Everything went Brooklyn’s way on Tuesday night, as the Nets moved from 10th to 8th in the Eastern Conference thanks to a comfortable win over the Rockets and some help from the Raptors and Heat.
The Nets entered the night trailing both the Hornets and Hawks in the race for the final play-in tournament positions, but with each of their rivals losing – including the Cleveland Cavaliers – the Nets are now in a position to avoid a matchup with the No. 1 overall seed Miami in the first round.
The Nets broke open the game in the second quarter, outscoring Houston 34-22 in the period, and responded to a 7-0 Rockets run to open the fourth quarter to put away the victory. Kyrie Irving had a stellar night with 42 points, while Kevin Durant had a quiet 4-for-13 night from the floor.
The Nets now have three games left to play in the regular-season, including a crucial matchup with the Cavs. If the Nets win out, the No. 7 seed in well within reach.