Nets 116, Suns 100
PHOENIX -- Forward Bojan Bogdanovic had 20 of his 24 points in the first half and the Brooklyn Nets kept the Phoenix Suns reeling with a 116-100 victory Thursday.
Forward Thaddeus Young scored 18 points and guard Markel Brown had 16 for Brooklyn. After losing 15 of 17 games, the Nets (16-42) have gone 4-4 in the last eight and the first game without Joe Johnson was an effective one.
Bogdanovic replaced Johnson, who was waived by the team earlier Thursday, in the starting lineup and responded by hitting 7 of 10 shots including three 3-pointers in the first half.
Forward Mirza Teletovic had 30 points for the Suns (14-44), who were swept by the Nets and continued the worst run in the 49 years of the franchise.
Phoenix has lost 13 straight games, tying the longest losing streak in one season set when the Suns started the 1996-97 season 0-13. They have lost eight straight games at Talking Stick Arena -- the longest home losing streak in franchise history.
Phoenix has lost 28 of their last 30 games in all, dating back to when they were 12-16 on Dec. 18.
Suns interim coach Earl Watson is 0-9 since taking over.
The Nets snapped a seven-game losing streak on the road and won for the fifth time in 25 road games.
The Suns used an early 13-2 to lead by as many eight at 19-11 on a 3-pointer Teletovic with 5:34 left. Guard Ronnie Price had nine of Phoenix's first 13 points, but didn't score again for the rest of the half.
And the rest of the half was all Nets.
Brooklyn regained the lead for good at 25-23 on Bogdanovic's 17-foot, step-back jumper with 1:52 left. He followed it with his second 3-pointer of the quarter 26 seconds later and the Nets led 34-29 after one quarter.
Phoenix was still within seven points at 52-45 after a Devin Booker with 2:21 left in the half. But the Nets scored the final 14 points of the quarter and nine in the final 40 seconds, including 3-pointers by Bogdanovic and guard Wayne Ellington and a Bogdanovic running layup with 1.5 seconds to give Brooklyn a season-high, 66-point first half and a 21-point lead.
The Suns made one more push, opening the third quarter with a 14-4 run and pulling to 70-59 on a Teletovic 17-footer with 7:15 left. Teletovic had 10 points in the quarter.
Phoenix imploded defensively and the Nets reeled off a 15-2 run to answer to take their biggest lead at 85-61 on a Brook Lopez layup with 3:27 to go.
The Suns inched within 105-95 on Tyson Chandler's free throw with 2:08 left before Young followed a cutting layup with a floater in the lane to put the Suns away for good.
NOTES: Nets interim coach Tony Brown on the team's decision to waive G Joe Johnson: "He's been the most professional guy I've been around. He's quiet but a leader on the court, a very good teammate and has done everything we asked of him. I'm sad he's not going to be around." F Bojan Bogdanovic started in the spot created by Johnson's departure. ... Suns G Phil Pressey, on a 10-day contract, had 10 assists in the 124-84 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday. He is the fifth Sun to have 10 assists in a game this season, joining Gs Brandon Knight, Eric Bledsoe, Archie Goodwin and Devin Booker. ... Suns interim coach Earl Watson, who entered the game 0-8 since taking over for Jeff Hornacek on Feb. 1: "We've been itching for a win. It's important for us to play the right way and win the right way."