Sixers' Road Struggles Continue, Fall To Nets 130-94
NEW YORK (AP) — Joe Johnson made 10 3-pointers, most in the NBA this season, and scored a season-high 37 points to lead the Brooklyn Nets to a 130-94 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night.
Johnson finished 10 for 14 from behind the arc, including 8 of 10 during an incredible third-quarter shooting performance. He passed the nine 3-pointers made this season by Jeremy Lin, who also did it against the inept 76ers perimeter defense, and Stephen Curry.
Johnson scored 29 points in the third, his most in any quarter in his career.
Deron Williams had 13 points and 13 assists for the Nets, who led by as many as 42 and won for the fourth time in five games. They did it without center Brook Lopez, but no inside game was really needed on this night when the Nets set a franchise record for 3-pointers.
Brooklyn finished 21 of 35 from behind the arc against a Philadelphia team that came in averaging 10.1 3-pointers allowed per game, a pace that would easily set an NBA record.
James Anderson scored 17 points for the 76ers, who lost their seventh straight overall and have dropped 11 in a row on the road since winning at Washington in their road opener.
The Sixers played without rookie point guard Michael Carter-Williams for a seventh straight game as he deals with a skin infection.
Philadelphia surrendered 139 points Saturday to Portland, most in the NBA this season, and was nearly as defenseless in this one.
The Nets opened huge leads in each of the first two quarters that the Sixers cut into, but Johnson put them away for good in the third.
After blowing it open during a 42-point period, they kept feeding Johnson in the closing minutes, knowing he would sit out the fourth. He hit his ninth with 53 seconds left and followed that with his final one from the corner while being fouled with 27 seconds to go.
Johnson hit 3s so quickly even the stats couldn't keep up. The original box score after three quarters missed his final make.
Coach Jason Kidd said the Nets were focusing only on Monday's game, but in reality the Nets need to capitalize on a soft portion of their schedule this week before a much tougher finish to December. They host Washington on Wednesday before facing the 76ers again Friday in Philadelphia.
They get visits from Indiana and Chicago next week and have a brutal road trip to Indiana, San Antonio and Oklahoma City around the new year.
They took care of the first part, shooting 60 percent overall and from behind the arc. Andray Blatche finished with 20 points.
Brooklyn scored the first seven points and led by as much as 16 in the first quarter before settling for a 32-22 lead. The second quarter was much the same; the Nets opened an 18-point lead that the Sixers chipped away at, cutting it to 58-48 at halftime.
Philadelphia has trailed by double digits in 21 of its 26 games.
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