NEW YORK (AFP) — Zach LaVine produced a fourth-quarter scoring blitz as the Chicago Bulls piled on the misery for the crisis-hit Brooklyn Nets with a 108-99 win on Tuesday.
A tumultuous day that began with Brooklyn’s sacking of head coach Steve Nash ended with the Nets blowing a 12-point third-quarter lead as Chicago surged to victory at the Barclays Center.
Interim coach Jacque Vaughn took over on the sidelines for the Nets but could only watch in dismay as Brooklyn wilted in the fourth quarter once again.
Chicago outscored the Nets, 31-19, in the fourth quarter, with LaVine raining down 20 points in the final frame to finish with 29 points, including five assists and four rebounds.
DeMar DeRozan provided offensive support with 20 points while Goran Dragic added 15 and Patrick Williams 12. Ayo Dosunmu added 17 points from the bench.
The Nets, meanwhile, saw Kevin Durant tally 32 points with nine rebounds and six assists while Royce O’Neale chipped in 20 points. Yuta Watanabe and Nic Claxton added 10 points apiece.
Kyrie Irving had a frustrating night for Brooklyn, finishing with four points after shooting just 2-of-12 from the field.
Durant admitted that Nash’s abrupt dismissal earlier Tuesday had been on his mind in the hours before the game, revealing that he had first learned of it on television.
“I woke up from my nap and turned to my right and saw it on ESPN,” Durant said.
“I was shocked. You’re always shocked when a move like this happens, but it’s normal in the NBA.”
