Nets Top Knicks to Snap Home Losing Streak

New York Knicks’ Robin Lopez (8) and Brooklyn Nets’ Brook Lopez (11). (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

(NEW YORK) — The first victory of the Tony Brown era could not have come against a better opponent.

Brook Lopez had 20 points and eight rebounds as the Brooklyn Nets defeated the New York Knicks 110-104 on Wednesday night, giving interim head coach Tony Brown his first win since taking over for the fired Lionel Hollins.

With the much-needed victory, the Nets snapped a 10-game home losing streak. The Knicks (20-21) were playing on a second half of a back-to-back, and without superstar forward Carmelo Anthony, who injured his ankle in Tuesday night’s win over the Boston Celtics.

Without Anthony in the lineup, Derrick Williams took over the game. He tied a career-high with 31 points off the bench for the Knicks. Rookie sensation Kristaps Porzingis was relatively held in check by the Brooklyn defense. He finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds, but shot just 5-of-17 from the field.

The Knicks held a two-point lead with five minutes to play before the Nets (11-28), reeled off a 10-2 run to take a 100-94 lead. Shane Larkin (17 points, 5 assists), came off the bench to hit a huge three-pointer for the Nets, giving them a 104-96 lead with 35 seconds remaining, which all but sealed the win.

Thaddeus Young recorded his team-high 19th double-double of the season with 19 points and 11 boards. He and Lopez have formed quite the frontcourt tandem in his first full season with the Nets. In total, six Nets scored in double figures in the win. Joe Johnson (14 points), Bojan Bogdanovic (14 points), and Wayne Ellington (10 points) joined Lopez, Young, and Larkin in that category.

Notes: The game was announced as a sellout, a rare occurrence for Nets games this season. The problem for the Brooklyn is that there were plenty of Knicks fans in attendance. The Nets fans that did show up were treated to a gutsy performance by their team, and left Barclays Center smiling for the first time in over a month.

The Nets were blown out by the Knicks at Madison Square Garden last month, but have won three straight over their crosstown rivals in Brooklyn.

Injured point guard Jarrett Jack underwent successful surgery on Wednesday to repair his torn ACL. The reconstructive surgery was performed at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. The Nets announced that a full recovery is expected for Jack, who started all 32 games at point guard before he was injured in a Jan. 2 game against the Boston Celtics.