Nets Hammer Lakers, End Four-Game Slide

Nets Hammer Lakers, End Four-Game Slide
Dorian Finney-Smith (28) of the Brooklyn Nets in the first half in Los Angeles on Jan. 19, 2024.(Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Field Level Media
1/20/2024
Updated:
1/20/2024
0:00

Cam Thomas scored 33 points and Nic Claxton added 22 points and 14 rebounds as the visiting Brooklyn Nets ended a four-game losing streak with a convincing 130–112 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday.

Spencer Dinwiddie scored 19 points and Mikal Bridges added 17, one game after he was slowed by a leg contusion. Former Laker Lonnie Walker IV contributed 15 points for Brooklyn, which entered with losses in nine of its past 10 games.

The Nets went 19 of 47 from 3-point range (40.4 percent) while ending a five-game road losing streak.

Anthony Davis scored 26 points and grabbed 12 rebounds and LeBron James added 24 points and 11 rebounds as the Lakers remained inconsistent.

The defeat came after Los Angeles registered consecutive victories over the Oklahoma City Thunder and Dallas Mavericks.

D'Angelo Russell scored 20 points and Jarred Vanderbilt added 12 for Los Angeles, which has not won three consecutive games since early December.

The Lakers are now 2-1 in a stretch of six consecutive games at Los Angeles in advance of a six-game road trip.

The Lakers started fast, outscoring the Nets 37–28 in the first quarter by shooting 65.2 percent from the floor.

Brooklyn began to turn around the game by producing a 34–31 advantage in the second quarter to cut the Lakers’ lead to 68–62 at halftime.

After never leading in the first half, the Nets grabbed their first advantage at 76–74 on a Bridges 3-pointer with 8:09 remaining in the third quarter.

Brooklyn rolled to a 38–22 advantage in the third and went into the fourth period with a 100–90 lead.

The separation continued as the Nets opened a 117–98 edge with 6:57 remaining after a Claxton layup.

Brooklyn went up 123–103 on a 3-pointer from Thomas with 5:09 left and cruised to the victory from there.

While the Nets are now 4–14 since Dec. 14, the Lakers are 7–13 since winning the NBA in-season tournament in early December.