Lopez, Nets shoot past Pistons
NEW YORK -- Brook Lopez collected 34 points and 11 rebounds as the Brooklyn Nets rebounded from their worst loss of the young season by taking control in the first half before holding on for 109-101 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night.
Lopez made his first six shots, 12 of 21 shots overall and 4 of 8 3-pointers. Before Wednesday, he had made 4 of 38 3-pointers in his first 491 regular-season games, but with the Nets looking to shoot more from the arc, Lopez has been encouraged to take long-distance shots.
Reserve Sean Kilpatrick added 24 points for the Nets, who scored 71 points in the first half but only 38 in the second half. Brooklyn shot 71 percent in the first half and 53.9 percent overall.
Still, it was enough to win after shooting 34 percent and allowing 58 rebounds in a 30-point loss to the Chicago Bulls on Monday.
Jeremy Lin had 10 points but exited at halftime with a strained left hamstring, making him the third veteran Brooklyn guard to get injured.
Marcus Morris scored 17 of his 23 points after halftime for Detroit, which came in allowing 90 points per game. Tobias Harris also scored 23, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope contributed 15, but Andre Drummond sat for the final 14 1/2 minutes after being held to six points and six rebounds in 25 minutes.
Although the Nets shined offensively in the first half, they wobbled to the finish. Detroit was within 103-98 following a 3-pointer by Morris with 2:37 remaining and 105-101 following a 3-pointer by Harris with 38.9 seconds to go.
Lopez and Kilpatrick then sealed the win by hitting two free throws apiece in the final 15 seconds.
Brooklyn made its first nine shots and 16 of 20 attempts while taking a 38-30 lead after the first quarter. Lopez had 24 points by halftime as the Nets held a 71-55 lead at intermission
Lopez opened the second half by driving past Drummond for a dunk, giving the Nets a 76-55 lead and forcing Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy to call timeout less than a minute in.
Detroit followed the timeout with a 14-3 run, getting within 78-69 on a 3-pointer by Morris with 7:41 left. The Pistons later got within 87-77, but the Nets took a 92-81 lead into the fourth.
Detroit finally made significant progress early in the fourth, getting with 92-86 on a 3-pointer by Morris. The Nets held a 98-88 lead when Lopez returned with 8:24 left.
NOTES: Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy provided a lengthy answer when discussing his thoughts on the league trends to rest players. "Our guys get paid to play 82 games," he said. "Everybody that's healthy will play for us every single night. That's just us." ... Brooklyn G Randy Foye (mild right hamstring strain) was did not play for the fifth straight game. ... Brooklyn G Greivis Vasquez (sore right ankle) missed his second straight game. It is the same ankle he had surgery on last season. Coach Kenny Atkinson did not seem to think the Nets are at the point of having to manage the ankle daily once Vasquez returns. ... Detroit F Reggie Bullock (back spasms) missed his fifth consecutive game.