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Frustrated LeBron James watched helplessly from the bench Friday after fouling out late in the game, as the revitalised Brooklyn Nets put the finishing touches on his Miami Heat. |
The Nets’ Joe Johnson scored 32 points, while Shaun Livingston had 19 with a career-high 11 rebounds and sparkled in the second overtime as they helped beat the two-time defending NBA Champions 104-95 for their season-high fifth straight win.
“It was huge, a gutsy win, going two overtimes,” said Johnson, who had 22 first quarter points. “We were very resilient, guys fought through our ups and downs and we pulled it out.”
The Nets (15-21) remain unbeaten in 2014, with impressive victories over Oklahoma City, Golden State and, now, the mighty Heat.
“We’re trying to put some things together for the new year,” said Livingston, filling in for injured guard Deron Williams. “We’re playing better ball. We’re playing with a little bit of a swagger and we like where we’re headed right now.”
James netted 36 points and Norris Cole added 18 for the banged-up Heat, losers of two straight without sore-kneed All-Star Dwyane Wade, as well as Mario Chalmers and Shane Battier.
“We didn’t play particularly well during the game, but at least we showed some mental toughness to continue to grind and find a way to hang in there,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “Even without LBJ we thought we had a chance.”
James hit the tying free throw with 40 seconds left to erase a 12-point deficit and send the game into the first overtime, squared at 89-apiece.
Trailing 93-91, James drove the lane, but dropped his shoulder into Livingston, who hit the deck. James was disqualified with his sixth foul, with 36 seconds. It was just the fourth time in his regular-season career he’d been removed from a game.
“The last one that fouled me out could have been a charge for sure,” James said. “He put his hands on me as I drove and that got him off balance and then he was able to get the call.”
Cole nailed the tying jumper with 3.3 ticks left, forcing a second extra session that the Nets dominated after opening on an 11-0 run.
Livingston had a pair of baskets and blocked two shots in the burst, Paul Pierce (23 points) added a 3-pointer and the Nets improved to 2-0 against the Heat.
“Shaun was great down the stretch,” Nets coach Jason Kidd said. “His poise, getting guys in position, executing the play we called. He showed it all tonight.”
Elsewhere, the Detroit Pistons rallied from an early 16-point deficit to defeat the Philadelphia 76ers 114-104.
The Pistons improved to 15-22 with the win, snapping a maddening six-game losing streak.
Seven players reached double figures, led by forward Josh Smith with 22 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists.
It was the third consecutive loss for the 76ers, dropping them to 12-24.
Forward David West scored 20 points and guard Lance Stephenson added his eighth double-double and the Indiana Pacers took control in the third quarter on the way to a 93-66 rout of the Washington Wizards (16-18).
Point guard CJ Watson had 16 points on six-of-six shooting, center Roy Hibbert scored 12 and forward Paul George added 14 rebounds for the Pacers, who have won nine of their last 11 to seize the NBA’s best record at 29-7.
The Minnesota Timberwolves claimed a 119-92 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats.
Timberwolves center Nikola Pekovic delivered a dominant 26-point, six-rebound performance before he sat the entire fourth quarter with the outcome no longer in doubt.
The Atlanta Hawks did not start like they were ready to snap a six-game losing streak to the Houston Rockets, falling behind 11-0 and scoring just 10 points in the first quarter.
The Hawks (20-17), though, turned things around with their defense and rallied to defeat the Rockets (23-14) 83-80 as guard Kyle Korver hit four clinching free throws in the closing seconds.
Korver, who extended his NBA record for consecutive games with at least one three-pointer to 106 games by going four-for-seven from behind the arc, scored 20 points, as did Hawks forward Paul Millsap.
Rebounding from one of his shakiest performances of the season, forward Dirk Nowitzki scored 24 points, including four three-pointers, and guard Monta Ellis added 23 points to spark the Dallas Mavericks to a 107-90 victory over the short-handed New Orleans Pelicans.
The Mavericks combined to make 14 of 28 shots from long distance, outscoring the Pelicans 42-9 from the perimeter. The Mavericks improved to 21-16as the Pelicans dropped to 15-20.
Point guard Mike Conley tied his career high with 31 points and forward Zach Randolph added 20 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 104-99 victory over the Phoenix Suns.
The Grizzlies improved to 3-0 against the Suns this season and have won six of the past eight against Phoenix.
Guard Goran Dragic led the Suns with 21 points and forward Markeiff Morris added 17.