THRILLING THURSDAY SPORTS UPDATE: NETS BIG 3 DEBUTS ON COURT!

As i bring to you the last couple days in sports on today’s “thrilling Thursday recap”, please note that the baseball offseason content is set to roll in, by getting you up to speed, on what has been a flaming “Hot Stove” as of the last few weeks. But as for now, let’s check in on our trusty NY teams.

NETS 9-7(1-1):

The new-look Nets battled the top team in the East, led by Giannis Atentekumpo, and the Bucks in a highly-anticipated nationally televised Monday night matchup. Kevin Durant dropped 34 points, and James harden dropped 30, but the two didn’t combine for a play bigger than the last minute of the game, as down 123-122, a KD missed three, followed by a Harden rebound, and a successful Durant trey, propelled the Nets past the Bucks 125-123 in a classic.

But on Wednesday night, despite getting Kyrie Irving back after his seven game absence, Brooklyn fell to the Cavs in Cleveland. Yes, even though Kevin Durant had 36 points, Kyrie had 33, and James Harden had 19 points, and 11 assists, but it wasn’t enough, as the Nets defense was awful in a 147-135 2OT loss. Collin Sexton was outstanding, going off for 42 points(15 in the second OT), just answering everything the Brooklyn trio threw at him on the other end of the court, and knocking down 3’s, earning praise from Kyrie Irving after the game, saying he “Gives credit to the young fella”. The contest also featured Jarret Allen getting a couple blocks against his old guys in the Cavs win, and KD, Kyrie, and James Harden all missing late go-ahead shots in regulation, and in the extra sessions that followed. As a Marvzone member told me, “This game validated any weakness you could’ve found in the Nets. Can they play defense? Well they gave up a ton of points to the worst ranked offense. Can they share the floor? Harden ends up with less than 20 points in 6 quarters. Do they have the depth? The starters have to play 50 minutes because the team imploded without them on the floor. They have a lot of time but they have a lot to work on.”

Here’s the deal though, this team is for real, and they showed it last night. At one point, this Brooklyn trailed 82-69, and 104-92 as the game reached the midway point of the fourth quarter, before the big 3 led a 21-9 run in less than six minutes, to even the score. But in spite of then taking a 118-113 lead, five heroic Collin Sexton points, coupled with late misses by Durant, Irving, and Harden sent it to overtime tied at 118. In the extra frame, the Nets staked to a 125-122 lead, but a Sexton layup got the Cavaliers within one. Then, after two clutch James Harden free throws, Sexton burned Brooklyn with a game-tying three with 1.5 seconds remaining, that was followed by a KD miss on a trey, sending this marathon into double overtime, even at 127.

However, that sixth frame wasn’t so tightly-contested, with Sexton scoring 15 points in the five minute period, and a couple of closing shots by former Net Taurean Prince, put the final score at 147-135, for the Cavaliers.

However, if this is what it will take to defeat this team bad nights, imagine what will happen on good nights.

RANGERS 1-2:

McKenzie Blackwood stopped 47 SHOTS!!!! As the Devils steal one from the Rangers 4-3 at MSG. Tough loss for the Blueshirts, as they lost an up in the air game tonight, but those tend to even out, as the season goes on. As for NJD, this is a huge statement win for them, as they look to play spoiler early in the season.

Also, Jack Hughes(2 goals, 1 assist) will be a Rangers-killer for years to come, what a night!