BROOKLYN, N.Y. -- BROOK LOPEZ. BROOK LOPEZ. BROOK LOPEZ!
The last place Nets (14-56), strictly playing for development and evaluation, played spoiler role as Brook Lopez nailed a game-winning shot to defeat the Detroit Pistons, 98-96, as time expired. The Pistons (34-37), battling for the eight seed, appeared shocked by the grittiness of Brooklyn’s play… and Lopez’s shot.
Lopez scored 12 of his 29 points in the fourth to go along with seven rebounds on 13-of-24 shooting. He played 33 minutes.
As Detroit began to cut into Brooklyn’s 10-point lead, Brook Lopez scored eight straight points, including two three-pointers, to put Brooklyn back up by eight late in the fourth.