Drummond's double-double leads Pistons past Nets 114-80

By MICHAEL SCOTTO
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) -- Andre Drummond and Tobias Harris carried Detroit to an easy road win in Brooklyn.

Drummond scored 22 points and grabbed 20 rebounds, Harris had 22 points, and the Pistons beat the Nets 114-80 on Wednesday night.

"I'm not a real creative offensive guy, as you guys all know," Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy joked after the game. "If we find something that's working, I tend to just keep going to it. Tobias got off to a great start. I thought Andre Drummond was outstanding all night."

Dwight Buycks added 17 points for the Pistons.

"I thought from the jump we got good defensive stops," Harris said. "We were able to get out in transition. Andre was a big focus, especially for them, so we were able to get some open looks and just capitalize off that."

Allen Crabbe scored 20 points and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson had 15 points for the Nets, who have lost three in a row.

"They were just the aggressor, more physical," Crabbe said. "They made us turn the ball over. They basically had control of the game for the majority of the game. Trying to play catch up in this league is not easy. They kept their foot on the gas and we just couldn't win through the storm."

Detroit took a 90-61 lead heading into the fourth quarter and led by as many as 40 points, 104-64, with 8:20 remaining.

Drummond led Detroit with 18 points and 13 rebounds at the half as the Pistons took a 63-41 lead into the locker room. Crabbe paced Brooklyn with 14 points at the half.

Harris led Detroit with 14 points in the first quarter as the Pistons took a 34-26 lead.

TIP-INS

Pistons: Van Gundy praised Buycks' recent play in the past five games after being inactive for the first 32 games of the season. "I think he's played well," Van Gundy said. "He's attacked, he's played aggressively and he can score the ball." ... Jon Leuer (sprained left ankle) and Reggie Jackson (sprained right ankle) were out.

Nets: Coach Kenny Atkinson was asked about Brooklyn earning the respect from officials after several controversial calls recently. "I think you earn respect with your play," he said. "It's like when you were a seventh grader and you go to the playground, and the big kids are pushing you around or maybe making all the calls. As you get better, as you improve your game somehow that turns the other way. We've got to earn our respect through our play. That's the way we feel." . DeMarre Carroll (right knee sprain), D'Angelo Russell (left knee surgery), Isaiah Whitehead (G-League assignment) and Jeremy Lin (ruptured patella tendon, right knee) were out.

UP NEXT

Pistons: Visit Chicago on Saturday. It's the final game of a three-game road trip for Detroit.

Nets: Visit Atlanta on Friday. It's the start of a two-game road trip for Brooklyn.

LeVert's season-high 17 lead Nets over Hawks

ATLANTA -- The Brooklyn Nets are learning that Caris LeVert may be a partial answer to their problem at point guard.

With Jeremy Lin and D'Angelo Russell out and with Spencer Dinwiddie showing fatigue, Nets coach Kenny Atkinson was pleased to see LeVert come off the bench, provide some quality minutes at point guard and respond with one of his best games.

LeVert scored a season-high 17 points, and Brooklyn broke the game open with a 17-0 run to open the second half en route to a 110-90 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Monday at Philips Arena.

"Spencer was on fumes and Caris really came in and took the torch," Atkinson said. "He was really good in the pick-and-roll. He can really pass the ball. He had a couple nice lobs, a couple nice wrap-arounds. Good to see him have a good game."

LeVert, a second-year guard from Michigan, entered the game averaging 10.3 points. He almost equaled that with nine first-half points. He shot 7-for-13 from the field and matched his career best with seven assists. LeVert's previous best scoring night was a 16-point effort against the Hawks on Oct. 22.

"With Jeremy and D'Angelo out, Caris is our de facto second-unit point guard," Atkinson said. "We've seen his game grow since he's taken that role. He's gotten in a comfort zone. When guys are out, sometimes you discover things you didn't know. We had talked about him when we drafted him if he could play point guard. It's nice to see him starting to feel comfortable, because we needed it."

The Nets avenged a 114-102 loss to the Hawks in Brooklyn on Saturday, and they have won two of three meetings against Atlanta this season. Brooklyn has won three of its past five games overall. Atlanta has lost three of its past five.

Brooklyn (9-14) also got 16 points from Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, 13 points each from ex-Hawk DeMarre Carroll and Dinwiddie and 11 each from Jarrett Allen and Joe Harris.

Atlanta (5-18) was led in scoring by Dennis Schroder with 19 points. Kent Bazemore added 13 points and five assists but committed six turnovers. DeAndre Bembry came off the bench to score 13.

The Hawks shot 47.7 percent in the first half, with Schroder making his first seven shots and shooting 8-for-10 from the floor. The Nets stayed in the game with some impressive 3-point shooting, making 10 of 22, with Dinwiddie knocking down three.

"I think we came out with energy in the first quarter, in the second quarter the same," Schroder said. "Third quarter, we didn't. We have to give them credit for that. They made their shots, got some stops, and that's the reason we lost the game."

Atlanta led 54-53 at halftime but went cold in the third quarter, missing its first 13 shots from the field. Brooklyn scored the first 17 points in the period and led 70-54 with 6:58 left. The Hawks didn't get their first field goal in the third quarter until Schroder scored with 4:51 remaining.

"Obviously the game changed in the third quarter," Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer said. "A lot of credit to Brooklyn. Both ends of the court, they took their game up. Execution, defense, energy. We hit a bit of a wall. ... The game just changed there."

Atlanta cut the lead to nine when Luke Babbitt made a 3-pointer, but Harris answered with a trey on the other end and the Nets led 84-69 at the end of the third quarter. That was part of a 18-5 run that carried into the fourth quarter and included back-to-back dunks by Allen and saw the Nets take a 21-point lead.

For the game, Brooklyn shot 48.2 percent from the field while Atlanta hit 36.6 percent.

"It was just a good bounce-back," Atkinson said. "After the last game, they dominated it at every position and I was interested to see how our guys would respond. They went toe-to-toe with us in the first half, and I thought our guys did a great job starting that third quarter and our bench did a fine job extending the lead."

NOTES: Atlanta allowed Brooklyn to score 33 points in the first quarter and 31 in the third quarter. The Hawks have allowed the opposition to score at least 30 points in 30 quarters this season. ... The Hawks dropped to 2-9 at home. ... Atlanta started Miles Plumlee at center for the second consecutive game. He finished with one point and seven rebounds. ... Brooklyn sent G Isaiah Whitehead to a G League assignment with Long Island. ... Atlanta plays again on Wednesday at Orlando. Brooklyn returns home on Thursday for a game against Oklahoma City.

Masked man: Irving returns as Celtics win 13th straight

By BRIAN MAHONEY
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Kyrie Irving really dislikes having to play in a mask.

On the other hand, he loves what comes next: Boston putting its 13-game winning streak on the line against the NBA champions.

“It’s definitely an incredible streak we’re on, and now comes the whole media frenzy of will the streak end, and what’s going to happen on Thursday and the Golden State Warriors coming to Boston,” Irving said. “So I’m looking forward to all that hoopla.”

Irving returned to the lineup and scored 25 points while wearing the mask, and the Celtics beat the Brooklyn Nets 109-102 on Tuesday night to remain unbeaten since an 0-2 start.

Marcus Morris added 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Jayson Tatum scored 19 points for the Celtics, who have the NBA’s best record. Golden State is next at 11-3, and Boston got good preparation for the game against a persistent Brooklyn team.

“The way that they converted on us in transition after our mistakes tonight, you can’t have that against Golden State. You just get blown out of the gym,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. “We just have to play really solid on both ends and do what we do as well as we can and see where we stand.”

Irving missed one game with a minor facial fracture after he was hit by teammate Aron Baynes on Friday. He fiddled with the mask frequently, but it didn’t seem to affect his play much. He made a jumper with 3:40 left after the Nets had closed within four points and drove for another basket about 35 seconds later.

“Today, just finding his way and doing what he does, making big plays for us, coming through and sealing the game,” said Celtics center Al Horford, who had 17 points and 11 rebounds.

Boston then finally put it away with Jaylen Brown’s alley-oop feed to Tatum before Irving hit two free throws to make it 106-96.

Joe Harris scored 19 points and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson had 16 points and nine rebounds for the Nets, who are without leading scorer D’Angelo Russell because of a bruised left knee. Allen Crabbe and Caris LeVert added 15 points apiece.

Irving has had to play in a mask before, and he’s done it well. He scored a then career-high 41 points in a loss at New York on Dec. 15, 2012, while with Cleveland. But he described it like having foggy blinders, restricting his peripheral vision.

The Celtics started 7 of 9 from the field to lead 17-4, but the Nets jumped ahead in the second quarter and countered every time Boston threated to pull away until the final minutes.

“I thought guys competed,” Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said. “We just have to do it in long stretches.”

TIP-INS

Celtics: Irving was not announced as a starter when lineups were introduced, even though coach Brad Stevens had said he would start, after an apparent mix-up between the coach and scorer’s table. ... The Celtics have won six straight in Brooklyn, where they were cheered loudly and Irving even heard “MVP! MVP!” chants.

Nets: Atkinson didn’t put a timetable on Russell’s return, saying he was getting daily updates. ... Rookie center Jarrett Allen returned after missing six games with a strained left foot.

NOT THE MAN IN BLACK

Even some of Irving’s teammates asked him if he would wear the black mask he sported in the 41-point game at Madison Square Garden. Instead, he wore a clear one and said that’s lucky for them, because he said the black mask made it so hard to see that passing wasn’t much of an option.

“They were like, ’The masked man! The black mask!” Irving said. “I was like, ‘I scored that many because I just was looking at the basket.’”

HOME SWEET HOME

It was the Nets’ first home game in November, having been on the road out West all month. Brooklyn plays just four home games in November. Three are this week, and the Nets host Portland on Nov. 24 before going back on the road for three straight games.

MEXICAN FANS

Entertainers Diego Alfaro and Georgina Holguin from Mexico attended the game to help promote the Nets’ upcoming games in Mexico City to their home fans. Brooklyn will play Miami and Oklahoma City in December.

UP NEXT

Celtics: Host Golden State on Thursday night.

Nets: Host Utah on Friday night.

Russell has 23 points, 8 assists; Nets beat Suns 98-92

By JOSE M. ROMERO
Associated Press

PHOENIX (AP) — The Brooklyn Nets had lost their scoring touch during a four-game losing streak, so they turned to defensive pressure to end the skid.

D’Angelo Russell scored 13 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter, and Brooklyn held the Phoenix Suns to 34.9 percent shooting in a 98-92 win Monday night.

Russell added eight assists, Joe Harris scored a season-high 18 points and Brooklyn won a game that featured 32 turnovers and 59 fouls.

“It wasn’t the prettiest game ever played in the NBA,” Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “A lot of fouls, but we found a way. Our defense was good. We had contributions from a lot of guys.”

The Suns rallied from a 15-point first-half deficit to lead 75-74 after Jared Dudley’s layup with 9:17 to play. The Nets went back ahead moments later and held on for their first road win of the season, with Russell scoring eight of his team’s next 12 point after it lost the lead.

“Just didn’t want to lose and tried to do whatever it took to win,” Russell said. “Everybody came through as a collective unit and did what they were supposed to do.”

DeMarre Carroll added 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Allen Crabbe scored 15 points.

“That was the first time we held a team under 100 (points) this year,” Crabbe said. “I think we all just came in focused.”

T.J. Warren had 20 points as the Suns dropped their third straight, including Sunday at San Antonio. Devin Booker scored 18 points before fouling out late in the game.

The Suns started well, with Booker scoring 11 points in the first seven minutes, before the Nets used a 16-0 run to go up 28-16.

Phoenix cut the lead to one twice in the second quarter but finished the half making 10 of 40 shots. The Nets, behind 14 first-half points from Harris, led 47-41 at the break.

“Give them credit, they challenged us well,” Suns interim head coach Jay Triano said. “We tried ... to see if we could get a bunch of guys going and it was tough to make shots.”

MR. 3,000

Booker reached 3,000 career points with a 19-foot jumper with 7:46 to play in the first quarter. He needed six points to reach 3,000 entering the game.

Booker, 21, is the fourth-youngest player in NBA history to score 3,000 points, behind LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony.

“It means a lot,” Booker said after the game. “My dream my whole life is to play in the NBA. Once I got here I realized I wanted to leave a mark. ... I’m trying to do it, and trying to get wins along with it.”

TIP-INS

Nets: F Rondae-Hollis Jefferson played 17 minutes in the first half but did not return in the second half due to a right hip contusion. ... F Trevor Booker (sore lower back) did not play and is day to day, coach Kenny Atkinson said. Booker didn’t take part in the pregame shootaround. ... F Quincy Acy played despite a left groin strain, his first action since Oct. 27.

Suns: Veteran F Jared Dudley played a season-high 21 minutes and scored his first six points of the season. ... Former NBA All-Star and Suns forward Clifford Robinson attended the game. ... The Suns have lost three straight at home to the Nets.

UP NEXT

Nets: At Denver on Tuesday night, the third game of five on a Western road trip.

Suns: Host Miami Wednesday night.

___

More AP basketball: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

Murray, Jokic lead Nuggets to 124-111 win over Nets

By MICHAEL SCOTTO
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — After getting a pep talk from his coach, Jamal Murray came through with a big game for the Denver Nuggets.

Murray scored 26 points, Nikola Jokic had 21 points and 14 rebounds, and the Nuggets beat the Brooklyn Nets 124-111 on Sunday.

“Before the game this morning (Murray) said, ‘Coach right now I’m a broken arrow,’” Nuggets coach Mike Malone said. “I said, ‘No, you’re not. You’re going to be fine. Just stay with it. I believe in you and you have to believe in yourself.’ Tonight, he came out and imposed his will on the game and was fantastic for us.”

Wilson Chandler added 18 points for the Nuggets, who have won two straight games.

Spencer Dinwiddie tied a career-high with 22 points, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson had 18 points and Joe Harris tied his season-high with 16 points for the Nets.

The Nuggets went on a 22-4 run to begin the third quarter as Brooklyn missed 10 of its first 11 shots. Chandler carried Denver in the third with 14 points as the Nuggets took a 100-84 lead into the fourth quarter and never looked back.

“I thought that third quarter was phenomenal,” Malone said. “That was by far our best quarter of basketball on both ends of the floor. We outscored them 40-21 and to hold them to only 40 percent for the game was terrific.”

While the third quarter was Denver’s best quarter of the season, it was arguably Brooklyn’s worst of the season.

“It’s just the defensive end, really,” Harris said. “You can’t give up 40 points in one quarter. Obviously they got comfortable, came off with a little more energy than we did and that was the game right there.”

Hollis-Jefferson led Brooklyn with 16 points at the half as the Nets took a 63-60 lead into the locker room. Brooklyn’s 63 points matched a season-high for points in the first half previously done in the season opener against Indiana. Emmanuel Mudiay led Denver with 15 points at the half.

Brooklyn’s 36 first quarter points marked its most in an opening period this season.

TIP-INS

Nuggets: Malone believes his young backcourt will be the key to success this season. “The biggest challenge for us is going to be when you have a 21-year-old backup point guard and a 20-year old starting point guard, there are going to be inconsistencies. Can we try to help them and speed up their maturation as players? Because we have big plans, we want to be a playoff team and when you have two young guards who are going through growing pains at times, it doesn’t make it always easy.” . Juancho Hernangomez (mononucleosis) was out.

Nets: Coach Kenny Atkinson said DeMarre Carroll (right ankle soreness) and Quincy Acy (left groin strain) are day-to-day. Jeremy Lin (right knee) was also out. ... Timofey Mozgov has now made two 3-pointers in seven games, which is more than he totaled the previous two. ... Jacob Wiley made his NBA debut.

UP NEXT

Nuggets: Visit New York on Monday. Denver then begins a six-game home stand.

Nets: Host Phoenix on Tuesday. Brooklyn then hits the road for five consecutive games.

Nets overcome James’ triple-double, beat Cavs 112-107

By BRIAN MAHONEY
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — With injuries on both sides, the point guard matchup came down to LeBron James against Spencer Dinwiddie.

James had the bigger numbers.

Dinwiddie made the biggest plays.

Dinwiddie hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 43 seconds left, and the Brooklyn Nets overcame James’ first triple-double of the season to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 112-107 on Wednesday night.

A former second-round pick of Detroit starting only because of injuries to Jeremy Lin and D’Angelo Russell, Dinwiddie scored a career-high 22 points as the Nets blew a 14-point lead in the final quarter but recovered to improve to 3-2 — the same record as the defending Eastern Conference champion Cavaliers.

“Obviously they’re Eastern Conference champions just about every year — or actually every year — and then either win the Finals or don’t obviously,” Dinwiddie said. “And for us to pull out a win and be able to close them out obviously after they made their run and to be able to respond, I think it just of kind of brings a young group a little bit closer together and kind of shows us that we can do it and hopefully propels us going forward.”

James had 29 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds in his 56th triple-double, but he missed two free throws — the second intentionally — with the Cavaliers trailing by two with 7.6 seconds remaining. DeMarre Carroll then hit a free throw and the Cavs’ long inbounds pass intended for James went out of bounds.

But the Cavs pointed to the start of the game as their problem.

“Just taking us too much time to get into the game; like get into the flow of the game,” James said. “Teams are playing with a faster pace than us to start the game and we have to figure that out for sure.”

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Allen Crabbe added 19 points apiece and Carroll scored 18 for the Nets, who bounced back from Tuesday’s loss in Orlando, when Russell sprained his right knee to join Lin on the injured list, and fell just shy of becoming the first NBA team in 32 years to open a season with five straight 115-point games.

“Everybody from 1 to 15 on the roster, everybody’s ready,” Crabbe said. “Everybody works hard, so when opportunities come guys are ready to step up and ready to play.”

With Derrick Rose still nursing a sprained left ankle and Dwyane Wade joining him after bruising his left knee in Tuesday’s victory over Chicago, James started at point guard in his 772nd game with the Cavs, passing former teammate Zydrunas Ilgauskas for most in team history.

He ran the offense fine but his long-range shooters couldn’t convert enough of his passes. Kevin Love finished 4 for 13 from the floor and J.R. Smith was 1 for 9, missing all five 3-point attempts.

“I mean it’s a lot of pressure to put on LeBron, have him handle the ball for 40 minutes, and that’s why I talk about playing the point guard position, it could wear you down,” coach Tyronn Lue said. “Unfortunately that’s all we have right now until D-Rose gets back.”

The Nets led by 14 when Quincy Acy made a 3-pointer to open the scoring in the fourth, but James led the Cavs on a 13-0 run that gave them a 94-92 lead on Love’s 3-pointer. The teams traded narrow leads from there.

TIP-INS

Cavaliers: Lue said he hoped Rose could play Saturday at New Orleans. ... The Cavs had won the last four meetings.

Nets: The Nets are 3-0 at home for the first time since 2002-03, when they started 5-0 back in East Rutherford, New Jersey. ... The last team with five straight 115-games to open a season was the 1985-86 Pistons. The Nets came in leading the NBA with 123.5 points per game.

DRAFT DODGING

The Cavaliers will get the Nets’ first-round pick, which originally was dealt to Boston and then sent to Cleveland in the Kyrie Irving-Isaiah Thomas swap. But Lue said the Cavs aren’t paying attention to how the Nets are doing.

“My main focus is just on our team and try to get us to play the right way,” he said before the game.

BRONX BOMBERS IN BROOKLYN

Aaron Judge, CC Sabathia and Dellin Betances of the New York Yankees watched from a sideline seat.

UP NEXT

Cavaliers: Visit New Orleans on Saturday.

Nets: Visit New York on Friday.

Gordon, Fournier rally Magic to 125-121 win over Nets

By TERRANCE HARRIS
Associated Press

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — On a team that’s at its best when consistently moving the ball, there are times Aaron Gordon seems to be working counter his Orlando Magic teammates.

But Gordon’s habit of taking quick shots and playing isolation basketball came up big for the Magic during their 125-121 comeback win over Brooklyn on Tuesday night. Gordon scored a career-high 41 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 36 seconds remaining.

“I just shot confidently, it was a quick shot,” said Gordon, who also finished with a game-high 14 rebounds. “It felt good coming off my hands.”

Gordon was 5 for 5 from 3-point range and converted 14 of 18 from the field in 37 minutes.

There were times when Gordon’s penchant for rushing shots worked against the Magic, especially as they fell behind by as many as 12 points in third quarter. But Gordon remained aggressive all night and defended his actions on the floor after the game.

“I definitely shot the ball well,” he said. “Regardless of the statistics, regardless of the numbers that I shot, I’m going to continue to shoot my shot. I feel that I’m open and that I’m in rhythm, whatever happens after that it’s out of my control. I’m going to take what I know I can do.”

Gordon had missed the Magic’s previous two games, a close loss to Brooklyn and a blowout win over Cleveland on Saturday, with an ankle injury. In both games the team benefited from good ball movement and shot selection.

They shot 51 percent and had 30 assists in last week’s five-point loss to the Nets, then had 28 more assists in the victory at Cleveland.

But against the Nets on Tuesday night, Orlando (3-1) finished with just 20 assists on 41 baskets.

“I’m glad we got a ‘W’ but there is a lesson in this game,” said Evan Fournier, who finished with 28 points. “We got away from moving the ball and we can’t have that. We’re not the type of team that can play (isolation) ball or pick-and-roll, pick-and-roll. Our strength is body movement and ball movement. We basically waited three quarters to do it.”

But when the Magic got back to the style of play that suits them best they were able to bounce back in the fourth quarter against a Nets team that had taken a commanding lead by scoring on fast breaks and in transitions off Orlando misses.

It looked as though the Nets (2-2) would have their second win of the season over the Magic when DeMarre Carroll snatched a rebound out of Nikola Vucevic’s hands and took the ball up for the go-ahead layup with 48 seconds remaining.

But Gordon answered with his 3-pointer followed by two free throws by Fournier for the four-point win. The Nets missed three consecutive 3-point shots in the waning moments to end the game.

D’Angelo Russell finished with 29 points for the Nets.

“Disappointed. We had our opportunities,” Brooklyn coach Kenny Atkinson said. “Obviously, we had a lot of open looks. It’s a make-or-miss league.”

TIP-INS

Nets: Russell made his first four 3-pointers in the opening five minutes of the opening quarter. Russell finished the first half with 15 points after cooling off the remainder of the half. ... The Nets outscored Orlando 9-4 on second-chance points and 12-6 on fast-break points during the first two quarters.

Magic: Point guard Elfrid Payton missed his second straight game with a hamstring strain. Coach Frank Vogel said he is unsure when Payton will be ready to go. ... Vucevic, who had been the Magic’s most consistent player in their first three games, got off to a slow start. He was 3 for 10 from the field and 0 for 3 from 3-point range to finish the first half with just six points. Vucevic ended the night with 12 points, which included a 0-for-5 showing from 3-point range and just 6 of 17 from the floor.

QUOTABLE

“I think we’re two teams struggling to push up in this league and struggling to make strides. There is a lot of energy there and a lot of want from our guys to kind of improve themselves from last year.” — Atkinson, on the improvement of both Brooklyn and Orlando.

UP NEXT

Nets: Host Cleveland on Wednesday night.

Magic: Hosts San Antonio on Friday night.

Allen Crabbe scored 20 points, Nets beat Hawks 116-104

By ADRY TORRES
Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) -- Allen Crabbe scored 20 points, DeMarre Carroll had 17 and the Brooklyn Nets beat the Atlanta Hawks 116-104 on Sunday.

Caris LeVert and D'Angelo Russell each had 16 points to help the Nets improve to 2-1 with their second straight victory.

Marco Belinelli had 19 points for Atlanta. The Hawks have lost two in a row to drop to 1-2.

Atlanta point guard Dennis Schroeder went down with an apparent ankle injury with 3:37 left and had to be helped off the court.

Brooklyn found a way to win once again without Jeremy Lin, who was lost for the season on opening night with a knee injury, holding off the Hawks after leading by 16 points late in the third.

The Nets led 98-87 with 7:47 go after a pair of free throws from LeVert. Atlanta then went on a 12-2 run, tying it 99 with on Belinelli's 3-pointer with 5:19 left.

Crabbe, who started the second game of the season but came off the bench against Atlanta while LeVert got the nod at shooting guard, hit a pair of 3s during a 7-0 run to put the Nets back up 106-99 with 3:47 to go.

After Carroll's free throw increased the lead 107-99, Ersan Ilyasova's layup cut it down to 107-101, the closest the Hawks would get.

TIP-INS

Hawks: The Hawks are opening with a five-game trip while Phillips Arena goes through a renovation phase.

Nets: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson limped off court with 8:06 in first quarter due to an injury and returned with 4:14 left in the second. He quickly made a nifty layup, converting a three-point play. ... Brooklyn was held to 19 points in the first quarter after averaging 29.5 over their first two games. ... Rookie Jarrett Allen had a career-high four blocks off the bench in 14 minutes.

UP NEXT

Hawks: At Miami on Monday night.

Nets: At Brooklyn on Tuesday night.

Nets acquire Crabbe from Blazers for Nicholson

(TSX / STATS) -- The Brooklyn Nets acquired swingman Allen Crabbe from the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday in exchange for forward Andrew Nicholson.

Crabbe averaged a career-best 10.7 points last season, his fourth with Portland since he was drafted in the second round by Cleveland in 2013.

The 6-foot-6 Crabbe, who also shot a career-best 44.4 percent from 3-point range last season, averaged 2.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 28 1/2 minutes of action.

The former University of California product has a career scoring average of 8.3 points in his four seasons with the Trail Blazers, also reaching double digits at 10.3 points during the 2015-16 season.

The 6-foot-9 Nicholson was acquired by the Nets from Washington during last season. He averaged 3.0 points and 2.7 rebounds in 10 games with Brooklyn and 2.5 points in 28 games with the Wizards.

A first-round pick of the Orlando Magic in 2012, Nicholson had his most productive offensive season as a rookie, averaging 7.8 points. He is averaging 6.0 points and 3.0 rebounds in five seasons with the Magic, Wizards and Nets.

Recap: Whitehead, Dinwiddie lead Nets past Nuggets

Joel Bartilotta, RotoWire

The Brooklyn Nets defeated the Denver Nuggets 85-74 in the second round of the Summer League playoffs at Thomas & Mack Center on Thursday.

This was a lopsided result for Brooklyn (3-1), as Denver (1-4) couldn’t get out of their own way. In fact, the Nets held a double-digit lead for the final 15 minutes, as the Nuggets shot under 30 percent from the field in the second half. It wasn’t much better for the game, with Denver hitting just 32 percent from both the field and three-point range. Defensive rebounding was also key, with Brooklyn winning that battle, 45-30.

Malik Beasley led the way for Denver, as he tallied 20 points, seven rebounds and two assists. Torrey Craig finished with 14 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals. Monte Morris really struggled, as he accrued five points, three rebounds and five assists on 2-of-10 shooting.

Isaiah Whitehead led Brooklyn, as he totaled 14 points, three rebounds and four assists. Spencer Dinwiddie amassed 13 points and five rebounds. Milton Doyle led all bench scorers by providing 13 points, four rebounds and two assists off the Nets bench.

On deck for Brooklyn is a quarterfinal matchup on Saturday against either the Los Angeles Lakers or Cleveland Cavaliers.  

Lopez officially traded from Nets to Lakers for Russell, Mozgov

Brook Lopez played in three arenas, for nine coaches and with numerous teammates.

He also survived numerous trade rumors.

On Thursday, his nine-year career with the Brooklyn Nets officially ended when he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for guard D'Angelo Russell and center Timofey Mozgov.

Russell was the second pick of the Lakers two years ago out of Ohio State. He averaged 13.2 points as a rookie and improved to 15.6 points last season as the Lakers won 26 games.

"We are extremely excited to welcome D'Angelo and Timofey to our Brooklyn Nets family," Nets general manager Sean Marks said in a statement released by the team. "D'Angelo is a versatile young guard with a bright future and we are enthusiastic about continuing his development along with our young nucleus, while Timofey will provide a veteran presence who can contribute on both ends of the floor. Both are great fits within Kenny's system."

Also going to the Lakers are the rights to forward Kyle Kuzma, who was drafted with the 27th pick.

The Nets drafted Lopez with the 10th overall pick in 2008 when the team still played in the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, N.J. He played two seasons in Newark before the team moved to Brooklyn in 2012.

"We would also like to thank Brook for all of his contributions to the team over his nine seasons with the Nets," Marks said. "As the franchise's all-time leading scorer and longest-tenured player, he has been an exemplary member of the organization and always represented the Nets with class both on the court and in the community. We wish Brook and his family nothing but success in the future."

Lopez appeared in 562 games with the Nets and averaged 18.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists in 32.2 minutes. Last season, he averaged 20.5 points and expanded his game to include 3-point shooting while becoming the longest tenured-player in franchise history.

He was in rumors when the Nets tried to get Dwight Howard from Orlando in 2012 and again in 2015 when the team attempted to get Reggie Jackson from Oklahoma City

"To Brook Lopez, a huge personal thank you for your integrity and commitment to the team over the last nine years," Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov said in a statement.

Lopez also surpassed Buck Williams as the franchise scoring leader with 10,444 points, and he is the Nets' career leader in blocked shots with 972.

Mozgov made his NBA debut with the New York Knicks in 2010 and was sent to Denver in February 2011 in the Carmelo Anthony deal. He won a championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016.

In 423 games with the Knicks, Denver, Cleveland and the Lakers, Mozgov has averages of seven points and five rebounds. In the first season of four-year, $64 million contract, the 30-year-old averaged 7.4 points and 4.9 rebounds in 54 games.

Kuzma averaged 10.1 points in 96 games during three seasons with Utah. Last season, he led the Utes in scoring (16.4 points) and rebounding (9.3).

Elfrid Payton has 22 points, Magic beat Nets 115-107

Associated Press

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) The Orlando Magic might finally have found something to build their future around.

Elfrid Payton and Aaron Gordon, the team's first-round picks in the 2014 draft, lead the Magic to a 115-107 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday night.

Payton had 22 points, 11 assists and five rebounds, and Gordon added 21 points, six rebounds and two monster dunks off alley-oop passes from Payton.

"It's been a tough year for us in the win-loss column, but those two guys (Payton and Gordon) have really developed, especially in the second half of this season," Magic coach Frank Vogel said. "They've been getting a little bit better, a little more confident and that's been a fun thing to be a part of."

Jodie Meeks contributed 20 points to help Orlando end a five-game losing skid.

Jeremy Lin led Brooklyn with 32 points, and Caris LeVert added 20.

Payton had eight assists during the third quarter when Orlando outscored Brooklyn 36-21 to break open a game that was tied at 50 at halftime. Half the assists went to Meeks, who scored 13 straight points in the middle of the period when Orlando seized control of the game.

But it was the Magic point guard's pass to Gordon at the end of a fast break that brought the house down. Payton looked like he was heading for a layup, but instead banked it hard off the backboard and the trailing Gordon grabbed it above the rim and slammed it home to polish off a 24-5 Magic run.

"That's the first time I've ever done that in a game," Payton said of his pass. "Aaron and I have talked about it before, but we finally got a chance tonight. The chemistry between us is growing and I'm looking forward to working on it more this summer."

The Nets had a season-high three-game winning streak, but didn't have the legs to run with Orlando in the third quarter. Brooklyn did start the fourth period with a 12-2 run that closed the gap to 88-83 with eight minutes left in the game, but never got closer.

"I don't think we did the things defensively that were necessary to keep us in the game," Nets' coach Kenny Atkinson said. "They outplayed us individually and collectively. Credit to them, they did a good job."

"They came out with more energy than us in the third quarter," said Nets' center Robin Lopez, who had a very quiet night with 10 points and five rebounds. "I felt like I was just flat out poor tonight. That was rough. We definitely took a step back tonight."

TIP INS

Nets: SG Sean Kilpatrick sat out the game with a hamstring injury. ... The Nets bench is averaging a league-best 49.7 points a game since March 1. They had 39 points against Orlando. ... The last time the Nets won four straight was in March 2015.

Magic: Scoring leader Evan Fournier was out with a slight hand injury. Payton is the only Magic player to play in every game this season. ... Former Magic player and recent Hall of Fame selection Tracy McGrady sat courtside.

UP NEXT

Nets: Home against the Chicago Bulls on Saturday. Brooklyn has lost four straight at home against the Bulls.

Magic: Home against the Indiana Pacers on Saturday. Orlando is 0-3 against Frank Vogel's old team this season.

Nets seek 3rd in row at Sixers

Stats, LLC

PHILADELPHIA -- The Brooklyn Nets will attempt to stretch their winning streak to a season-long three games when they visit the depleted Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night.

The Nets (18-59) beat Atlanta 91-82 on Sunday behind 29 points from Brook Lopez. It was the second time this season they won consecutive games, and the first time since the 2014-15 season that they won on back-to-back days.

Lopez, who is 60 points away from equaling Buck Williams' franchise scoring record (10,440), also had five rebounds, five assists and five block shots. The only other Net to total more than 25 points, five rebounds, five assists and five blocks in a game was Darnell Hillman in 1977.

"Brook quite honestly carried us offensively," coach Kenny Atkinson said. "We were struggling to get looks and he made some really tough shots."

Jeremy Lin added 15 points, six rebounds and six assists for Brooklyn, which limited Atlanta to a season-low point total. The Hawks, who shot 37.5 percent from the floor, made just 30 field goals, a season low for a Nets opponent. Atlanta also turned the ball over 19 times.

"I think our defense is getting better in general," said Atkinson, whose club won despite shooting 39 percent from the floor and committing 21 turnovers.

He attributed the defensive improvement to more "competitive fire."

"You need to get stops," Atkinson said, "and I think our guys are, again, raising our defensive standards, getting better."

The Sixers (28-49) lost 113-105 in Toronto on Sunday, their third straight defeat. They lost Robert Covington and Jahlil Okafor for the season to knee injuries last week, after earlier seeing Joel Embiid (knee) and Jerryd Bayless (wrist) ruled out for the year as well.

Ben Simmons, the top overall pick in the 2016 draft, is out for the entire season after breaking a foot in training camp.

"We are kind of just dropping like flies, man," point guard T.J. McConnell told Philly.com on Sunday. "We are just giving new opportunities to new guys. We have to continue to play hard. You'd be surprised in the month of April what playing hard will do for you."

Rookie guard Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot scored a career-high 23 points Sunday for Philadelphia, which because of all its injuries was allowed a hardship exception to sign a 16th player, forward Alex Poythress of the NBA Development League's Fort Wayne Mad Ants, to its roster. Poythress scored 11 points off the bench against Toronto.

Rookie forward Dario Saric, placed on a minutes restriction because of a sore left heel, notched 16 points in 23:47 and said he felt fine afterward.

"It's not something that can be serious like some injury that can take me out for one month or two months," Saric told Philly.com. "It's just soreness (from) too many games, too much jumping and running."

Coach Brett Brown told the same outlet that the Sixers, who like the Nets have five games left in their season, want to play hard to the end.

"None of us intend on just rolling over," he said. "We're playing with a spirit, which I've said many times, I hope that the city of Philadelphia is proud of."

Nets sign Archie Goodwin to multiyear contract

Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) The Brooklyn Nets have signed guard Archie Goodwin to a multiyear contract.

Goodwin has played in seven games since signing the first of two 10-day contracts on March 25. He has averaged 6.6 points while shooting 57.1 percent (16 of 28) from the field.

Goodwin was a first-round pick in the 2013 draft out of Kentucky and has previously played for Phoenix and New Orleans. He has averaged 6.2 points in 160 games.

The Nets visit Philadelphia on Tuesday.

Lopez leads Nets over Magic, 121-111

By MICHAEL SCOTTO
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) The Brooklyn Nets dominated inside the paint and off the bench to beat the Orlando Magic.

Brook Lopez scored 30 points and Trevor Booker had a season-high 23 in a reserve role to lead the Nets to a 121-111 victory on Saturday.

"That must have been Booker's best game of the year, probably," Jeremy Lin said. "He was incredible with the energy."

Sean Kilpatrick added 15 points for the Nets, who snapped a two-game losing streak. Booker and Kilpatrick helped Brooklyn's bench outscore Orlando's 72-16.

Brooklyn also had a season-high 72 points in the paint.

"Brook is really hard to guard down there," Lin said. "We keep trying to find ways to exploit the defense with his size and his touch. I think he's finding a great balance inside and outside. I felt like he really made his presence known tonight."

Elfrid Payton had 20 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds for his fifth triple-double of the season for Orlando, which has lost four straight games. Nikola Vucevic had 27 points and 11 rebounds, while Aaron Gordon finished with 22 points and 15 boards.

"I think we were just a little step slow today," Payton said. "They were really driving the paint. Just hard drive after hard drive and kick out until they got something they liked."

Brooklyn opened the fourth quarter on an 11-0 run to take a 100-89 lead and never looked back.

"I think Brooklyn's bench came in and took over the game during that stretch to start the fourth quarter to build a big lead," Magic coach Frank Vogel said. "I credit their bench."

Orlando rallied from a seven-point deficit at halftime to tie the score at 89 heading into the fourth quarter. Vucevic scored 12 points in the third.

Brooklyn took a 60-53 lead into halftime. Lopez led Brooklyn with 18 points while Gordon and Vucevic led Orlando with 13 points apiece at the half.

Orlando opened the game with a 15-5 run before Brooklyn rallied to tie the score at 33 apiece after the first quarter.

TIP-INS

Magic: Vogel has been impressed with Terrence Ross since arriving from Toronto in a midseason trade. "He's exceeded our expectations," Vogel said. "We knew he was a good scorer off the bench. We're using him as a starter and with heavy minutes. He's a dynamic offensive player with his 3-point shooting and you can put the ball in his hands and he makes good decisions. He can attack long closeouts and get to the rim too with athleticism. He's multidimensional offensively and one of our better perimeter defenders as well." . Jeff Green (sore lower back) was out.

Nets: Brooklyn doesn't plan on resting veteran players. "We're not going to rest," coach Kenny Atkinson said. "I've been saying how important I think it is for us to finish this season strong and I do think seeing more of Jeremy together with the group is helpful. Our mentality is to have positive momentum heading into this important offseason." ... Quincy Acy (sore left ankle) and Joe Harris (sprained left shoulder) were out.

BENCH BUNCH

Brooklyn's bench came in averaging 45.5 points, second in the league to the Lakers' 48.0. The 72 points Saturday was the Nets' third-highest total this season. They had 81 points on March 23 at Phoenix and 73 on Jan. 20 at New Orleans.

UP NEXT

Magic: Visit Cleveland on Tuesday, which will conclude a three-game road trip.

Nets: Host Atlanta on Sunday. Brooklyn then hits the road four of the final five games of the regular season.

Morris' double-double, Smith's 3 lift Pistons over Nets

By CHRIS NELSEN
Associated Press

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) The Detroit Pistons made a crucial stand to keep their dwindling playoff hopes alive.

Marcus Morris had 28 points and 13 rebounds, and Ish Smith hit the go-ahead 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter, helping the Pistons beat the Brooklyn Nets 90-89 on Thursday night.

Smith, who finished with 21 points, six rebounds and five assists, gave the Pistons an 87-86 lead with 28.5 seconds left. Brook Lopez missed a 3-pointer on the Nets' ensuing possession, and Detroit sealed it at the free-throw line.

"You know how difficult it is to win in this league, so whenever you can get a win, and we've been struggling, it was good," said Smith, who helped the Pistons snap their five-game losing streak.

Detroit, the No. 10 seed in the Eastern Conference, continues to battle for a postseason berth.

"You can't get too high, can't get too low," Smith said. "Any day we can get a win at this point is good. Make one more little push. We're excited about the challenge."

The Nets opened a four-point edge at 86-82 on Lopez's 3-pointer with 1:40 left. Smith then hit a jumper and 3-pointer to give the Pistons a one-point advantage.

"The shots were there, so I stepped up and took it," Smith said. "It's a miss-and-make league. You make it, then you're happy. You miss it, then we're talking about a different result."

Detroit hit three free throws down the stretch to build the lead to 90-86, and Justin Hamilton drained a 3 at the buzzer for the final margin.

Sean Kilpatrick scored 15 and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Jeremy Lin each had 14 points for the Nets. Lopez added 11 points and nine rebounds.

"They made some big shots and we didn't," Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said. "Our execution was average at best. Tough loss, but credit to them."

The third quarter went back and forth, with neither team leading by more than six. Detroit took a 55-53 advantage on Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's 3-pointer with 5:30 left, but the Nets rallied for a 63-59 lead entering the final period.

"Overall, we did a really good job defensively," Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said. "I'm happy for our guys and happy to get the win."

TIP-INS

Nets: F Quincy Acy (left ankle) and G Joe Harris (left shoulder) did not play. ... Brooklyn beat the Pistons 98-96 on Lopez's buzzer-beater on March 21, starting a five-game losing skid for the Pistons.

Pistons: PG Reggie Jackson (rest) was inactive for the third consecutive game. Jackson, who missed the opening 21 games with left knee tendinitis, has been unable to regain his form from last season. Van Gundy said Jackson remains day-to-day and hasn't been ruled out for the team's final six regular-season games. ... G Reggie Bullock (right foot sprain) did not play. ... The Pistons' schedule doesn't get easier down the stretch, with road games at Milwaukee, Houston and Memphis. They host Toronto and Washington.

ROAD WOES

The Nets have lost four consecutive games at the Palace. They won the season series against the Pistons 2-1, winning both games in Brooklyn.

"We've gotten a little complacent," Lopez said. "We need to put our right foot forward and show our true selves."

UP NEXT

Nets: Host Orlando on Saturday.

Pistons: At Milwaukee on Friday.

Late slide dims Pistons' playoff hopes

Stats, LLC

A buzzer-beating shot by the Brooklyn Nets' Brook Lopez sent the Detroit Pistons into a tailspin.

Another last-second basket on Tuesday -- a tip-in by Miami's Hassan Whiteside -- virtually knocked them out of playoff contention.

The Pistons will try to snap their five-game losing streak when they host the Nets on Thursday night. They will also try to salvage the finale of the three-game series after losing at Barclays Center twice.

Detroit seemed to be in good position for a playoff berth before Lopez made his baseline shot on March 21. The Pistons proceeded to go 0-4 on a road trip filled exclusively with Eastern Conference opponents sporting losing records. They returned home to play Miami in a game with major playoff implications and gave away a four-point lead in the final 30.1 seconds.

Instead of moving within a half-game of the Heat for the eighth-best conference record and final playoff berth, the Pistons (34-41) dropped 2 1/2 games back with seven remaining. The Pistons now trail seventh-place Miami and eighth-place Indiana by three games.

"We still didn't shoot the ball very well, but we didn't let it bother us. We stayed in there and fought really, really hard," coach Stan Van Gundy said. "It's a game we should have won. A couple of different decisions by me and we would have won the game."

Van Gundy was especially mad at himself for leaving in swingman Stanley Johnson during Detroit's final possession instead of bringing in veteran point guard Beno Udrih. Johnson got tied up on a double-team and lost a jump ball to Miami's James Johnson, allowing the Heat to take possession down by one.

The Pistons played their second straight game without starting point guard Reggie Jackson, who has been slowed by knee and fatigue issues. He'll likely sit out again on Thursday.

Van Gundy tweaked his lineup for the Heat game, moving forward Tobias Harris back to the sixth-man role he often has played during the second half of the season. Harris scored 19 points in 30 minutes.

"We were getting off to better starts and then our bench just had nothing," Van Gundy said. "Just trying to get a little bit of balance. For the most part, it was pretty effective bringing him in off the bench. I thought our rotations were better. That's probably the only decent move I made all night."

The Nets (16-58) have gone 2-2 since beating the Pistons. They lost at home to Philadelphia 106-101 on Tuesday, shooting 40.4 percent overall and 28.1 percent on 3-point attempts.

"You never know what it is. Is it focus? Is it fatigue, fighting through a little fatigue? But whatever it is, we did not have it," Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said. "We did not have the juice from the beginning. It was an uphill battle all game, and we obviously didn't shoot the ball well."

Lopez had another strong game, with 26 points, nine rebounds and six assists, but no other Net had more than 11 points.

"I just felt like we relaxed a little bit after we won three of four, and it's a valuable lesson for us to be able to learn that this league is tough on any given night," point guard Jeremy Lin said. "I'll be the first person to say that I didn't play nearly close to what I'm capable of, so I have to live with that and just get better for the next one."

Saric, Covington lift 76ers over Nets 106-101

By ADRY TORRES
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) Philadelphia's rebuild has been marked by setbacks and stumbles, but the 76ers hit one clear marker of progress Tuesday night.

Dario Saric scored 23 points, Robert Covington had 21 points and 13 rebounds and the undermanned 76ers beat the Brooklyn Nets 106-101 to get their 28th win, matching their combined total from the previous two seasons.

"It's just a testament to all the hard work," Covington said. "This team is very resilient. We fight each and every night we step on the court.

"It's a relief to see everything we've been working for paying off even though we're not there where we want to be just yet," Covington added. "But it's all about the process and it's all about the steps that you have to take."

Philadelphia got its 11th road victory of the season. They had just nine the previous two years combined.

"People, maybe, think we're not doing a good job, but Joel (Embiid) got 30 games this year, Ben Simmons got no games this year and we still have 28 wins," Saric said. "We've gotten an opportunity. That means we're doing good, especially when Joel and Ben come back. This team has a lot of talent and a big opportunity to make something after waiting two or three years."

Rookie guard Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot had 17 points and nine boards for the 76ers, who dressed only nine players and still led by 10 points early in the second quarter before 18 lead changes in the second half.

Philadelphia was without center Jahlil Okafor, who missed his third straight game due to right knee soreness, and veteran guard Gerald Henderson, who did not play because of soreness in his left hip.

Brook Lopez led the Nets with 26 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Jeremy Lin and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson each chipped in 11 points.

"I don't know if it was a combination of the juice or concentration and focus," Lopez said. "But we were just throwing a lot of balls away and just missing opportunities."

Philadelphia trailed 96-95 after Lin's jumper with 5:05 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The 76ers then went on a 10-5 run paced by Saric and Covington to close out their third straight win over Brooklyn this season.

"The wiggle room this group has is tiny," 76ers coach Brett Brown said. "The margin for error is tiny and when you look at links to pair up with our wins, it's certainly Dario and we need Robert right next to him performing well."

Richaun Holmes hit a pair of free throws to put Philadelphia ahead 97-96 before Lopez's layup gave the Nets a 98-97 lead with 3:37 left. A nifty layup by Saric again gave the visitors the advantage, 99-98, but Isaiah Whitehead's 3-pointer in front of the 76ers bench briefly put the Nets ahead, 101-100 with 2:29 left.

An alert Covington picked up the rebound after T.J. McConnell's failed attempt and started a 6-0 run with 1:26 to go, ending with Holmes' two free throws.

TIP-INS

Sixers: Point guard Sergio Rodriguez missed the game after an MRI earlier in the day revealed a left hamstring strain. The Spaniard is averaging 7.8 points and 5.1 assists in 68 games.

Nets: Guard Sean Kilpatrick, who missed the last six games due to a hamstring injury, played 12 minutes and scored nine points

SPLIT DECISION

Tiago Splitter, who had been nursing a right calf injury, entered late in the first quarter for his first game since Jan. 31, 2016 while with the Atlanta Hawks before undergoing hip surgery. Splitter, who was acquired from the Hawks on Feb. 22, ended up with two points and three rebounds in seven minutes.

UP NEXT

Sixers: Host Atlanta on Wednesday night.

Nets: Visit Detroit on Thursday night.

Lopez has 23 points as Nets top slumping Hawks, 107-92

By CHARLES ODUM
Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP) The Brooklyn Nets have struggled to protect any lead, especially on the road, while compiling the NBA's worst record.

This time, Brook Lopez and the Nets answered every challenge from Atlanta.

Lopez scored 23 points and the Nets beat Atlanta 107-92 on Sunday, handing the short-handed Hawks their seventh straight loss.

The Hawks were without three starters, including Paul Millsap.

The Nets led by 22 points in the first half and regrouped for only their sixth road win after Atlanta pulled within five points early in the second half.

"I don't want to say earlier in the season we would have folded, but I don't think we would have done a great job of holding on, and holding our composure the way we did," Lopez said.

Lopez said the win "shows the growth and how much we've improved since the start of the season."

Lopez became the Nets' career leader in field goals, passing Buck Williams, made when he sank a 10-foot jumper with less than five minutes remaining.

Jeremy Lin had 19 points for the Nets (16-57), who have won three of four and are 7-8 in March.

The Hawks began the day tied with Milwaukee for fifth in the Eastern Conference. Atlanta's slide has come as Millsap has missed five straight games with left knee tightness.

The Hawks also were without Kent Bazemore, who missed his fourth straight game with a right knee bone bruise, and Thabo Sefolosha (right groin strain).

Dennis Schroder led Atlanta with 24 points. Rookie forward Taurean Price had 17 points in his first start.

The seven-game losing streak matches Atlanta's longest of the season.

Hawks center Dwight Howard, who had 19 points and 16 rebounds, said players "have to fight for each other" and "can't allow the enemy to be ourselves. The enemy has to be the other team."

Added Howard: "There are times we have to do a better job collectively of staying together and staying strong, especially when we have tough times."

Brooklyn led 19-18 before stretching the lead to 43-21 with a 24-3 run that covered the end of the first period and the first three minutes of the second.

Atlanta was held without a field goal in the second quarter until Schroder's jumper with 7:32 remaining.

The Hawks recovered to trail 55-48 at halftime and twice cut the deficit to five points early in the second half. Caris LeVert had four points in a 10-0 run that pushed the Nets' lead to 67-52.

TIP-INS

Nets: Lopez got the seven field goals he needed to pass Williams' team record of 3,981. ... G Joe Harris (sprained left shoulder) and G Sean Kilpatrick (strained left hamstring) did not play. ... The Nets' last win at Atlanta had been March 9, 2013. ... The Nets scored 31 points off Atlanta's 21 turnovers. ... Brooklyn improved its road record to 6-30.

Hawks: Howard's sixth rebound made him the 15th player in NBA history with 16,000 points and 12,000 rebounds. ... Ersan Ilyasova had 18 rebounds and nine points. Howard and Ilyasova are first Atlanta teammates with at least 15 rebounds since Josh Smith and Al Horford against Milwaukee on March 20, 2013. .... Tim Hardaway Jr. had 16 points but shot only 5 of 16 from the field.

MILLSAP MENDING

Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said Millsap has had swelling in the knee and an MRI "was clean, nothing unusual." Budenholzer said the plan is "just continuing to monitor him and rehab and hope for the best."

AND VISITING

Nets coach Kenny Atkinson, a Hawks assistant from 2012-16, had a visit from Millsap after the game. Millsap stuck out his hand to briefly interrupt the postgame news conference.

"I don't stop my press conference for just anybody," Atkinson said after the handshake.

UP NEXT

Nets: Host 76ers on Tuesday.

Hawks: Host Suns on Tuesday.

Wizards jump out early, cruise to 129-108 victory over Nets

By IAN QUILLEN
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) – After waking up with a migraine headache on Friday, John Wall could at least go to bed knowing his Washington Wizards are back in the playoffs.

Wall overcame his symptoms to score 22 points, Bradley Beal added 19, and the Wizards defeated the Brooklyn Nets 129-108 on Friday to help secure their third postseason berth in four years.

"Just play," said Wall of his approach. "I've played through a lot of stuff. I'll be all right."

The third-place Wizards secured their Eastern Conference spot when Detroit and Chicago lost elsewhere, and also moved a game ahead of idle Toronto.

Brandon Jennings had 18 points, one of three Wizards bench players to score in double-figures.

Washington's second unit outscored Brooklyn's 33-14 during a lopsided first half.

That helped coach Scott Brooks give his starters some rest ahead of a five-game road trip that includes visits to Cleveland and Golden State.

"We knew March was going to be pretty demanding," said Brooks, whose team will play eight of its last 10 away from the Verizon Center. "It's a challenge, but our guys are excited about it."

Wall and Beal each played 24 minutes, with Wall playing his second-fewest in a game this season.

That was a welcome break for the four-time All-Star point guard, whose symptoms had convinced him to skip the morning shootaround.

"I've still got a headache, (but) it's not as bad as it was this morning," Wall said. "I took some medicine. I slept just about all day until like 4:30. So still taking medicine, still trying to do as much treatment as I can and prepare myself for tomorrow."

Justin Hamilton scored 20 points off the bench to lead the Nets a day after Brooklyn beat Phoenix 126-98 for its second-largest win of the season.

The Nets actually led by nine early, then trailed by as many as 28 after Washington outscored Brooklyn 55-18 during a 15-minute stretch that went deep into the second quarter.

"Things don't go your way all the time, and I feel like we could've handled it a little differently," said Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who added 19 points for Brooklyn. "But that's on us."

TIP-INS

Nets: Suffered their 30th road loss off the season. ... Allowed their most points since a 130-116 loss at Portland on March 4.

Wizards: Swept the season series with Brooklyn for a third time in four seasons ... Improved to 18-11 in games that are part of back-to-back sets. . Wall and Jennings each finished with nine assists.

STAYING IN

Before the game, Brooks explained why he didn't automatically sit Wall, who has played in 70 of Washington's 72 games.

"Our medical team and our players, that's their expertise," Brooks said. "I like guys that want to play. He's not going to put himself in harm's way. ... But if he feels like he can play, I think that's a great asset and a great trait to have as a player and as one of the leaders of the team."

"THE PERFECT ROLE"

Bojan Bogdanovic scored 17 points in his first game against Brooklyn since leaving the Nets for Washington at the February trade deadline. He's averaging 14.8 points in 17 games off the bench.

"I think he's in the perfect role for him right now," Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said. "It's like being a receiver playing with a great quarterback. He kind of sits there in the corner and Wall throws those 1,000 mile-an-hour fastballs to him."

POOR PLANNING?

After playing at home on Thursday, the Nets took the unusual step of traveling to Washington on the day of their game.

"Obviously, the result isn't very good. So, if we're just going on the result, it wasn't a smart move by the coach," Atkinson said. "But I don't regret it. It's part of trying to find out how to be more efficient in what we do."

UP NEXT

Nets: Close a two-game road trip at Atlanta on Sunday.

Wizards: Begin their road trip at Cleveland on Saturday.