The Brooklyn Nets hung with the Cleveland Cavaliers for 47:59, but fell 90-88 on a heartbreaking last second hook by LeBron James.
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James’ teams have won 23 straight games against franchises based in Charlotte – both the Hornets and Bobcats. Toss in two games he didn’t play in, and the streak is actually 23 straight games where his team has beaten Charlotte. “It’s in your face and you can’t get it out”.
“I got to my spot where I wanted to”, James said.
“(Terry) Bradshaw, all those great quarterbacks they never compare them as much, but when it comes to our sport we’re so eager to say, ‘Who is better, Oscar or (Michael) Jordan?’ or, ‘Jordan or LeBron or Kobe (Bryant) or these guys?’ instead of just accepting greatness”.
Exactly two weeks after squandering a chance to hand defending champion Golden State its first loss of the season, the Nets blew another lead, this time against the top team in the East. It’s the latest in a series of frustrating close calls for the Nets. “That’s what makes him a great player”, Walker said. DeMar DeRozan scored 20 points to go with four assists; fill-in center Bismack Biyombo added 11 points and 12 rebounds.
“We felt we had a certain lineup that was working”, Blatt said.
He could have had bad memories conjured up about the four fourth-quarter benchings he received from coach David Blatt last season. “It was just working well for us”.
The Hornets enter Friday’s game minus their best option to guard James, who averages 25.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 6.7 assists.
The Hornets led most of the way and took a 76-72 advantage into the fourth quarter.
Lopez led Brooklyn (4-12) with 22 points. Matthew Dellavedova’s 3-pointer gave the Cavaliers a 69-68 lead going into the final period. The Nets entered Friday ranked second-to-last in 3-point percentage (29.9) and are making a league-low 4.9 a game, compared to the Cavaliers’ Eastern Conference-leading 10.5 (at a 37.2 percent clip).
Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and guard Jerryd Bayless each scored 17 points.
B OFFENSE: The 3-point shooting was off, but the Hornets got to the foul line 25 times. Green had 14 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
Victor Oladipo had 17 points, nine assists and six rebounds.
The Raptors outscored the Cavaliers in the paint, 52-28 and shot over 50 per cent (40-of-79 field goals) for the game.
He used his team’s loss to Oklahoma City on Wednesday as an example: The score was tied at 85 when Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook checked in, and the Thunder quickly pulled away. He darted around a screen, then into the lane and the path of seven-footer Brook Lopez. The Sixers have dropped 27 in a row dating to last season for the longest losing streak in major USA professional sports history, passing the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1976 to ‘ 77.
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Bradley Beal scored 20 points for Washington.
