Nets dump Knicks for rare road win
NEW YORK -- The Brooklyn Nets won for just the fifth time on the road this season, knocking off the New York Knicks 121-110 on Thursday at Madison Square Garden.
Brook Lopez scored 24 points and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson contributed 20 and 10 rebounds in 25 minutes for the Nets (13-54). Former Knicks sensation Jeremy Lin had 15 points and eight assists.
Kyle O'Quinn topped the Knicks (27-42) with a season-high 23 points off the bench. Derrick Rose added 22 points, Carmelo Anthony had 17, and Lance Thomas contributed 15 points and 10 rebounds.
New York was trying to win two straight games for the first time since Dec. 20 and 22. The Knicks defeated the Indiana Pacers 87-81 on Tuesday but let a seven-point halftime lead against Brooklyn vanish.
The two rivals split the season series at 2-2, with Brooklyn winning the last two meetings.
Hollis-Jefferson's two free throws pushed the Nets' lead to 115-104 with 2:31 left to play.
A put-back from forward Caris LeVert extended Brooklyn's lead to 107-97 with 7:09 to play.
The Nets erased a 73-72 Knicks lead with a 9-2 burst to move ahead 81-75 after a Lopez jumper from Lin with 4:18 left in the third quarter. Lopez led the Nets' third-quarter charge with 11 points. Brooklyn outscored the Knicks 38-26 in the third.
The Knicks were effective getting to the rim in the first half. Rose produced 14 points and O'Quinn added 11 points in 12 minutes for a 61-54 Knicks halftime lead.
Brooklyn was plagued by its long distance shooting in the first half, misfiring on 14 of its 16 3-point attempts.
NOTES: The Nets signed G Archie Goodwin to a 10-day contract. Goodwin was playing in the NBA Development League, where he was averaging 17.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.2 steals in 32.7 minutes per game with the Greensboro Swarm, Charlotte's affiliate. Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said Goodwin could see action on Friday or Sunday. "He's got to get his feet under him," Atkinson said. "Get a few practices under his belt we can throw him in against the Celtics (Friday) or the Mavs (Sunday) and see where he is."... Knicks C Kristaps Porzingis was out with a bruised thigh. ... Nets G Joe Harris missed his seventh consecutive game due to a concussion and a sprained left shoulder. ... Brooklyn G Sean Kilpatrick was out with a sore left hamstring.