In this 'sure-why-not' shotfest between the Brooklyn Nets and New Orleans Pelicans Wednesday night, it's unlikely that any one defensive play was going to turn the tide. But just past the middle of the third quarter, the Pelicans' Anthony Davis had an offensive rebound in his hands and a 10-0 New Orleans run waiting on the rim with a nice simple putback.
It would have cut the Nets' lead to 12 with a world of time remaining. But instead, Jarrett Allen came from behind to block the Brow and send the play the other way. The Nets turned that into a Joe Harris 3-pointer, a five-point swing that sent Brooklyn back off on a 12-5 run for a 20-point lead.
Harris came up with two key back-to-back baskets in the fourth as well -- the second off an offensive rebound -- after the Pelicans had closed within seven points under the five-minute mark, then another big drive with 35.6 seconds remaining and Brooklyn leading by five as the Nets went on to a 126-121 win at Barclays Center.
D'Angelo Russell posted his third double-double of the season with 22 points and 13 assists, matching his career high. The Brooklyn bench overwhelmed New Orleans, with DeMarre Carroll connecting for three 3-pointers on the way to 19 points with six rebounds and three assists. Spencer Dinwiddie had 18 points and Shabazz Napier had 12, while Ed Davis grabbed 12 rebounds.
Harris had 21 for the Nets, Rodions Kurucs added 10 and Allen had a double-double as well with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
The Nets shot 50.5 percent (47-93) including 51.6 percent (16-31) from 3-point range.
The Nets set a season high with 73 first-half points, leading by as many as 24 points along the way before going into the break up 15.
It was shot-for-shot from the start, as the Nets and Pelicans combined to make 15 of the game's first 20 shots. That had them even midway through the opening quarter before the Nets got some separation in the final minutes. They were up five before Carroll floated in a runner in the lane and Napier knocked down a three at the buzzer for a 39-29 lead after one quarter.
They kept rolling from there. Carroll's 3-pointer just over 90 seconds into the quarter made it a 12-0 Brooklyn run and put the Nets up 46-29. With a 53-38 lead already in hand, the Nets got a 3-pointer from Kurucs, Davis flipped in a basket from the paint and Dinwiddie finished in transition to make it 60-38. Fouled on a 3-pointer, Dinwiddie made three free throws to give the Nets their biggest lead of the half at 66-42 with 5:20 to go in the quarter.
But after Carroll made it 68-44, the Nets went scoreless for the next three minutes and were outscored 14-5 going into halftime. That was still good enough for a 73-58 lead on 60 percent shooting (27-45) including 55.6 percent (10-18) from 3-point range. But they also allowed New Orleans to shoot 54.5 percent and 45.5 from 3-point range.
UP NEXT
The Nets take off on a three-game road trip, starting with the Grizzlies in Memphis on Friday. That's followed by a back-to-back with the Bulls and Celtics on Sunday and Monday. They'll be back in Brooklyn to host the Hawks next Wednesday.