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Joe Johnson's 37 points leads the Brook Lopez-less Nets over the 76ers, 130-94

By Tom Lorenzo
Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sport

BROOKLYN - Brook Lopez was a game-time decision for most of Monday, though indication our of shootaround was that he'd play against the Philadelphia 76ers. However, Jason Kidd had other ideas he decided a few hours prior to tip that Lopez would not play against Philadelphia and in his place he started Mirza Teletovic at power forward and Kevin Garnett at center.

But the story, as it turned out, wasn't about the absence of Lopez. It was about Joe Cool getting hot, hot, hot. Joe Johnson finished with 37 points, including 29 points --and an NBA record-tying eight three pointers-- in the third quarter. How impressive was that number? In Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game in 1962, he only had one quarter where he scored more than 29.  The final score, 130-94, with Johnson leading six Nets in double figures.  The Nets have now won four of their last five and five of their last eight.

As a startled Deron Williams said after the game, "He had 29 in the quarter!? Oh my God!"

Luckily for the Nets, they were up against a shorthanded 76ers team who was without their star rookie point guard Michael Carter-Williams. Philadelphia certainly could have used Carter-Williams, while the Nets were just fine without Lopez.

Brooklyn got off to a quick start, forcing turnovers and pushing the pace. They got up nine shots in the first three-plus minutes, making five of them, and getting out to a early 12-5 lead. The 76ers came into the game leading the league in pace, but the Nets didn't seem opposed to playing at and up to Philadelphia's pace.

The Nets continued to bury the 76ers from deep early, connecting on six threes in the first quarter, taking a 32-22 lead into the second quarter. The Nets shot 54.5 percent from the floor in the first quarter.

Brooklyn continued to distance themselves from the 76ers in the second quarter, using a balanced scoring attack with eight Nets scoring and seven different Nets scoring at least five points in the first half. Brooklyn as a team shot over 54percent from the floor in the half, taking a 58-48 lead into halftime.  Mirza Teletovic led the team in scoring in the first half with 11, while Alan Anderson chipped in with 10. They were the only two Nets to score in double figures in the first half.

The Nets started off the third quarter by going on a 17-3 run, and essentially putting the game away. Johnson hit  8-of-10 threes in the third with the Nets as a team dropping 42 total third quarter points on 68.2 percent shooting, which was obviously their best quarter of the season. It was the most points scored by a Net since D-Will scored 42 points on March 9 of last season. He set the NBA record for most three's in a half, giving Brooklyn's Backcourt. Johnson and Williams now share or hold the NBA records for most three's in a quarter (eight by Johnson) and most three's in a half (nine by Williams.).

Nets led 100-73 after three quarters, on 57-percent shooting from the floor and 16-of-29 shooting from the three-point line.

Game over with 12 minutes left to play. In the fourth, the Nets carried their lead, defeating the 76ers, 130-94. Brooklyn shot 60 percent from the floor and 21-of-35 from three (60 percent). The 21 threes is a franchise record.

Williams scored 13 points in 29 minutes and recorded a season-high 13 assists. Johnson finished 10-of-14 overall from deep. Andray Blatche finished with 20 points, his third straight 20 point game. Lopez, who's done it twice, is the only other Net to score 20 or more in three consecutive games this season. In his first start, Teletovic scored 11 points, hitting 2-of-6 from the arc. Paul Pierce, apparently playing with a broken hand but without his glove, finished with 14, including 3-of-5 beyond the arc. Teletovic and Pierce had five rebounds each.

And if that wasn't enough, the night featured perhaps the biggest celebrity ever to attend a Nets game: Paul McCartney.  He cheered the Nets on, but failed to catch a t-shirt.

Next up for the Nets, Wednesday night at home against the Washington Wizards.

For more on the 76ers, see: Liberty Ballers

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