Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Nets Defeat Cavs in 2022 NBA Playoff Play-in Game

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

The Brooklyn Nets secured the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference with a 115-108 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA play-in tournament at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

A first-round playoff series with the Boston Celtics now awaits the Nets.

Brooklyn set a blistering pace with 40 points in the first quarter, at which point it looked like things would get out of hand quickly. Instead, the Cavaliers continued to hang around and trailed by as few as six points inside the final five minutes of the fourth quarter.

Kevin Durant hit a pair of pull-up jumpers to put the Nets back up 10, 103-93, with 3:38 on the clock. Cleveland remained within touching distance but wouldn't get close enough to threaten Brooklyn's lead.

Notable Performers

Kyrie Irving, PG, Nets: 34 points, 3 rebounds, 12 assists

Kevin Durant, PF, Nets: 25 points, 5 rebounds, 11 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks

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Darius Garland, PG, Cavaliers: 34 points, five assists, 2 steals

Evan Mobley, C, Cavaliers: 19 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks

Nets Stars Too Much for Undermanned Cavs

Through all of the dysfunction the Nets experienced this year, a sliver of hope remained in Brooklyn that things would start clicking in the postseason. When you have Durant and Kyrie Irving both healthy and available, you like your chances in a best-of-seven playoff series.

Tuesday showed exactly why as the pair torched Cleveland's defense. Sometimes basketball boils down to having the two best players on the floor.

Irving, in particular, seemed to relish heaping misery upon his old team. Even when the Cavaliers had him defended well, he couldn't miss. There aren't many stars more electric than the 30-year-old guard when he's at his best.

Irving made his first 12 shots and didn't watch an attempt bounce off the rim until the fourth quarter.

This game did send up some red flags, though. Cleveland outscored Brooklyn in the last three quarters, and the Nets had problems in the brief moments head coach Steve Nash tried to get Durant and Irving a breather.

Every time the Cavs went on a run to trim the deficit, there still wasn't much drama. Durant or Irving would hit a big bucket or find an open teammate at a critical time.

Things might get a little dicier if the Nets take their foot off the gas against a tougher opponent.

Allen's Absence Proves Costly

What could've been for Cleveland.

Even if the team remained fully healthy, the Cavs were bound to hit a wall at some point. Sooner or later, the more seasoned contenders in the conference would push them down the standings.

But Evan Mobley's ankle injury and Jarrett Allen's fractured finger caused J.B. Bickerstaff's squad to sputter down the stretch. Allen remains out of action, and the impact of his absence was laid bare once again.

This game did provide some positives for Cleveland. If moral victories are a thing, they certainly apply when a young team doesn't throw in the towel in its first postseason test. The extent to which the supporting cast struggled was indicative of how the playoffs—what's effectively a playoff game in this instance—is a different beast.

The way in which Darius Garland put the offense on his back reinforced how he can be a cornerstone for the franchise's future.

If they suffer another defeat, failing to qualify for the playoffs will undoubtedly be a disappointment relative to what the Cavs did in the regular season. But notching 44 wins means this year has already been a success.

What's Next?

Brooklyn and Boston will get their series underway Sunday. The Cavs will now play either the Charlotte Hornets or Atlanta Hawks at home on Friday to determine the No. 8 seed.