Lopez, Nets hand Cavaliers 17th straight loss
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Brook Lopez scored the tiebreaking basket with 1.4 seconds remaining and the New Jersey Nets beat Cleveland 103-101 on Monday night, handing the Cavaliers their 17th straight defeat.
Lopez led the Nets with 28 points and Anthony Morrow scored 16 off the bench. Cleveland's losing streak is its longest since dropping 19 in a row to close the 1981-82 season.
The Cavaliers have lost 21 straight road games, matching the team record set from Jan. 13 to April 14, 2003. Their last road win came in New Jersey on Nov. 9.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Nets have won three of four since owner Mikhail Prokhorov ended trade talks to acquire Carmelo Anthony from Denver.
Devin Harris had 14 points and 10 assists for New Jersey while Jordan Farmar and Kris Humphries each scored 11. Humphries led the Nets with 11 rebounds.
Antawn Jamison scored 26 points to pace the Cavaliers. Daniel Gibson had 19 and Ramon Sessions added 16. Cleveland also got 14 points from Joey Graham and 12 from J.J. Hickson.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Nets appeared to have the game in hand when Morrow made a jumper with 2:06 left to give New Jersey a 97-93 lead.
Cleveland fought to the finish.
Gibson hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 1 and Sessions put Cleveland in front 98-97 with a driving dunk with 1:08 left.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A dunk by Humphries put New Jersey back in front and a running bank shot by Morrow gave the Nets 101-98 lead with 13.2 seconds left.
Graham, taking a pass from Sessions, tied it with a 3 from the left corner with 7.1 seconds left.
That set the stage for Lopez to nail the winner.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Cleveland jumped out to a 12-point lead in the second quarter and held the Nets at bay until the final period.
NOTES: It was the third time this season the Nets overcame a 12-point deficit to win. ... Humphries had his team-leading 14th double-double. ... The Nets are 5-3 against the Central Division.