Win & In: Nets & Wolves Advance
04/13/2022
By: Jeff Yoder
Nets Hold Off Cavs’ Rally (115-108); Timberwolves Complete Comeback Over Clippers (109-104)
Single-elimination at its finest! Night 1 of the NBA play-in rounds came down to the wire in both games, but the higher seeds came out on top in the 7-vs-8 seed matchups. Both games saw comebacks that made things interesting, but the Nets and Timberwolves will fill out the playoff bracket. Two more sudden-death play-in games take center court tonight. Here’s what happened on Tuesday:
In the opener, Brooklyn stormed out to a 20-point advantage against Cleveland before the Cavaliers came roaring back. The Nets saw their lead evaporate to within six in the late going before slamming the door on the Cavs’ season. Kyrie Irving (34 points, 12 assists) and Kevin Durant (25 points, 11 assists) shot lights out. The duo combined to score or assist on 105 of Brooklyn’s 115 points, and Irving started the game a perfect 12-for-12. The Nets will face the Celtics in Round 1 of the playoffs.
Timberwolves def. Clippers (109-104)
Tuesday’s nightcap was a back-and-forth showdown in Minneapolis where the Timberwolves and Clippers. Minnesota needed a 19-4 run down the stretch to close the gap on a double-digit deficit. Karl-Anthony Towns struggled miserably, but Anthony Edwards (30) and D’Angelo Russell (29) carried the load. The Timberwolves will face the Warriors in Round 1.
Tonight’s Schedule
Hornets at Hawks (7:00 pm ET)
Spurs at Pelicans (9:30 pm ET)
Additional Storylines
Yahoo! Sports: White-Hot Kyrie Irving Leads Nets Past Cavs & Into Playoffs
CBS Sports: Anthony Edwards & D’Angelo Russell Help Minnesota Clinch 7 Seed
ESPN: Brooklyn Nets Shocked by ‘Devastating’ Subway Shooting Before Play-In Game
Photo: Sarah Stier / Getty Images