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For the fourth time this season, the Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks got together, with the Knicks leading the season series 2-1 heading into this afternoon's game. This, the final meeting of the regular season between these two teams wasn't pretty for the Nets, who turned the ball over 19 times, but they managed, on the back of their defense, to beat the Knicks, 88-85.
Kris Humphries (11 points, 13 rebounds), Brook Lopez (14 points, 11 rebounds, 4 blocks) and Deron Williams (14 points, 12 assists) each had a double-double, while Joe Johnson finished with 25 points.
The two teams got off to a hot start early, with the Nets working the ball into the paint, while the Knicks did what they do best, shoot threes, before getting hit with the inefficiency bug.
Joe Johnson was feeling it in the first, hitting three threes and scoring 11 points, while Brook Lopez made his presence felt on both ends of the floor. He scored five points and grabbed five rebounds, while also blocking a shot, but he had a few non-stat-showing defensive plays in there. Johnson did, however, pick up two fouls in the first quarter, which sent him to the bench early. The Nets, however, carried a 26-24 lead into the second quarter.
In the first half, the Nets struggled with turning the ball over, while not creating enough turnovers on the defensive side of the ball. The coughed the ball over 11 times to just two for the Knicks. Luckily, the Knicks couldn't get anything to fall. They shot 34.9 percent in the first half, as the Nets carried a 47-41 lead into halftime.
Kris Humphries played a great half, scoring nine points and pulling down eight rebounds in 10 minutes. He also had some nice defensive sets, limiting Carmelo Anthony and playing help on the low block with Brook Lopez.
The Nets were terrible in the third quarter, shooting 31 percent from the floor and continuing to turn the ball over far too many times. This allowed for the Knicks to get back into the game and start to pull away. They out-scored the Nets 27-18, at one point going on a 10-0 run, and finishing up the quarter up 68-65.
The bench added a nice little spark in the fourth quarter, with Keith Bogans and C.J. Watson stepping out behind the arc to open up the offense. Still, the Knicks were responding on the other side of the court, working the ball inside to Amar'e Stoudemire.
From there, though, it turned into the Joe Johnson show. He hit back-to-back threes, followed by another long jumper that gave the Nets an 11-2 run in the fourth. With five minutes to play, the Nets had a four-point lead, 83-79.
Both teams went on a sloppy run, with neither scoring a single point in a matter of two minutes, until J.R. Smith buried a jumper to bring the Nets lead down to two points. The Nets still couldn't find the bottom of the basket, as they forced their defense to carry them and keep this game from getting out of hand. The Knicks, however, went on a 7-0 run, as the Nets did not score a single point since the 5-minute mark left in the game.
With 40 seconds remaining and the Knicks down by one point (84-83), the Nets went to Johnson and his hot hand, and he pulled the trigger, hitting a fadeaway jumper to give the Nets a one point lead with 22 seconds remaining.
Again, the biggest area of concern for the Nets was turnovers. They coughed the ball up 19 times, as opposed to the Knicks who only turned it over five times. That's certainly an area they're going to need to address.
Deron Williams went 6-of-7 from the line, ending his free-throw streak at 52 straight.
For more on the Knicks, see: Posting and Toasting
- Nets at Knicks - January 21, 2013 - Box Score - NBA.com
- Johnson's Go-ahead Bucket (Video) - NBA.com
- Nets vs. Knicks: First half (Video) - NBA.com
- Humphries to the Hoop (Video) - NBA.com
- Chandler's Strong Follow (Video) - NBA.com
- Joe Johnson clutch in Nets victory over Knicks (Video) - Sarah Kustok - YES Network
- Lopez on win over Knicks (Video) - YES Network
- P.J. on Nets win over Knicks (Video) - YES Network
- A behind-the-scenes look before the Nets-Knicks game (Video) - YES Network
- Joe Johnson puts the Knicks away with ISO JOE (Video) - Matt Moore - CBS Sports
- If Knicks and Nets were offering playoff preview, we say, 'Yes, please' - Ken Berger - CBS Sports
- Nets beat Knicks to split four-game series - Brian Mahoney - AP
- In clutch, Anthony's aim must be truer - Ian O'Connor - ESPN New York
- Nets Keep Gaining With Carlesimo At Helm - Brian Windhorst - ESPN
- Rapid Reaction: Nets 88, Knicks 85 - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
- Joe beats 'Bockers, says Nets still No. 1 - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
- Notes: D-Will's free-throw streak ends - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
- Notes: Nets stuff Melo over final 12 minutes - Nick Creegan - ESPN New York
- Notes: J.R. calls Knicks 'disrespectful' - Jared Zwerling & Ian Begley - ESPN New York
- Joe Johnson’s Late Basket Helps Nets Edge Knicks - Nate Taylor - New York Times
- Joe Johnson’s 25 points guide Brooklyn Nets past NY Knicks, 88-85, within one game of first place in Atlantic Division - Frank Isola - NY Daily News
- J.R. Smith thinks P.J. Carlesimo is the difference with Atlantic Division rival - Frank Isola - NY Daily News
- Joe Johnson fills role of Mr. Big Shot in win over Knicks at MSG - Stefan Bondy - NY Daily News
- Knicks fall to Nets as local rivals finish season 2-2 against each other - Marc Berman - New York Post
- Johnson's jumper sends Nets over Knicks to even season series - Marc Berman - New York Post
- Dolan’s open mic night shut down at Garden - Marc Berman - New York Post
- Knicks' Shumpert off target at Garden - Marc Berman - New York Post
- Joe Cool — not Melo — is calm in crunch time - Mike Vaccaro - New York Post
- Game-tying shot falls short for Knicks' J.R. - Fred Kerber - New York Post
- Nets' Lopez, Humphries loom large in win - Tim Bontemps - New York Post
- P.J. in ‘foul’ mood before final shot - Tim Bontemps - New York Post
- Joe Johnson comes through in clutch again for Nets - Rod Boone - Newsday
- Joe Johnson's clutch shot helps Nets beat Knicks - Al Iannazzone - Newsday
- Nets slip past Knicks 88-85 as Deron Williams and Joe Johnson come up big late in game - Mike Vorkunov - The Star-Ledger
- Carmelo Anthony's 29 points not enough as Brooklyn rebounds for the 88-85 win: Knicks-Nets analysis - Tony Williams - Star-Ledger
- Rapid Recap: #Nets 88, #Knicks 85 - Mike Mancari - SNY Nets
- As Nets Tie Season Series With Knicks, Johnson Authors Signature Moment - Josh Newman - SNY Nets
- Kris Humphries Double-Double Instrumental as Nets Top Knicks - SNY Nets
- New Rivalry Lives Up To Hype As NY Knicks, Brooklyn Nets Split Series - Steve Lichtenstein - WFAN
- Multiple Looks On Carmelo Anthony Key To Nets Earning Series Split - Steve Lichtenstein - WFAN
- Nets secure vital win against rival Knicks - Gregory Hrinya - Examiner
- Brooklyn Beats Manhattan: Nets 88, Knicks 85 (Grades) - Devin Kharpertian - The Brooklyn Game
- Nets vs. Knicks final score: Brooklyn wins in MSG, 88-85 - Satchel Price - SB Nation
- Key Moments and Stats from Nets Knicks Matchup - Dan Kelly - BrooklynFans.com
- Final Score: Nets 88, Knicks 85 - Seth Rosenthal - Posting and Toasting
- Rapid Reaction: Nets 88, Knicks 85 - Ian Begley - ESPN New York
- First half game thread - NetsDaily
- Second half game thread - NetsDaily