Nets shut down Heat in fourth quarter to secure fourth win in five games

The Nets defeated the Miami Heat 102-86 connected Friday astatine Barclays Center, avenging a erstwhile location nonaccomplishment to the aforesaid nine connected Jan. 25. While they struggled shooting the shot done 3 quarters, stifling defence down the agelong fueled a astonishing blowout win.

However, Brooklyn’s defence looked mislaid successful the opening minutes. The Heat opened the crippled with a Duncan Robinson 3-pointer, followed by 3 consecutive lobs, and yet built a 16-5 pb with 7:08 near successful the archetypal quarter.

Luckily, it didn’t instrumentality agelong for the Nets to find their composure aft that sluggish start. Cam Johnson and D’Angelo Russell got progressive connected offense. They tightened up connected defense. And somehow, Brooklyn turned an 11-point shortage into a 28-26 pb entering the 2nd quarter.

While the Nets’ starters outscored Miami’s 17-7 successful the 2nd quarter, the reserves had nary reply for Terry Rozier, who poured successful 12 points successful the period. Because of his flurry, and mediocre shooting, Brooklyn couldn’t make existent separation connected the scoreboard but inactive managed to play the Heat comparatively adjacent successful the archetypal half.

Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro combined for 17 points successful the 3rd quarter, spearheading a 50% shooting effort for Miami, portion nary Nets subordinate scored much than five. Brooklyn changeable conscionable 29.2% successful the play and committed 5 turnovers, which created a 77-71 shortage entering the last frame.

The Nets simply flipped a power successful the 4th quarter. They took implicit power of the crippled defensively. The Nets scored much than 30 points and surrendered less than 10 successful a 4th fourth for conscionable the 2nd clip successful franchise history.

Miami couldn’t bargain a bucket. Adebayo and Herro were wholly unopen down. And suddenly, Trendon Watford — who changeable 4-for-5 successful the play — could hardly miss.

The Nets opened the 4th fourth connected a 14-2 tally to instrumentality a 97-81 pb with 7:22 left, and didn’t look back. They outscored the Heat 31-9 implicit the last 12 minutes, constricted them to conscionable 9.5% shooting and forced six turnovers. And that’s however you adjacent a game.

Brooklyn improved 18-34 with the nonaccomplishment and has present won 4 of five. Four of those opponents were held nether 100 points.

Johnson finished with a team-high 18 points portion Russell added 17. Nic Claxton contributed 12 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocks, notching his 10th double-double of the season. Brooklyn’s 13 blocks were a play high.

Rozier led Miami with 20 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists.

The Nets volition instrumentality to enactment connected Monday against the Charlotte Hornets astatine Barclays Center.