Nets stun Lakers 104-102 as Spencer Dinwiddie sinks late-game winner
It was a homecoming for Spencer Dinwiddie that didn't disappoint as the Brooklyn Nets went into Staples Center and stole a dramatic victory on Tuesday night. Dinwiddie led the way with 23 points, seven assits and four rebounds, while Caris LeVert chipped in 22 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
Brooklyn fought an uphill battle al game to go toe-to-toe with the West's best squad as LeBron James' near triple-double of 29 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists along with Anthony Davis' 26 points and eight boards wasn't enough for Los Angeles.
After turning the ball over 29 times in a narrow win over the Chicago Bulls on Sunday, the Nets valued the ball with just ten turnovers compared to 24 assists.
Brooklyn scored just seven points over the final 6:43 of the game, but got two critical stops when it mattered most.
First, Dinwiddie cooly knocked down a go-ahead jumpshot from the free throw line extended over Avery Bradley to give the Nets a 104-102 lead with 28.8 seconds left.
The Lakers gave the ball to none other than James with the game on the line as the three-time champion bullied his way to the rim and blew the lay-up, but the ball bounced around and eventually hit off Dinwiddie's leg before going out of bounds.
James and the Lakers had second life and he ducked his head to attack the rim, but was cut off by two Nets' defenders and kicked the ball out to a wide open Anthony Davis. As Nets fans held their collective breath, the team's bench jumped and yelled for Davis to miss and that he did.
Brooklyn dodged a bullet and won its third straight game and fourth win in five tries. With wins over the Celtics, Spurs, Bulls and Lakers, two prior to Kenny Atkinson's firing and two after, it appears the franchise is gearing up for the stretch run to secure a playoff spot and more imporantly rise out of the eighth seed to avoid an almost certain death wish to face the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks.
