Auburn Hills, MI (SportsNetwork.com) – Joe Johnson scored 15 of his 34 points
in the fourth quarter to lead the Brooklyn Nets to a 102-90 win over the
Detroit Pistons on Saturday.
Kevin Garnett contributed an 18-point, 14-rebound double-double and Deron
Williams added 15 points with six assists for the Nets, who helped head coach
Lionel Hollins to his first win at the helm.
Greg Monroe netted 18 points with 11 rebounds in his return from a two-game
suspension and Brandon Jennings tallied 18 with nine assists for Detroit,
which has opened the season with three straight losses.
Josh Smith and Andre Drummond each totaled 14 points in the setback.
Johnson’s 15-point outburst came during a 17-2 run in the fourth quarter.
Caron Butler was fouled shooting a 3-pointer and made the subsequent free
throws for an 84-83 Pistons lead.
Just over a minute later, Johnson’s driving layup started the flurry. He then
nailed a 3-pointer and followed that with another jumper. Kentavious Caldwell-
Pope’s jumper cut the deficit to 90-86, but Johnson scored eight of the next
10 to secure the victory.
Brooklyn led 33-25 after 12 minutes of play, and a 10-0 run late in the second
helped it to a 59-47 advantage at the half.
Smith converted a hook shot with under two minutes to play in the third to
jumpstart a 14-2 run that spilled into the fourth and was capped by Butler’s
free throws.
Game Notes
Brook Lopez (sprained foot) missed his second straight contest to open the
season … Detroit had won 15 of the last 18 at home against the Nets entering
Saturday … Brooklyn outrebounded the Pistons 48-41, and limited them to 1-
for-17 shooting from beyond the arc.
