NBA Scores: The Nets are already profitable with out Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving

Seeing Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson on the sidelines in Brooklyn shouldn’t really feel regular. No less than not whereas the 2 groups taking part in in Barclays are the hometown Nets and the Chicago Bulls. However the adjustment interval for NBA gamers is transient and brutal. I suppose it shouldn’t really feel all that totally different to followers, proper? Positive, 24 hours in the past, Bridges and Johnson performed for the Phoenix Suns. However right this moment, they’re the most recent Nets. As they are saying, in any case, it’s a enterprise.

And enterprise was booming within the NBA, from late Wednesday night into the wee hours of Thursday’s commerce deadline. All in all, north of fifty gamers have been dealt, with 24 groups making offers to amass contemporary faces (whereas a couple of introduced again acquainted ones). The largest deal — Kevin Durant to Phoenix in alternate for a bundle that includes the aforementioned Bridges and Johnson — got here by simply after 1 a.m. ET on Thursday morning; that proved to merely be the opening of the floodgates. Influence gamers starting from Jakob Poeltl to Gary Payton II have been moved again to their earlier properties; Jae Crowder got here out of hiding to be dealt to the Milwaukee Bucks searching for a championship; Jaden McDaniels (to Philly), Luke Kennard (to Memphis), Bones Hyland (to the Clippers), and Mike Muscala (to Boston) have been dealt to contenders trying to fill holes.

Plus, Adrian Wojnarowski reportedly received the 2023 version of his annual reporting duel with Shams Charania. It was a Thursday like none in current reminiscence.

In spite of everything that, after all, the video games on the calendar wanted to be performed. Seven of the eight groups in motion made offers forward of (or up in opposition to) the deadline. Solely the Chicago Bulls failed to maneuver/purchase any gamers, regardless of rumors that discussions surrounding Zach LaVine have been ongoing with the New York Knicks. LaVine was, certainly, taking part in in New York on Thursday, however he was nonetheless sporting purple and black, suiting up for the away crew at Barclay’s Heart.

Why don’t we begin there, with the crew that’s most deserving of any “new-look” monikers they’ll undoubtedly be slapped with over the following few days and weeks?

Reworked Nets outlast Bulls, 116-105

First, some housekeeping: Brooklyn’s beginning group regarded a bit totally different than it did this time final week. Positive, Cam Thomas and Royce O’Neale know their manner round these components, however Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith have been making their Brooklyn debuts; Day’Ron Sharpe was making simply his second begin of the season. For all intents and functions, this was a international lineup for Jacque Vaughn to throw out onto the ground. Excellent news for him: This international lineup labored effectively collectively, regardless of a gradual begin.

Spencer Dinwiddie led the way in which for Brooklyn with 25 factors in his return to the franchise (he final suited up for Brooklyn within the 2020-21 season earlier than being traded to Washington). Joe Harris added 18 factors, Yuta Watanabe scored 14 factors off the bench, and Dorian Finney-Smith, who got here with Dinwiddie from Dallas within the commerce for Kyrie Irving, added 9 factors and 9 boards in his personal Nets’ debut.

As for the Bulls, it was Zach LaVine who led their sporadically-competitive effort, scoring 32 factors, however including only one help and one rebound. So, I suppose Chicago’s largest accomplishment is the next:

Magic stun Nuggets, 115-104

Aaron Gordon — apparently probably the most reliable member of the Denver Nuggets, who scored 37 factors and pulled down 13 rebounds on Thursday — wasn’t sufficient to outlive an onslaught led by Cole Anthony and Bol Bol. I imply, contemplating the truth that Orlando’s reserves outscored Denver’s 56-10, this all strains up. Positive, Nikola Jokic had 29 factors, 11 rebounds, and 6 dimes, and positive, he and Gordon mixed to attain all 29 of Denver’s factors within the third body.

However Orlando was environment friendly from the sector, and remained degree with Denver over the course of the sport till lastly pulling away down the stretch. Wendell Carter Jr. led the Magic with 19 factors, although six others scored in double figures. Orlando has received 4 of its final six and sits simply three video games outdoors of a play-in spot. I’m simply saying…

Hawks deal with Suns, 116-107

Trae Younger’s efficiency within the first half was, in brief, brutal. Fortunately for Atlanta, he made up for his awful 11-point effort within the recreation’s first 48 minutes by pouring in a further 25 factors within the second half to steer the Hawks to victory over the shorthanded Suns. Phoenix solely had 9 gamers out there within the loss, taking part in with a rotation that didn’t embrace Devin Booker or the newly-acquired Kevin Durant. For sure, you’ll be able to’t decide the squad we noticed on Thursday with out noting that they’ll look a heck of lots totally different by the point Durant fits up.

Picture by Harry How/Getty Photographs

Bucks prolong win streak with win over Lakers, 115-106

Although they didn’t make a Kevin Durant-quality transfer forward of the deadline, the identical that was mentioned of the Suns could possibly be mentioned of the Lakers. The rotation they put out on Thursday didn’t embrace LeBron James — a giant drawback when you need to play in opposition to Giannis Antetokounmpo; LeBron was out with ankle soreness — nor did it embrace the newly-acquired D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, Malik Beasley, or Mo Bamba.

Nonetheless, the Lakers someway hung powerful in opposition to the superior Bucks, who received their ninth straight behind 38 factors from Giannis and an environment friendly 22-point outing for Khris Middleton. Dennis Schroder (25 factors) and Anthony Davis (23) led the Lakers, whose reinforcements ought to go well with up very quickly.