The Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers have been battling it out in the second round of the NBA playoffs, and Game 4 saw the Nets coming out with a win thanks to the heroics of their star player, James Harden.
The game was close throughout, with both teams trading baskets and leads. But with the Nets trailing by one point and less than a minute remaining, Harden took over. He hit a clutch three-pointer to give the Nets a two-point lead, and then came up with a steal on the ensuing possession. Harden was fouled and hit two free throws to give the Nets a four-point lead with just seconds left on the clock. The 76ers were unable to score on their final possession, and the Nets secured a 112-108 victory to even the series at two games apiece.
Harden finished the game with 34 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, recording his first triple-double of the playoffs. His performance was particularly impressive considering that he has been dealing with a hamstring injury that caused him to miss much of the regular season.
But it wasn’t just Harden who contributed to the win. The Nets received strong performances from their other stars, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Durant finished with 20 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists, while Irving added 23 points and 6 assists. The Nets also got key contributions from their role players, including Joe Harris, who hit several clutch three-pointers, and Blake Griffin, who made several key defensive plays.
On the other side, the 76ers were led by their own star player, Joel Embiid, who finished with 37 points and 13 rebounds. But despite his strong performance, the 76ers were unable to come away with the win. They were hurt by poor shooting from their role players, particularly Danny Green and Seth Curry, who combined to shoot just 4-16 from three-point range.
The win was a crucial one for the Nets, who had dropped the previous game in the series and were facing the possibility of falling into a 3-1 hole. But with Harden leading the way, they were able to even the series and regain home-court advantage.
The Nets will now look to carry their momentum into Game 5, which will be played in Philadelphia. They will once again rely on their star trio of Harden, Durant, and Irving, as well as their role players, to come away with another victory and take control of the series.
