The Nets beat the Los Angeles Lakers 111-108 on Monday at Barclays Heart, and with their first victory since Feb. 22, the NBA’s longest energetic dropping streak was snapped at seven video games.
Brooklyn is now tied with the Philadelphia 76ers for the sixth-best lottery odds at 22-42.
“After losing seven in a row, it’s just good to get back to winning,” head coach Jordi Fernandez mentioned. “It’s a good reward for the work.”
The Lakers appear to retain defensive depth no matter who’s accessible. Though LeBron James, Dorian Finney-Smith, Jaxon Hayes and Rui Hachimura have been sidelined due to damage, they strapped the Nets within the first quarter, limiting them to 6-for-19 capturing.
Gabe Vincent poured in 13 factors in a primary quarter the place the Lakers outscored Brooklyn 28-16.
Nevertheless, the second quarter belonged to the Nets. Trailing by 15 factors with 11:25 left within the interval, they battled again behind robust protection and 16 mixed factors from Cam Johnson and Day’Ron Sharpe.
Johnson’s 26-footer put Brooklyn up 48-47 with 1:06 left within the first half, which on the time was its first lead because it was a 7-5 recreation within the first quarter. The Nets, who in the end went into halftime with a one-point benefit, outscored Los Angeles 32-19 within the second quarter.
Brooklyn matched its greatest second quarter of the season with that plus-13 edge. It additionally had a plus-13 level differential within the second quarter of Saturday’s 105-102 loss to the Charlotte Hornets.
“A little bit more attention to detail on rotations and getting to those shooters,” Cam Johnson mentioned when requested about Brooklyn’s defensive changes between the primary and second quarters. “I think they started off really hot, making a lot of 3s. I think we did a good job of trying to limit that… but in the process of kind of speeding them up, forcing turnovers and getting out and running.”
Subsequent, the Nets opened the third quarter on an 11-4 run to go up 59-51. The scoring burst was sparked by seven fast factors from Keon Johnson, who celebrated his twenty third birthday on Monday.
Brooklyn led by as many as eight factors in a 3rd quarter the place it shot 52.4%, however the Lakers had a 5-0 edge in second probability factors and a 7-5 benefit on the free throw line. It added as much as a one-point Nets lead getting into the ultimate body.
The Nets additionally surrendered three straight 3-pointers to Vincent, Luka Doncic and Dalton Knecht over the ultimate 2:29 of the third quarter.
A Noah Clowney 3-pointer, adopted by a Clowney steal and Johnson transition slam, gave Brooklyn a 92-85 lead with seven minutes left. This time, the Nets held on after blowing a 17-point lead two nights in the past. D’Angelo Russell’s second 3-pointer put them up 104-98 with 1:31 left.
That six-point cushion late proved to be simply sufficient for Brooklyn to flee victorious. Donic by some means cashed a 35-footer with 10.6 seconds left, which made it a two-point recreation.
The Nets dedicated a season-low seven turnovers towards the Lakers.
“That’s elite,” Fernandez mentioned.
Cam Johnson and Keon Johnson have been Brooklyn’s most efficient starters, ending with 18 factors every. The Nets had a 48-26 benefit in bench factors, led by Clowney (19 factors) and Tyrese Martin (14 factors). Martin reached double figures as a scorer for the third time in his final 5 appearances.
“Knowing that there aren’t very many restrictions, like, [Jordi’s] not coming in the locker room telling you, ‘No, you don’t get to shoot that, you don’t get to do that.’ It allows us to play free and confident. We just make plays for each other. We know what we want to do… I think that’s good for our confidence and how we played down the stretch.”
Doncic and Austin Reaves shot a mixed 11-for-40 from the sector, ending with 22 and 17 factors, respectively. Brooklyn, which shot simply 41.1%, turned 15 Lakers turnovers into 19 factors whereas limiting them to 43.5% capturing.
The Nets will return to motion on Tuesday towards the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
Initially Printed: March 10, 2025 at 10:10 PM EDT
