The Nets appeared focused in Phoenix on Wednesday night and had one of their best offensive games of the season. But they couldn't hold on to a 15-point, fourth-quarter lead, and fell to the Suns, 118-109, in OT.
The first half was close throughout, but the Nets won the third quarter 27-18. They went up 15 early in the fourth, but the Suns then went on an 18-2 run to take the lead with less than four minutes to go. The game went back and fourth after that and Steve Nash gave the Suns a two-point lead with a drive with 23 seconds on the clock. Devin Harris then found Kris Humphries for a dunk to tie it with 16 seconds left, and then Harris stripped Channing Frye in the lane to send the game to overtime.
Sasha Vujacic hit a three on the Nets' first possession of OT, but the Nets went scoreless over the next three minutes as Phoenix went on an 8-0 run, and Steve Nash put them away at the free throw line. By going 11 for 11 in the game, Nash moved ahead of Mark Price on the NBA's all time free throw percentage list at 90.4%.
The Nets shot 48 percent from the field and tied a season high with 32 assists. But they were outrebounded by the worst rebounding team in the league and outscored 34-17 at the line.
Vujacic led six Nets in double figures with 19 points, while Harris finished with 15 points and 15 assists. Brook Lopez had 16 points and eight rebounds, but he played only 43 seconds down the stretch, with Avery Johnson choosing to go small to match up with the Suns.
- Boxscore - NBA.com
- First Half Highlights (Video) - NBA.com
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Nash, Carter rally Suns past Nets in OT - AP
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Nets get back to basketball, lose in overtime to Phoenix Suns, 118-109 - Colin Stephenson - Star-Ledger
- Nets' Derrick Favors doesn't want to hear about Carmelo Anthony trade talks - Colin Stephenson - Star-Ledger
- Nets burned by Suns' comeback - Fred Kerber - New York Post
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Lopez benched late - Fred Kerber - New York Post
- Still no Carmelo Anthony trade progress as Nets lose to Suns - Stefan Bondy - New York Daily News
- Nets squander 15-point lead in fourth quarter, fall to Suns in overtime - Al Iannazzone - The Record
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Nets show togetherness, then fall apart altogether - Al Iannazzone - The Nets Insider
- Post-Game Plus (Video) - Chris Shearn - YES Network
- From the Booth (Video) - Ian Eagle & Jim Spanarkel - YES Network
- Avery Johnson Press Conference (Video) - YES Network
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Brook Lopez Interview (Video) - YES Network
- Phoenix Suns storm back to knock off New Jersey Nets - Paul Coro - Arizona Republic
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New Jersey in limbo - Randy Hill - FOX Sports Arizona