Nets 107, Lakers 99
Brook Lopez stayed hot with 30 points, 11 rebounds and four blocked shots as host Brooklyn won its third straight to inch closer in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
Joe Johnson had 18 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Nets, who moved into the eighth playoff spot a half-game ahead of Boston and Indiana for the final playoff spot, 1 1/2 games behind seventh-place Miami. Markel Brown added 17 points and Deron Williams finished with 13 points and nine assists as Brooklyn snapped a seven-game home losing streak against Los Angeles.
Jordan Hill returned from a three-game layoff to post 22 points and a season-best 16 rebounds off the bench for the Lakers, who fell to 1-3 on their five-game road trip. Jordan Clarkson had 18 points and seven assists while Wesley Johnson had 17 points and Wayne Ellington chipped in 13.
Lopez capped a 12-point first quarter with a late jumper to give Brooklyn a 30-19 lead and it remained an 11-point margin at halftime after Johnson scored inside and Alan Anderson hit a pair of free throws in the final minute. The Lakers scored the first seven points - four by Johnson - of the third quarter, but Lopez hit another jumper to restore order and Anderson's 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the period kept it an 11-point game.
Los Angeles made one more push with consecutive 3-pointers by Johnson and Jabari Brown to cut its deficit to six midway through the fourth and a jumper by Hill to make it 96-93 with 3:49 left. Lopez answered with a dunk on a feed from Williams and added two free throws for a 103-97 advantage with 44.8 seconds left.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Lakers PF Carlos Boozer (rest) missed his fourth straight game and G Jeremy Lin (illness) was inactive. ... Lopez has scored at least 20 points in six straight games, reaching 30 four times in that span. ... The Nets' last home win against the Lakers was on March 17, 2006.