Nets push past Grizzlies for rare winning streak
Day'Ron Sharpe tied a season high by scoring 19 points and the Brooklyn Nets pulled away for a 126-115 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday in New York.
The Nets followed up their comeback from a 23-point deficit in Detroit two nights earlier by winning consecutive games for the first time since early February. Brooklyn prevailed while resting Michael Porter Jr. on the front end of a back-to-back and after announcing Egor Demin was shut down for the rest of the season due to a foot injury.
Sharpe highlighted an 8-of-11 showing with a powerful one-handed dunk over Rayan Rupert to give the Nets a 98-88 lead with 10:33 remaining.
Brooklyn's Ochai Agbaji added a season-high 18 points on 8-of-9 shooting. He scored nine straight Brooklyn points, capped by a step-back 3-pointer for a 110-95 lead with eight minutes left.
Rookie Nolan Traore hit four of Brooklyn's 16 3-pointers and contributed 17. Rookie Danny Wolf contributed nine of his 14 points in the third quarter and contributed nine rebounds. Ziaire Williams contributed 11 points against his former team as Brooklyn's reserves finished with 67 points.
The Nets shot a season-best 55.3% and a season-high 51.5% from behind the arc (17-for-33).
Memphis had eight available players as it sat Ty Jerome (calf), Scotty Pippen Jr. (toe) and rookie Cedric Coward (knee) on the front end of a back-to-back.
Rupert led the Grizzlies with a career-high 20 points and Javon Small contributed 19. GG Jackson chipped in 18, Jaylen Wells finished with 17 and rookie Walton Clayton Jr. had 13.
The Grizzlies shot 43.5%, made 14 of 35 3-point attempts (40%) and allowed 27 points off 15 turnovers en route to their fourth straight loss.
Brooklyn overcame an early 10-point deficit, scoring the final 10 points of the first quarter for a 33-31 lead after Williams sank a trey with five seconds left.
Traore hit a 3-pointer for a 49-39 lead in the second quarter. Wolf converted a three-point play with 3:18 remaining in the period, extending the lead to 13, and Brooklyn held a 65-57 edge entering halftime.
The Nets let the lead slip to one on three occasions but took a 91-86 edge into the fourth thanks to a strong quarter from Wolf.