Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Garnett (right) blocks Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry’s shot (centre), in their NBA game at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. (EPA)
DPA/Los Angeles
The suddenly hot Brooklyn Nets cooled off the Golden State Warriors and ended their road run into the NBA record books.
Joe Johnson scored eight of his 27 points down the stretch as the Nets’ snapped the Warriors’ 10-game winning streak 102-98 Wednesday and ended their hopes of becoming the first team in league history to complete a perfect 7-0 road trip.
“The history that we’re chasing after is bigger than a seven-game road trip with wins,” Warriors coach Mark Jackson said. “I’m disappointed we did not finish it up the right way but we will not lose sight that we were 6-1 on this road trip.”
Andray Blatche scored 17 points, Kevin Garnett had 11 of his 13 in the final frame and Shaun Livingston added 12 in the Nets’ season-high fourth straight win.
“It’s a big win for us being as hot as they are,” Livingston said. “They’re playing probably the best basketball in the league and on the road.”
Stephen Curry dropped in 34 points, and David Lee had 20 for the Warriors, who coughed up an early 16-point lead and fell short of a franchise-record 11th consecutive victory.
“All the attention was on the streak and to break the record for a franchise that hasn’t been in that position in a long time, so it was a big deal,” Curry said. “It’s frustrating now but tomorrow or Friday you can look at the big picture and realise we did some good stuff.”
The Warriors led 93-89 with 4:07 remaining but the Nets then went on a 9-0 run. Johnson’s two free throws and Blatche’s baseline jumper knotted the contest at 93-93. Livingston hit the tie-breaking free throw with 1:12 to go, Johnson hit two more from the stripe, giving the Nets a 96-93 advantage.
Garnett came up with the biggest defensive play of the game when he stole Curry’s pass with 10.4 seconds left, and Johnson made both free throws to open up a 98-93 lead but the Warriors wouldn’t go away.
Three free throws by Curry drew Golden State within 98-96 but Garnett answered with a pair at the other end. Curry drained a long jumper, and the Warriors were within two with 5.8 seconds to go. But Johnson made both free throws and the Nets improved to 4-0 in 2014.
“We played to KG down the stretch and that’s what picked us up,” said Nets coach Jason Kidd of the 37-year-old star. “He’s been looking like he’s 25 at both ends lately, and tonight he looked like he was 21.”
