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The Brooklyn Nets visited the OKC Thunder with Kevin Durant cheering on from the bench. It was not a problem as another former Thunder player took over for the Nets with James Harden recording a triple-double in the 147-125 win on Friday.
The Nets played team basketball throughout the night as nine players scored in double-figures led by Harden and Kyrie Irving who both had 25 points. Harden added 10 rebounds and 11 assists in the rout. Durant, who won an MVP as a member of the Thunder, sat out for injury recovery.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and rookie Theo Maledon each had 24 points for the Thunder.
Check out some of the highlights from the game and how Twitter responded during and after the Brooklyn Nets-OKC Thunder game:
The Brooklyn Nets put on a show early, giving them a huge halftime lead over the OKC Thunder
It was a big first quarter for the Brooklyn Nets who scored 36 points to the OKC Thunder's 27. Along the way, Kyrie Irving had a highlight-worthy performance including this gorgeous move to free himself from his defender. Needless to say, it wowed more than a few fans on Twitter.
Not to be outdone, James Harden also did his work on the offensive end as the Brooklyn Nets Twitter account continued to promote their stars for the upcoming All-Star Game.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tried to stop the bleeding for the OKC Thunder with beautiful moves to the basket like the one below. SGA was consistent throughout the night but he didn't get enough help.
It was a blowout in the making early as the Brooklyn Nets put up 76 points in the first half as the OKC Thunder’s defense was almost non-existent. As expected, Harden and Irving were in starring roles and making the game look easy with each play. But more than that, it was a terrific team effort with the ball moving almost flawlessly from one end of the court to the other.
Had Kevin Durant played, this would have been overkill by the Nets!
The Brooklyn Nets took over the highlights from the OKC Thunder
The Brooklyn Nets would continue to pour it on in the second half. Kyrie Irving was unstoppable and this move was just ridiculous! It was so good one Twitter user thought Irving resembled his idol, the late Kobe Bryant.
That Maledon kid looks like a real good player for the Thunder! He could have a bright future if he continues to develop his game. He didn't seem fazed by the onslaught from the Nets, showing poise like a veteran. But one fan had an ominous take on this because of Thunder GM Sam Presti's trade history! Savage!
The Slam Kicks account posted this shot which reminded OKC Thunder fans of what it was like when Harden used to play for them. Oh what could have been had the Thunder retained the services of their Big 3.
When the OKC Thunder threatened to pull off an upset with a 9-0 run in the fourth quarter, Harden made a 4-point play to stop the rally and end their opponent's hopes of making a comeback.
Someone took issue with the caption on this post, however, as this was how Harden plays currently. Maybe he was taking this too seriously. Actually, maybe these folks are taking this too literally as an avalanche of tweets followed saying the same thing! LOL!
A few folks still lamented the Nets' lack of defense, though, probably looking at the 125 points that the Thunder put up in the loss. Good point, people!
James Harden starred for the Brooklyn Nets in this win over the OKC Thunder who have a lot of work ahead of them to stay competitive in future games.
Also Read: NBA Trade Rumors: Insider says Bradley Beal would best fit with Denver Nuggets
