Nets Beat Warriors For 3rd Consecutive Win
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- The New Jersey Nets came back home and kept on winning.
Brook Lopez had 26 points and 10 rebounds, and made two clinching free throws with 3.3 seconds left as the New Jersey Nets beat the Golden State Warriors 94-90 on Wednesday night for their first three-game winning streak in two years.
It was the Nets' first game since they swept a pair from Toronto last weekend in London, the NBA's first regular-season games in Europe. They were playing without All-Star Deron Williams, who missed the game to be with his wife in Dallas for the birth of the couple's fourth child.
"The team definitely fought through on this one," Lopez said. "I knew we'd pull it out just because of the way we were playing defense. We were getting stops."
Anthony Morrow added 22 points for the Nets, who were without All-Star point guard Deron Williams. Sasha Vujacic, who entered the game averaging 8.9 points on 39.7 percent shooting, was 7 of 16 from the field for 16 points, and Kris Humphries chipped in with 11.
"Our big guys were terrific. They were helping us on pick-and-rolls," Vujacic said. "We were able to limit their shots and easy buckets."
David Lee had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Warriors, who completed a seven-game road swing with a 2-5 mark. Monta Ellis scored 16 points on 7-for-22 shooting, Stephen Curry finished with 15 and Reggie Williams scored 10 off the bench.
"We're not happy at all. We won two games on (the road trip). That's not enough to get us where we want to be. We just have to move on from this one and grind the rest of the 19, 18 games we have left," Ellis said. "(We) played hard. Every game."
New Jersey had a 51-49 halftime lead on the strength of an 18-6 run to end the first quarter. The Warriors outscored the Nets 28-23 in the third period, highlighted by a breakaway dunk by Ellis, Lee's two-handed dunk and a buzzer-beating floater in the lane by Ellis.
But the Nets limited the Warriors to only 13 fourth-quarter points on 5-of-19 shooting.
"Couldn't make (any) shots. I think a lot of shots we took were good shots. They just didn't go down," Ellis said.
Humphries and Lopez combined for what may have been the game-deciding defensive sequence late in the fourth quarter. Lopez blocked Curry's layup attempt and Humphries swatted Ekpe Udoh's dunk attempt. Golden State was called for a shot clock violation on the subsequent possession.
"We didn't play smart basketball down the stretch," Warriors coach Keith Smart said. "We had a chance to walk away with this game and unfortunately we didn't. Stephen Curry is a young player and he is going to grow and become a better player. He will learn and manage these situations better. Point guard is the toughest position in the world because every player wants the ball. Every situation you have the ball is critical."
Still, the Warriors only trailed by two when Ellis pulled up from the foul line with 3 seconds remaining. His shot was short and Lopez grabbed the rebound before being fouled by the Warriors' starting shooting guard.
Notes: Jordan Farmar started in place of Deron Williams. New York Giants defensive lineman Justin Tuck, reality star Kim Kardashian and professional wrestler Mick Foley were in attendance.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
