially missing Kevin and Ky and finding a way to make up for a 24-point deficit,” said coach Steve Nash. “We showed a lot of character, a lot of heart, and as a coaching staff, that just makes you proud.”
Now comes the biggest test of the season — as the Nets visit LeBron James and the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night. Tipoff is scheduled for 10 p.m. EST on TNT.
