The Brooklyn Nets cut a 21-point second-half deficit to nine points, but could get no closer in dropping their second straight game, a 123-112 loss to the Charlotte Hornets Friday night at Barclays Center.
After three D'Angelo Russell free throws brought the Nets within 104-95 with 8:49 to go, the Hornets outscored them 10-3 over the next three minutes behind two 3-pointers from Nicolas Batum.
The Nets fell despite shooting 51.2 percent, surrendering 53.2 percent shooting to the Hornets on the other end and committing 14 turnovers, including 11 in the first half as they fell behind by 18 at halftime.
D'Angelo Russell led the Nets with 22 points and nine assists and DeMarre Carroll had 20. Spencer Dinwiddie made his return to action after a month with 15 points and Jarrett Allen had 10. Caris LeVert had 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
Charlotte's 23-6 run to close the second quarter left the Nets trailing 68-50 at halftime.
The Nets were down 45-44 after a Carroll 3-pointer with just under seven minutes to go in the half. But the Hornets scored the next nine, and that was just the start of a 17-2 burst. Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lamb had six points each over the final 6:30 of the half as Brooklyn went into halftime down 68-50 despite shooting 53.7 percent in the first half, allowing 56.5 percent shooting by Charlotte.
The Hornets led by as many as 21 in the third quarter and were still up 96-76 with under three minutes to go in the quarter before an energized Nets unit closed the quarter on a 10-2 run.
With Charlotte up 98-79, Dinwiddie scored on a drive, Carroll made two free throws and Allen Crabbe scored in transition off a Rondae Hollis-Jefferson feed. Carroll made 1-of-2 from the line to bring Brooklyn within 98-86 going into the fourth.
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The Nets go to Miami on Saturday night before hosting the Dallas Mavericks on Monday and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday.