The Nets were in grave danger of losing consecutive games for the first time since Feb. 9, but they overcame a 14-point first-half deficit with a tough defensive effort in the third quarter when they forced nine Knicks turnovers and allowed only 21 points to climb back into the game on their way to a hard-fought 114-112 victory Monday night at Barclays Center.
Kyrie Irving led the way for the Nets (35-16), who had trailed by as much as 14 points in the first half, with 40 points and seven assists, and the Nets won without James Harden, who played only four minutes before aggravating the right hamstring tightness that caused him to miss the previous two games.
The game was tied at 91 early in the fourth quarter when the Nets put together a 11-3 burst to push their lead to 102-94 on a bank shot by Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot with 6:58 left to play. The Knicks cut that margin to one point, but the Nets responded with another 7-0 surge, including five points from Jeff Green for a 109-103 edge with 3:11 to go.
