Brooklyn Nets Hold Kevin Durant To Just 26 Points

And Scott Brooks held Durant to just 3o minutes. Still, everyone in Brooklyn, even the Nets, watched Kevin Durant in awe. Minus context, his line—26 points, 3 rebounds and 7 assists—sounds just OK. His numbers in Brooklyn were not nearly as impressive as they had been during the 12-game streak where he scored over 30 and averaged 38 points per game. But Durant and the Thunder so thoroughly housed the Nets (the 120-95 final score sounds better than it was) that he didn't play the fourth quarter.

It didn't hurt that Serge Ibaka actually had the better game. While Durant shot a serviceable 10-12 on the night—Scott Brooks correctly noting that the streak would have remained active had he not missed those two shots—Ibaka was a perfect 12-12 for 25 points. As a team, the Thunder shot 63.6 percent from the field (best in the league this season) and grabbed 41 rebounds to Brooklyn's 17 (worst in league history).

But Durant is the highlight reel. Whether it was a step-back three or a curling and soaring alley-oop, he made what should have been an unwatchable rout watchable. By halftime the Thunder were up 63-35 and Durant only took three shots thereafter—his last one a miss with 2:40 left in the third—before heading to the bench for good.

The Nets, who had not played since Monday, are in Indiana tonight to face the Pacers and no one will really fault them for still saying they haven't played since Monday.