The Nets were 0-6 in games without D’Angelo Russell this season.
While the veteran point guard was certainly missed at times in Saturday’s matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center, his teammates showed up early and late, and a Nic Claxton tip-in at the buzzer lifted Brooklyn to a 105-103 win.
It was the Nets’ first game-winning buzzer beater since Dec. 16, 2022, when Kyrie Irving sunk the Raptors in Toronto, and Claxton’s first career game-winner, which secured Brooklyn’s seventh win in nine games.
When these two teams met on Feb. 12, a 100-96 Nets win ahead of the All-Star break, Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid did not play. Both started for the 76ers on Saturday alongside Paul Geroge, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Quentin Grimes. Brooklyn was without Cam Thomas for the 22nd straight game.
Maxey scored eight of Philadelphia’s first 10 points, but the Nets answered with an offensive avalanche that sparked one of their best overall quarters of the season. They shot 75% in the opening frame (15-for-20), their highest field goal percentage in any quarter this season and went into the second quarter leading 40-30.
It was their fifth 40-point quarter of the season, and they also posted a 26-10 edge in the paint in the period, marking their most points in the paint in any quarter this season.
Embiid had just six attempts in his first 20 minutes of action, a testament to Claxton and Day’Ron Sharpe’s smothering defensive effort in the paint. However, the All-Star center was noticeably hobbled in stretches throughout the night. He was seen grabbing at his knee in the second quarter but remained in the game.
Brooklyn enjoyed a balanced scoring effort early, too. Nine of 10 Nets players who saw action in the first half scored, paced by Cam Johnson and Ziaire Williams, who both reached double figures. The Nets led 63-52 at halftime and had 16 assists to just six turnovers and 23 made field goals.
However, while Brooklyn held the 76ers to 34.6% in the third quarter, Philadelphia got to the free throw line more often and ultimately outscored it 24-20 in the period, which made it a seven-point game entering the final frame.
The Nets’ offense continued to cool down early in the fourth quarter, turnovers began to pile up, and Philadelphia finally found its counter punch. An Oubre dunk made it a three-point game with 7:19 left. A Maxey layup made it a two-point game with 4:44 left. Then a Grimes 3-pointer put the 76ers up 95-94 with 4:11 left, their first lead since the 8:43 mark in the first quarter.
Maxey’s 26-footer tied the game with 23 seconds left. And after a Keon Johnson miss with 1.8 seconds left, Claxton skied over George for the Nets’ ninth offensive rebound and emerged as Brooklyn’s hero Saturday night.
The Nets improved to 21-35 with the win and are now in sole possession of 11th place in the Eastern Conference standings. And with the Chicago Bulls’ 121-117 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Saturday, they are just a half game back of 10th place and the Play-In Tournament with 26 regular-season games left.
Claxton finished with 16 points, nine rebounds, three assists and five blocks, extending his season-best streak of consecutive games with multiple blocks to seven. Cam Johnson scored a team-high 23 points for Brooklyn and Trendon Watford matched Claxton’s 16 points in 24 minutes off the bench.
Killian Hayes, recently signed to a 10-day contract, started in place of Russell and finished with three points, four rebounds, six assists and a block in 27 minutes. The Nets finished with 10 steals, limited Philadelphia to 42.4% shooting, and have allowed 97.9 points per game since Jan. 29, the best in the NBA over that span.
Maxey led the 76ers with 31 points on 10-for-23 shooting. Former Net Lonnie Walker IV, who made his 76ers debut on Saturday after he spent most of this season playing overseas, went 0-for-3 from the field in 10 minutes.
The Nets will return to action on Monday against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. Russell, who suffered a right ankle sprain in Thursday’s 110-97 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, isn’t expected to play in that matchup, either.
