The Nets had their superstar back, but couldn't get their swagger back in Kevin Durant's return.
Despite 31 points from Durant in his first action in the last 21 games, Brooklyn coughed up a 16-point lead and fell to .500 on the season, and are now three and a half games behind the Raptors for the top play-in spot.
The Heat were shorthanded themselves, down Jimmy Butler and P.J. Tucker, while Brooklyn had its best player back. But Miami came alive in the second half to outscore the Nets 53-40, and even after the Nets cut the deficit to two late in the game after trailing by double digits, open shots by Durant and Seth Curry didn't fall.
"This is a game we should win," acting head coach Jacque Vaughn said. "We told our guys that after the game. We should feel disappointed. We should have won this game."
With the loss, the Nets are at the .500 mark for the first time since they were 3-3. They looked on their way to getting a much-needed home victory, but the Heat's switch to a zone defense stalled the Brooklyn offense, while Miami went on a 14-0 run in the third quarter. It all led to the Nets' fourth straight loss at the Barclays Center.
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