The Brooklyn Nets defeated the New York Knicks 110-98 at Madison Square Garden (MSG) in New York City on Wednesday, remaining eighth in the Eastern Conference and hopeful to rise to seventh.

The Nets overcame a deficit as big as 21 points for this valuable win. Both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving played over 42 minutes on the floor. Durant dropped a triple-double of 32 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists. Not only did he heat up in the second half to shoot 8 for 15 in field goals, but his defensive presence was also why the Nets allowed only 31 points by the Knicks in the third and fourth quarters.

Irving's touch fluctuated in Wednesday's game, but he managed to deliver five assists in the last quarter, helping his team drive a 38-16 run. He exchanged words with a Knicks fan before returning to the locker room during the halftime break.

"East coast basketball at its finest. People just yelling random s**t from the crowd. Wanted a reaction, they got one," Irving said after the game. "I think I tapped the wrong person, so I apologize to the random guy that I tapped. He looked at me with a surprising look on his face. … Somebody said something, and I was just fed up with our performance."

"We know how much Knicks fans don't like us, especially now this era of the Nets, with us not choosing the Knicks, me and Kyrie. So, it definitely adds something to the rivalry," Durant said. 

He hasn't lost to the Knicks in even one game for nine years playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors and today's Nets.

Nets fans should also be happy to see Patty Mills, who had been struggling for months, drain five triples to get 15 points off the bench. His firepower was very important to the team, especially when Goran Dragic couldn't play due to health and safety protocols.

The Nets are 42-38 after Wednesday's win, the same as the ninth Atlanta Hawks and one game behind the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Nets are playing their last two games at home, one against the Cavaliers and the other with the Indiana Pacers. If they rise to seventh in the East, they will be able to compete in the play-in tournament at the Barclays Center.

Clippers again give people fanciful thoughts about their future

The Los Angeles Clippers beat the Phoenix Suns 113-109 at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday to pocket their third win in a row and reach a 50 percent winning rate (40-40).

The Suns understandably sidelined four starters, Chris Paul, Devin Booker, Jae Crowder and Deandre Ayton, in the game after setting the new franchise record of getting 63 regular-season wins and locking the Western Conference leader.

That explained why the Suns had trailed by as much as 29 points (60-31) after the first half. Their reserve players worked very hard and well to get 66 points, which was partly why the team managed to rally in the third and fourth quarters.

"It's a great lesson for our team and any kid watching; you just play it out," Suns head coach Monty Williams said. "We just stayed with it and had that Suns grit."

"You can never relax in the NBA," Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue said. "The players are too good; the coaches are too good, and as soon as you let your guard down, things like this can happen."

It was the first time Paul George and Norman Powell joined hands in one game since Powell was traded to the Clippers in February. He only played three games for the team before resting for 50 days because of a medial sesamoid bone fracture in his left foot.

George rested 46 days longer than Powell, recovering from a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow. He played 28 minutes in Wednesday's game and scored 19 points, nine rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks for the Clippers. Two of his assists were for Powell, who got 24 points in less than 23 minutes.

"Playing with PG still didn't seem real to me," Powell said. "I looked up to him growing up. Early on in my career, he gave me some words of encouragement that stuck with me."

"We just tried to play off one another," George said. "The biggest thing for me was playing off the ball and letting Norm get comfortable. He's a big-time playmaker and scorer off the ball."

There have been rumors recently that Kawhi Leonard may return to the Clippers in the playoffs. The two-time NBA champion forward spent almost a year recovering from a partial tear of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee and has not played even one game for the team this season.

Even if Leonard doesn't come back this season, the idea of having him, George, Powell, Nicolas Batum and Robert Covington in a small-ball squad under coach Lue can give play to the Clippers' fancy and enable them to dream wild about their future. Of course, the team must stay healthy first.

However, it must be pointed out that many felt the same about the Clippers in the last two seasons, in which they let everyone but their opponents down in the playoffs.

Other games on Wednesday (away teams come first):

Dallas Mavericks 131-113 Detroit Pistons

Washington Wizards 103-118 Atlanta Hawks

Boston Celtics 117-94 Chicago Bulls

Oklahoma City Thunder 101-137 Utah Jazz