“But at the end of the day, the situation we’re in, the last option is getting that play-in berth and going to see what we can do to try to get in the playoffs.”īrooklyn improved to 28-7 when Harden plays. “I just want to win and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to win,” Murray said. Dejounte Murray had 15 points and 11 rebounds. They still have had their three superstars play together just seven times.īut they put eight players in double figures and shot 60.8% to wrap up a league-best 22-8 record against Western Conference teams.ĭeMar DeRozan scored 21 points for the Spurs, who missed a chance to secure a spot in the play-in tournament. The Nets played without Kyrie Irving after he left their victory in Chicago on Tuesday with a facial contusion. Kevin Durant had 14 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. They won their third straight and pulled within 1 1/2 games of Philadelphia for the Eastern Conference lead. Landry Shamet scored 21 points and Nicolas Claxton had a career-high 18 for the Nets. But that’s my role no matter what, especially on this team.” Do whatever it takes to win, whether it’s defensively or offensively. “But that sixth-man role, I mastered that as well,” Harden said. He said he had forgotten his routines from his days as a sub. He hadn’t played since April 5 because of a strained right hamstring. Harden had 18 points and 11 assists in his return from an 18-game absence to help the Brooklyn Nets beat the San Antonio Spurs 128-116 on Wednesday night.Ĭoming off the bench in an NBA game for the first time since he won the league’s Sixth Man award for Oklahoma City in 2011-12, Harden also had seven rebounds after the longest layoff of his career.