Long Island Nets continue nose dive, losing fourth straight to Cleveland Charge, 108-104

This is getting embarrassing.

The Cleveland Charge (16-14) defeated the Long Island Nets (22-7) for the second time in as many games this weekend, 108-100, in front of 3,850 at the Wolstein Center on Saturday night.

It was Long Island’s fourth straight loss after winning 16 straight and with only three games left in the G League regular season, Long Island is struggling to clinch the top seed in the East. The Delaware Blue Coats are two and a half back with only two to play. Delaware has lost two straight.

After being down 11 in the third, the Nets made a run of it, tying the game at 79 early in the fourth. 6’8” Cleveland two-way Isaiah Mobley picked up five quick points in the opening minutes of the fourth before receiving his second tech for miming a finger gun to the Nets’ bench after hitting a three.

“It was a tough loss for us when that happened with 10 minutes to go in the fourth quarter,” said Charge head coach Mike Gerrity told Fear the Sword, our Cavs sister site post-game. “But his guys had his back and they finished it out. Isaiah plays with a ton of passion and emotion. It’s one of the things that makes him special. He’s a very competitive player.”

Long Island was led by David Duke Jr.’s game-high 27 points in 39 minutes. Jordan Bowden added 26 points, buoyed by five threes and registered two steals in 37 minutes. Dru Smith added a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds with five assists and four steals in 38 minutes. Long Island shot poorly from deep. Although Bowden was 5-of-10, the rest of the Nets finished 2-of-19. Four Nets had 0-fers from three.

Duke, who had his share of highlights, is now averaging 22.6 points. 5.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 23 G League games.

Cleveland had four players score 20+ points in the victory, led by Isaiah Mobley’s 11th double-double of the season of 24 points and 10 rebounds in 28 minutes. Cavaliers assignment Sam Merrill poured in 24 points with six rebounds, five assists and two steals in 34 minutes.

Long Island travels to Lakeland Tuesday to face the Magic’s affiliate, then again Thursday before finishing the season in Edinburg, Texas, with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rockets affiliate. G League playoffs begin a week from Tuesday.

• Game Report: Cleveland Charge 108, Long Island Nets 104 - G League
• Game Highlights: Cleveland Charge 108, Long Island Nets 104 (Video) - G League
• Dylan Windler’s fourth quarter lifts the Cleveland Charge over the Long Island Nets - Jackson Flickinger - Fear the Sword