NBA Game Summary - New Jersey at Philadelphia
Saturday, Jan 31, 2009 | Updated 10:30 PM EDT
Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Brook Lopez erupted for 24 points and 17 rebounds, and his putback dunk late in fourth quarter proved to be the game- winning basket, as the New Jersey Nets erased a 17-point second-half deficit to upend the Philadelphia 76ers, 85-83.
The Sixers unfathomably missed their last 18 shots from the field and scored a pathetic eight points in the fourth quarter. Even still, the hosts had a chance to steal the game in the waning seconds. Andre Miller had a layup stuffed by Trenton Hassell with time winding down, and Royal Ivey's potential game-winning three-pointer in the corner was also swatted away by Devin Harris, who recorded 17 points and six assists in the victory.
Keyon Dooling and Jarvis Hayes each had 11 points off the bench for New Jersey, which snapped a three-game slide.
Miller ended with 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for Philadelphia, which had won 10 of its previous 12 contests. Andre Iguodala logged 18 points, while Thaddeus Young chipped in with 11.
Marquee names for each team had less-than-stellar efforts, with New Jersey's Vince Carter being held to seven points, and the Sixers' Elton Brand hitting just 2-for-10 from the field in a five-points, nine-rebound night.
A Lopez slam cut the Nets deficit to eight, 81-73, near the six-minute mark of the fourth quarter, and back-to-back three-pointers from Hayes and Harris had the visitors trailing by two, 82-80, with 3:22 to play.
Following an Iguodala missed layup in transition, Harris was fouled in the backcourt and missed both of his tries at the foul line. The newly selected All-Star reserve was then stripped on the next Nets possession by Young, who was also fouled away from the basket, making 1-for-2 from the stripe for an 83-80 lead with 1:29 on the clock.
Harris got two back with a quick driving layup, leaving Miller in his dust on a nifty crossover into the lane. Philly's Marreese Speights was then blocked at the end and was called for an offensive foul with 27 ticks left after Harris' try from the right elbow fell short.
After a New Jersey timeout, Lopez threw down an easy putback dunk with 16.8 seconds remaining to give the Nets an 84-83 lead.
Williams's quick shot from the top of the key on the ensuing possession fell off the mark. Hayes grabbed the rebound and hit 1-for-2 at the line for a two- point lead with 9.7 ticks left, and blocks on Miller's and Ivey's shots sealed the unlikely come-from-behind win.
A offensive feast in the first quarter yielded a 31-all tie, and the Sixers used an 8-2 spurt to end the half ahead 58-50.
The Nets went without a field goal between the 10 and 3 1/2 minute-marks in the third. The Sixers built a 74-57 lead during that time, as Iguodala had six points on a 14-0 barrage. The margin, though, was cut it to 75-65 with 12 minutes to play.
