The Nets beat half the Grizzlies on Irving’s return, with Durant and Simmons’ 20s

The Nets have reason to smile again, or at least to believe that they will only focus on basketball from now on. Aided by a stellar second half, New York beat the Grizzlies 127-115 in Brooklyn on a night marked by the return (and idolization) of Kyrie Irving after an eight-game suspension over an anti-Semitic Twitter post. .

Irving was rusty with 14 points, but Kevin Durant was back with 26 points (17th straight game +25 this year) and Ben Simmons was a first… Ben Simmons with 22 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists , in his first 20 after 1.5 years.

All of this, along with a fourth-quarter breakout, proved enough for the Nets to bend the Grizzlies – without 3 starters (Morad, Bain and Jackson) – who lasted for three periods before finally surrendering.

For Memphis, Dillon Brooks had 30 points (but 13/30 shooting), John Kontsar had 16 points, and Steven Adams had 15 points and 10 rebounds.

THE DODECALPTA: 28-29, 57-62, 96-93, 127-115

NET’s: Durant 26 (7 rebounds, 7 assists), O’Neal 12 (4 threes, 5 rebounds, 8 assists), Harris 13 (4), Irving 14 (2 threes, 5 rebounds), Simmons 22 (11/13 two- Pointers, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 turnovers), Morris 8 (2 3-pointers, 7 rebounds), Gutanabe 16 (4), Duke, Edwards, Sharp 2, Mills 4, Curry 10 (5 rebounds, 5 assists), Thomas

GRAY: ALdama 8 (1), Brooks 31 (13/30 shooting, 3/11 3-pointers, 5 rebounds), Adams 15 (10 rebounds), Jones 13 (2 3-pointers, 6 assists), Kontsar 16 (2 3-pointers, 6 assists) -pointers, 9 rebounds, 7 assists), Clark 2, Williams 2, LaRavia 11 (4/12 shots, 3/9 3-pointers), Tillman 2, Chandler 6, Roddy 9 (3/8 shots, 1 3-pointers ). )