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Nets handed 11th straight loss in gritty OT game vs. Washington: 114-110

By Anthony Puccio
NBA: Washington Wizards at Brooklyn Nets Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — They say there’s no place like home, but that hasn’t exactly applied for the young Nets (9-44). They were handed their 13th straight loss at home and 11th overall with a 114-110 overtime loss to the Washington Wizards (31-21), Wednesday night.

The Nets still have not won a home game in 2017.

It was another game where you’d like to praise the Nets for their effort against a tough team. Even when they were down, they were never out. They trailed by as much as 13 in the first half, but turned it around in the second half – specifically a 28-point third quarter – and made a potential blowout into a thriller in Brooklyn.

Still, it wasn’t enough. Bradley Beal dropped a game-high 31 points, while John Wall’s blistering speed killed the Nets all night. He finished with 23 points and 12 assists.

The Nets stayed close with the Wizards for about seven minutes and that was it (for the first half.) Washington went on a 10-0 run around the 5-minute mark of the first half and never looked back. Behind 16 points from Bradley Beal, they led Brooklyn 59-49 at half.

The Nets have played well in the second half of late, however.

They played a solid defensive third quarter and cut the 10-point deficit down to two, but the Wizards answered with a 3-pointer and then fastbreak bucket from John Wall to extend the two-point lead back to seven entering the fourth quarter.

The momentum continued to roll in Brooklyn’s favor, but they simply couldn’t get over the minor deficits they faced. It was constantly one step forward, two steps backwards.

Following an 8-2 run -- 12-5 extended -- the Nets found themselves in a tie game with a little over six minutes remaining (89-89.) Their biggest challenge: closing out games.

As we’ve seen so many times this season, the Nets have battled through games, up until they commit silly mistakes. Down by three with close to three minutes remaining, the Wizards grabbed – not one, not two but THREE offensive rebounds on one of the most crucial possessions of the game.

The Wizards went up by five with two free throws at the line and led, 96-91.

Still, the Nets stayed persistent and went on a 7-2 run to tie this thing at 98 apiece with two minutes remaining. Not long after, Brook Lopez fouled out with 1:20 remaining as the Nets trailed 100-98. He finished the game with 20 points, six rebounds, four assists and two blocks.

Bojan Bogdanovic answered with a gritty finish at the rim to tie this one at 100 apiece. On the ensuing possession, the Nets stopped the Wizards and tried a Bojan Bogdanovic isolation. His 3-point shot clanked off the rim and led to a John Wall fast break.

As Wall and the Wizards raced down the floor, Caris LeVert saved the day and took a charge with 0.2 seconds left.

Onto overtime we went… where the Nets and Wizards were exchanging buckets up until the 1:21 mark. The Wizards got to the free throw line on two consecutive possessions and led 111-109 with less than 51 seconds on the clock.

The Nets forced a missed from Bradley Beal, but failed to caress the rebound. Brooklyn was forced to foul, as Washington went up by four with 18 seconds left.

And just when you think the game is over with the Nets down by three, this happens:

Bojan Bogdanovic missed a corner 3-pointer and that was the game folks.

Bogdanovic led all Nets scorers with 21 points, while Rondae Hollis-Jefferson finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Off the bench, Trevor Booker was a hound with 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Overall, the Nets shot 42 percent and committed 16 turnovers. They finished with a season-high 26 second-chance points.

"I thought it was ridiculous honestly," Lopez said of the last foul. "I thought it was a physical game to begin with and there was a lot of grabbing, holding going on. I think to make that call at that juncture – you know, obviously I don’t agree with it since it was on me. I just didn’t see it and I thought it was extremely questionable. I thought there were a lot of inconsistencies, but you know, everybody’s fallible."

Next up: Miami Heat at home, Friday night.

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