Lopez, Nets sink slumping Hawks
NEW YORK -- Brook Lopez scored 29 points and the Brooklyn Nets overcame various struggles on offense to record a 91-82 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night.
Lopez made 12 of 21 shots and moved within 60 points of Buck Williams (10,440) for the most in franchise history. Lopez recorded his 45th game with at least 20 points and did so on a night when the Nets shot 39 percent and committed 21 turnovers.
Jeremy Lin added 15 points and Rondae-Hollis Jefferson contributed 11 as the Nets (18-59) improved to 9-10 in their last 19 games after losing 27 of 28.
Dennis Schroder led the Hawks with 16 points but shot 7 of 20. Paul Millsap returned from missing eight games with an injured left knee and added 14 on 4-of-14 shooting in 26 minutes.
Tim Hardaway Jr. contributed 14 points and rookie Taurean Prince chipped in 13 but the Hawks (39-38) lost for the ninth time in 11 games by shooting 37.5 percent and committing 20 turnovers.
Brooklyn surged ahead in the opening minutes of the fourth while Lopez rested. A 3-pointer by Trevor Booker upped the lead to 78-63 with 9:37 remaining.
The Hawks were within 80-72 with about 5 1/2 minutes left following consecutive baskets by Schroder. After a shot-clock violation by Brooklyn, Millsap missed an open corner 3-pointer.
Lopez then executed a spin move and hit a 17-footer over Millsap for an 82-72 lead with about five minutes left. Millsap's three-point play with 4:07 left cut it to 82-77 and Hardaway's three-point play sliced it to 83-80 less than a minute later.
After Lin and Millsap traded missed layups, Lopez found Spencer Dinwiddie for an open 3 at the 2:34 mark. Two free throws by Prince following a Brooklyn turnover cut it to 86-82 with 76 seconds left.
Brooklyn emphatically sealed the win when Lin found Booker wide open for a reverse dunk with 28.4 seconds remaining.
NOTES: Atlanta F Ersan Ilyasova was listed as probable with a right ankle injury but was in the starting lineup. ... Brooklyn coach Kenny Atkinson announced that G Joe Harris (sprained left shoulder) would be shut down for the rest of the season. Harris last played March 3 in Utah. Atkinson said the injury was not "terrible" but shutting down Harris "made sense". ... Atlanta G Malcolm Delaney (back spasms) missed his fourth consecutive game while G/F Thabo Sefolosha (strained right groin) missed his fifth straight contest. ... Brooklyn F Quincy Acy returned from missing two games with a sore left ankle and went scoreless in 15 minutes.