An overlooked play in Brooklyn's Big 3 debut spoiled by Sexton

Herenda's Agenda

LOS ANGELES -- Collin Sexton's career-high 42 points in Cleveland's double-overtime win over the Nets overshadowed the debut of Brooklyn's "Big Three" of Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving. And there was one play that stood out. The Nets leading by 3 with 10.7 seconds to go in the first overtime watched Sexton's putback -- unabated and without a box out from nearby Irving and Harden -- that set the stage for more heroics from the Cavs guard. A defensive rebound there, and it's likely Brooklyn wins game one of the two-game set. After two Durant free throws, Brooklyn led by three points with just under nine seconds on the clock. However, the Nets did not foul Sexton -- a 50 percent 3-point field goal shooter -- before his successful 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds left that sent the game to an extra session. Sexton also scored 20 consecutive points through the two overtimes without a Nets defensive adjustment beyond their switch-everything D. And you knew going in the Alabama product is legit -- shooting a combined -- field goal, 3-point field goal, and free throw -- 180 percent while averaging a career-high 27 points per game. "He (Sexton) got hot at the right time so hats off to him," Nets first-year coach Steve Nash said postgame and also admitted, "We have to defend better." It's only one game. "Never too high, never too low" is a league mantra to live by. However, Nash and his staff must address a question we raised last week and amplified in game one of the "Big Three": "Will the ultra-talented Nets defend, get deflections, 50-50 balls, blocks, stops, rebounds, and take charges with tenacity?" For Brooklyn, the sooner, the better.