Kevin Durant scored 25 points and the Brooklyn Nets led virtually the entire way in a 104-90 victory over the visiting Washington Wizards on Monday night in New York.
The Nets bounced back from getting outplayed in a 15-point loss to the Charlotte Hornets in Sunday's home opener and turned in their best defensive showing of the young season.
Durant followed up a 38-point showing by shooting 9 of 17 from the field in 35 minutes. He added eight rebounds and four assists.
Reserve Patty Mills hit five 3-pointers and finished with 21 points. He shot 8-of-14 from the field and highlighted his big night with a crafty layup that put Brooklyn up 93-74 with 6:31 remaining and essentially sealed it.
Bruce Brown contributed 14 in place of a resting LaMarcus Aldridge in Brooklyn's frontcourt alongside Durant. James Harden chipped in 14, nine assists and six rebounds as the Nets shot 42.6 percent and survived missing 25 of 35 3-point tries.
Bradley Beal returned from a one-game absence due to a hip contusion and led the Wizards with 19 points. Beal, however, shot 8 of 22 from the floor and the Wizards shot a dreadful 34.7 percent after shooting 52 percent in Friday's overtime win over the Indiana Pacers.
Daniel Gafford added 13 points while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Aaron Holiday had 11 apiece. Former Net Spencer Dinwiddie received a brief video tribute in between the first and second quarters and was held to 10 points.
Mills hit three 3-pointers and scored 11 points as the Nets shot 59.3 percent and held a 38-20 lead after outscoring Washington 25-8 over the final 7:24 of the first quarter. Brooklyn took a 25-point lead early in the second and held a 59-42 lead at halftime after Durant hit a 3-pointer with 3.8 seconds remaining,
The Nets missed their first nine shots of the second before Brown's dunk with 6:48 gave them a 63-52 lead. Harden followed with a four-point play and Mills hit a corner 3-pointer for a 70-52 advantage with 4:57 left and Brooklyn carried an 82-64 lead into the fourth.
