Nets 94, Suns 91
NEW YORK -- Center Brook Lopez scored 23 points and reserve guards Shane Larkin and Wayne Ellington each scored 11 points, making some clutch plays in the fourth quarter, leading the Brooklyn Nets to their fourth straight home win, a 94-91 come-from-behind victory over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night at the Barclays Center.
The win was the second straight for the Nets (5-13), the first time this season that Brooklyn won consecutive games. They trailed by nine in the opening stages of the fourth quarter.
The loss was the fifth in six games for the Suns (8-10).
The Nets used a 17-4 run in the fourth quarter to take over the game. Ellington had five and Larkin four during that stretch.
In the final minutes, the Nets received clutch jumpers from forwards Joe Johnson and Thaddeus Young, both of whom struggled mightily all night long. Johnson, who had nine points, made just his fourth field goal with 1:32 left and Young, who connected on just 3-of-14 from the floor, drained a long jumper from the right side with 1:03 left to make the score 94-89.
The Nets then had a chance to put the game away, but Lopez misfired on a lane jumper, giving the Suns one last opportunity. But Knight didn't get a chance to shoot in the final seconds, as the ball was knocked away at the buzzer, giving the Nets the hard-earned win.
Guard Brandon Knight led Phoenix with 26 points and fellow guard Eric Bledsoe added 17. Center Alex Len had 13 points and 14 rebounds in vain.
The Nets had early control of the game, thanks to the play of Lopez inside. The center scored 13 first half points, including five in a 7-0 run that enabled the Nets to grab a 41-34 lead. Brooklyn led 51-42 at the half.
The Suns then went on a crucial 15-0 run in the third quarter, capped by two free throws from Bledsoe, giving Phoenix a 62-56 lead with 6:56 left in the third. The Nets then hit two straight 3-pointers from Johnson and Larkin, then got a slam dunk from Lopez and a long jumper from Bojan Bogdanovic, capping a 10-0 run, giving the Nets a 66-62 lead with 2:48 left in the third.
The Suns took a 73-70 lead at the third quarter buzzer, when Bledsoe drained a 3-pointer, giving Phoenix command as the fourth quarter started.
The Suns received long 3-pointers from reserve forward T.J. Warren and reserve forward Mirza Teletovic, the former Net, and Bledsoe to give the Suns their biggest lead at 81-72 with nine minutes left.
The Nets were undaunted and cut the lead to 83-82 with 5:32 left on a pretty pass from Larkin to Young, who connected on just his second field goal in 15 attempts.
NOTES: Suns F Mirza Teletovic returned to Brooklyn for the first time since the Nets decided not to re-sign him in the offseason. Teletovic, who played three years with the Nets. ... Suns C Tyson Chandler is still hobbled by a right hamstring strain and did not play Tuesday. ... Nets F Andrea Bargnani was out with a tight left hamstring. His return is unknown. ... Nets coach Lionel Hollins was asked if the Suns' wide-open style of offense was becoming a trend. "You saw it when the (Boston) Celtics had Bill Russell and four other guys," Hollins said. "It's nothing new in this game. Your personnel forces you to play in a certain way. Not all are successful. If you have four or five guys who can shoot the ball from outside, then you spread the court and shoot the 3."