Mikal Bridges shot the Nets to victory in Atlanta Wednesday night in a game that featured an NBA-record 43 lead changes. AP Photo by Hakim Wright Sr.
Trae Young and the Hawks outdueled Mikal Bridges and the Nets in the Eastern Conference rivals’ previous back-and-forth thriller in Atlanta.
Bridges made sure this one went into the win column for Brooklyn after an NBA-record 43 lead changes and 11 ties.
The 6-foot-6 forward capped a 32-point effort with a step-back jumper with 4.5 seconds left on the clock, lifting the Nets to a thrilling 114-113 triumph over Young and the Hawks in front of 15,906 fans at State Farm Arena.
Just over two weeks ago, Young and Bridges staged an epic duel on the same floor.
Young scored a season-high 43 points, 14 of which came in overtime, to lead Atlanta to a 147-145 victory, leaving Bridges to lament what could have been after he matched a career best with 45 points that night.
The Nets (11-9) have won five of six games since that hard-to-swallow defeat on Nov. 22, but none tasted as sweet as this bit of early season revenge against the Hawks (9-11).
Bridges made that clear after posting his first career victory in Atlanta.
“It only took six years,” Bridges joked, noting that he had spent the better part of his first five NBA campaigns in the Western Conference with Phoenix.
“I guess it took me getting to the East. I’m so happy to get this dub.”
So was Nets coach Jacque Vaughn, who admitted that he felt his team was “going to get this one” despite Young’s 30 points and nine assists.
The Hawks’ high-scoring point guard erased a 112-110 Brooklyn lead by deftly stepping back for a 26-footer with 17.1 ticks remaining.
But Bridges, who lost his memorable late-game showdown against Young in the Nets’ last visit, came right down the floor with an answer on the…
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