Mikal Bridges has 42, Nets rout Hawks to boost lead for No. 6 seed

NEW YORK (AP)— Mikal Bridges remembers when he couldn’t even score 30 points ina game.

These days hesurpasses 40, giving the Nets the scoring that seemed lost whenthey traded Kevin Durant in the deal that brought Bridges toBrooklyn.

“I think it’sjust, I’m really trying to win,” Bridges said, “so every shot Itake I’m being aggressive and trying to make every shot Ishoot.”

Bridgesscored 42 points and the Nets increased their lead for the finalguaranteed playoff spot in the Eastern Conference by beating theAtlanta Hawks 124-107 on Friday night.

DorrianFinney-Smith added 19 points in his best game with the Nets, wholed by only four at halftime before outscoring the Hawks 42-24 inthe third quarter to open a 101-79 lead. Brooklyn moved two gamesahead of idle Miami for the No. 6 spot with five games to play.

Bridgessurpassed 40 points for the second time in three games and thethird time since coming to the Nets in February. He finished Marchwith 461 points, the second-highest total by a Nets player in theirNBA franchise history in a month behind the 471 scored by Durantlast November.

Cam Johnson,also part of the Durant trade, had 16 points. The Nets won for thethird time in four games following a five-game skid that haddropped them behind the Heat into seventh place. The teams whofinish between 7-10 have to go through the play-in tournament toreach the postseason.

“Even thoughwe were losing, we felt like we were coming together as a team,”Finney-Smith said. “We haven’t been in that many battles together,but we’re still learning each and other and we’re figuring itout.”

The Hawksremained tied for the No. 8 spot with Toronto. Atlanta could havepulled within a game of Miami.

But the Hawksnever gave themselves a chance after going just 8 for 37 from3-point range and getting outscored 76-46 in the middle twoquarters after leading by eight after one.

DejounteMurray scored 21 points for the Hawks, who had a tough time withNew York traffic and perhaps left their legs on the bus. Trae Younghad 10 points and six assists, going 3 for 12 and missing all five3-pointers.

Bridges’three-point play with 8:45 left in the third quarter gave Brooklyna 69-58 lead, the first double-digit advantage by either team. TheNets had doubled that lead about 4 1/2 minutes later when anotherbasket by Bridges made it 91-71.

Bridgesfinished off the quarter by scoring the final seven points as thelead ballooned by 22. He finished 16 for 24 from the field, 5 for 8on 3-pointers.

“He’s beenefficient forever. He’s made those 3s, he’s just more aggressiveright now because he has to be and it’s a credit to him,” saidHawks coach Quin Snyder, who went against Bridges often when hecoached Utah.

The Hawks led33-25 after one, then missed all nine 3-point attempts and shot 29%overall in the second quarter. The Nets outscored them 34-22 totake a 59-55 edge to the break.

TIP-INS

Hawks:De’Andre Hunter missed the game with soreness in his left knee. ...Jalen Johnson had six points after missing the previous five gameswith a strained left hamstring.

Nets:Brooklyn improved to 11-2 on Fridays, the NBA’s best record thisseason on that day. ... Nic Claxton had 14 points, 12 rebounds andfive assists.

BIGDAY FOR THE MINOR LEAGUERS

Shortly afterRonnie Burrell was announced as the NBA G League Coach of the Yearearly Friday, his Long Island Nets beat the Cleveland Charge111-107 to reach the Eastern Conference finals. Nets coach JacqueVaughn said he called Burrell, who was on the Brooklyn staff in2018-19, after the game to congratulate him.

“I was herewhen Ronnie was with us previously and to see his growth, him leadthat team, to see how well our guys are playing and how they’vedeveloped, you give him a lot of credit for that,” Vaughn said.“And good thing they won today, too.”

UPNEXT

Hawks: HostDallas on Sunday night.

Nets: HostUtah on Sunday.