Finally, catching Hart as he adjusted his feet, Harden exploded into his first step and powered straight past him. Using his advantages in both speed and strength, he drove into the paint and finished with a floater over Hartenstein's rim protection before the help defense arrived.
The two-pointer went in, bringing the deficit back to fifteen. The Knicks regained possession.
Chen Xi received the ball in the backcourt, dribbled across half court, drew an early double-team from the Nets, then passed to Hart.
After catching the ball, Hart moved quickly toward the right wing, then handed it off to George.
As George received the ball, he used a screen to move toward the top of the key, then threaded a pass to Horford as he cut into the paint from the wing.
Unfortunately, Siakam anticipated the play. Using his long arms, he snuffed out the Knicks' attempt to attack the rim, knocking the ball out of bounds.
The Knicks retained possession in the frontcourt.
Horford stepped outside the baseline to inbound again, lofting the ball to Chen Xi beyond the three-point line.
Chen Xi immediately put the ball on the floor and moved toward the left wing, drawing the Nets' defense over. Then he fired a long crosscourt pass over George at the top of the key, sending it straight to Hart near the weak-side sideline.
Josh Hart promptly attempted a three.
Unfortunately, he missed.
The ball bounced off the rim and into Durant's hands.
The Nets launched a counterattack.
KD advanced across half court, then passed to Thomas, who was trailing alongside him.
Thomas accelerated straight into the paint after receiving the ball. Rather recklessly, he drove into the lane against Chen Xi's defense, then leaped for a layup, only for Chen to swat the ball out of bounds.