Joe Johnson’s Buzzer-Beater Lifts Nets over Nuggets

Joe Johnson (Mike Stobe / Getty Images)

(BROOKLYN) – Joe Jesus has done it again.

Joe Johnson banked in a three-pointer from the top of the key as time expired to give the Brooklyn Nets a thrilling 105-104 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Monday night at Barclays Center, with team owner Mikhail Prokhorov in the building.  It is the latest of many exciting moments Johnson has given the Nets and their fans during his four seasons in Brooklyn.

The Nets (14-39) led for most of the game before Denver came rallying back in the fourth quarter.  Kenneth Faried hit a layup over Shane Larkin with 1.3 seconds remaining to put his team up 104-102.  The Nuggets won a jump ball and had possession with just over 20 seconds left in the fourth quarter.  Interim head coach Tony Brown subbed out Brook Lopez for reserve Thomas Robinson.  He was caught out of position on the play, allowing Faried to drive in and score.

After Brooklyn called a time-0ut to advance the ball, Joe Johnson caught the inbounds pass from Markel Brown above the three-point line and sent Barclays Center and Prokhorov into a frenzy with yet another ridiculous game-winner.  According to ESPN, Johnson has the most game-winning buzzer-beaters in the NBA with seven in the past 10 seasons.

This thrilling victory came just two days after the Nets were embarrassed in Philadelphia by the last-place 76ers.  Thaddeus Young  led six Nets players in double figures with 20 points.  Lopez added 16 points, while Johnson had 12 points and eight assists.

Rookie Chris McCullough made his long-awaited NBA debut early in the second quarter, playing in a game for the first time since suffering a torn ACL while playing at Syracuse on January 11, 2015.  He rehabbed for nearly 13 months, even after the Nets drafted him with the 29th overall pick last June.

McCullough drained his first shot attempt, a 20-footer, and finished with two points, two rebounds, and a blocked shot in 11 minutes.  His impact was definitely felt on the floor during the second quarter, where the Nets bench increased their early lead that the starters provided for a change.  Brown, who was buried on the bench under Lionel Hollins, has really come on as of late.  He scored a career-high 19 points, while Bojan Bogdanovic chipped in 12 points off the pine.

Sharpshooter Danilo Gallinari led the Nuggets (21-32) with 24 points.  Faried had 22 points and 13 rebounds.

The Nets host the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday in what will be their final game before the All-Star break.