The Nets finally figured out the Washington Wizards. They won, 115-112, inside Capital One Arena on Saturday, avoided a season sweep and snapped a six-game losing streak. Their record improved to 24-51 with seven games left.
Brooklyn trailed by as many as 17 points.
Drew Timme, who signed a two-year deal with the Nets on Friday, finished with 19 points, six rebounds and three assists in 29 minutes off the bench in his second career game. The 24-year-old forward had 11 points and 10 rebounds in Friday’s 132-100 home loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, becoming just the fifth player in franchise history to record a double-double in his NBA debut.
Tyrese Martin found Timme under the basket with 8.4 seconds left and the subsequent goal tending call put Brooklyn up 113-112. Colby Jones stepped on the baseline on Washington’s ensuing possession. The Wizards were forced to foul from there. A pair of Jalen Wilson free throws extended Brooklyn’s advantage to three with 1.2 seconds left.
Wilson set a new season high with 20 points off the bench.
Cam Johnson added 18 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in 24 minutes. The veteran forward took a nasty fall with 3:21 left in the fourth quarter, landed hard on his tailbone, and spent minutes down on the court surrounded by teammates and coaches. He walked to the locker room under his own power.
Noah Clowney, who missed Friday’s matchup because of illness, limped off moments later with an apparent ankle injury.
Wizards rookie AJ Johnson led the Wizards with 20 points and four assists in 42 minutes, including 14 points in the fourth quarter and the go-ahead 3-pointer 23 seconds left.
D’Angelo Russell (right ankle injury management), Nic Claxon (rest) and Day’Ron Sharpe (right knee sprain) were sidelined for Brooklyn, while the Wizards played without Bilal Coulibaly.
The Nets will return to action on Monday against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Brooklyn will be looking to avenge a 120-101 home loss to Dallas on March 24.
