The mighty Miami Heat sit atop the Eastern Conference but the Brooklyn Nets have their number. Joe Johnson scored 19 points, and Mason Plumlee blocked LeBron James’ potential game-winning dunk just before the final buzzer as the visiting Nets beat the Heat, 88-87 to complete a four-game regular-season series sweep on Tuesday night.
It was the Nets’ third win by a single point over the two-time defending NBA Champions with the other a double overtime victory.
The Nets were clinging to a one-point lead when James drove the middle for thunderous throw-down, but Plumlee met him at the rim and swatted it away. Replays showed Plumlee fouled James on the right wrist but no call was made as the reigning league Most Valuable Player argued in vain with the officials.
“It was a foul, he didn’t mean to do it on purpose but he grabbed my right hand,” said James, who finished with 29 points and 10 rebounds.
Marcus Thornton scored 11 of his 16 points in the final frame, while Paul Pierce added 14 for the Nets, whose sixth win in the last seven games moved them within two of idle Toronto and Chicago for the third playoff seed in the East. Chris Bosh netted 12 points and Norris Cole had 10 off the bench for Miami, who had their lead trimmed to a half game over idle Indiana for the East top playoff seed.
“Every single one of these games, however you want to slice it there, are plays to be made in the fourth quarter, and for whatever reason they’ve made more plays and more importantly the final plays going down the stretch,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.
“We just haven’t found a way to get over that hump in the fourth quarter.”
Other Results
Minnesota Timberwolves 110 – 91 San Antonio Spurs
Dallas Mavericks 95 - 83 Utah Jazz
Oklahoma City Thunder 107 - 92 Sacramento Kings
Houston Rockets 145 - 130 LA Lakers
Detroit Pistons 102 - 95 Atlanta Hawks
