NBA: Wizards rally to hang 10th straight loss on Nets; Heat claim 4th straight win
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Thomas Bryant (left) and Raul Neto of the Washington Wizards celebrating during their match against the Brooklyn Nets on Feb 10, 2022.
PHOTO: AFP
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WASHINGTON (REUTERS) - Raul Neto scored a season-high 21 points on Thursday (Feb 10) as the Washington Wizards rallied late in the third quarter and eked out a 113-112 victory over the skidding Brooklyn Nets, whose losing streak reached 10 games.
Neto made seven of nine shots and all six free throws as the hosts placed seven players in double figures after trading Spencer Dinwiddie, Montrezl Harrell and Davis Bertans before the trade deadline.
Kyle Kuzma totalled 15 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists for his first career triple-double and reserve Anthony Gill also finished with a career-best 15 points. Thomas Bryant, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Deni Avdija added 13 points apiece and Rui Hachimura chipped in 12 as Washington shot 50.6 per cent and won for the second time in 10 games.
Kyrie Irving led all scorers with 31 points but shot nine of 22 as Brooklyn also dropped to 2-11 since Kevin Durant sprained the medial collateral ligament in his left knee on Jan 15. The Nets are on their first 10-game skid since dropping 16 straight in the 2016-17 season.
The latest loss came after they traded James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers for Ben Simmons, Andre Drummond and Seth Curry on Thursday.
Rookie Cam Thomas added 27 points and Blake Griffin contributed 15 points and nine rebounds as Brooklyn shot 46.4 per cent and blew an eight-point lead in the third quarter.
In New Orleans, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo each scored 29 points and Kyle Lowry recorded a triple-double as the Miami Heat won their fourth consecutive game by defeating the Pelicans 112-97.
Lowry finished with 14 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds and Adebayo added 10 rebounds. Dewayne Dedmon added 11 points and Duncan Robinson 10 as the East-leading Heat finished 4-2 on a six-game trip.
Jose Alvarado came off the bench to score 17 points for the Pelicans, who saw their four-game winning streak end. Jonas Valanciunas and Devonte' Graham scored 16 each and Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, making his Pelicans debut, had 15 each.
McCollum, the central figure in a seven-player trade with Portland on Tuesday, made just six of 21 shots, including two of 10 three-pointers.
In Detroit, Ja Morant had 23 points and six assists, Desmond Bane supplied 22 points and the visiting Memphis Grizzlies rolled past the slumping Pistons 132-107.
Memphis have won four straight games and seven of their last eight. Detroit have lost six straight and 10 of their last 11 outings.
Steven Adams racked up 16 points, 14 rebounds and five assists for Memphis, who never trailed. Brandon Clarke had 14 points and nine rebounds, De'Anthony Melton also scored 14 and Kyle Anderson added 13 points with 11 rebounds.
Jerami Grant led the Pistons with 20 points. Hamidou Diallo contributed 17 points and 10 rebounds, Saddiq Bey added 17 points with seven rebounds, Frank Jackson added 12 points and Isaiah Stewart chipped in 10.
Detroit rookie guard Cade Cunningham, the top pick in last year's draft, missed his fifth straight game due to a right hip issue.
