Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets reacts withy Kyrie Irving #11 after their 108-107 victory over the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on December 28, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. Todd Kirkland/Getty Images/AFP
Kyrie Irving scored 20 of his 28 points in the second half to help the visiting Brooklyn Nets hold on to defeat the short-handed Atlanta Hawks 108-107 on Wednesday and extend their winning streak to 10 games.
The Nets have the longest active winning streak in the NBA and are the first team this season to win 10 consecutive games. Brooklyn has also matched its third-longest winning streak in franchise history and and improved their record in December to a league-best 11-1.
Brooklyn outscored Atlanta 12-2 to start the fourth quarter and led by as many as 13 points but couldn’t put the Hawks away. The Hawks had a chance to tie with 29.9 seconds remaining, but Dejounte Murray made only one of two free throws. Murray then missed a game-winning shot at the buzzer.
Irving was 11-for-22 from the field with five 3-pointers and eight assists. Kevin Durant scored 26 points and had 16 rebounds and eight assists. Nic Claxton added 17 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks.
The Hawks played without three starters — leading rebounder Clint Capela (right calf strain), De’Andre Hunter (left ankle sprain) and Trae Young (left calf contusion), who leads the team with averages of 27.3 points and 9.9 assists. That trio accounts for 54.3 points per game on a team that averages 114.3.
Atlanta was led by Murray’s 24 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. John Collins finished with 21 points and eight rebounds. Bogdan Bogdanovic and Jalen Johnson each scored 14 points.
The Hawks shot 52 percent from the field in the first half and took a 63-56 lead into the break. Atlanta led by as many as 15 points when Bogdanovic made a 3-pointer with 4:28 left, only to have Brooklyn outscore the Hawks 13-5 to finish the half. Patty Mills scored 12 first-half points on 3-for-3 shooting on 3-pointers and 3-for-3 at the foul line.
Atlanta plays again on Friday at home against the Los Angeles Lakers. Brooklyn completes a three-game road trip on Saturday at Charlotte.