Wall scores 21, Wizards beat Nets 113-107
NEW YORK — John Wall scored 21 points and made two big defensive plays against Deron Williams down the stretch to lead the Washington Wizards to a 113-107 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night.
Nene added 17 points in his return from injury for the Wizards, who completed a New York sweep after a victory over the Knicks on Monday following a four-game losing streak.
Trevor Ariza and Bradley Beal each finished with 15 points.
Paul Pierce had a season-high 27 points for the Nets, and Brook Lopez added 22 after missing two games with a sprained left ankle. Joe Johnson finished with 20.
Pierce, who has been coming off the bench since returning from a broken right hand, made his first seven shots and finished 10 of 12. The Nets shot 53 percent from the field, but the Wizards put seven players in double figures and made 12 3-pointers.
The Nets were chipping away at a 12-point deficit when Wall stopped their momentum with under 5 minutes left when he swiped the ball from Williams and went in alone for a layup to make it 99-93. Williams brought the Nets to 101-100 with a jumper, but Marcin Gortat tipped in a miss before Beal’s 3-pointer made it 106-100 with 1:08 to play.
Nene then hit two free throws on Kevin Garnett’s sixth foul for an eight-point advantage, but Williams scored four straight points. He was attacking the basket again after Martell Webster’s free throw gave Washington a 109-104 edge, but Wall blocked the shot, Webster made two free throws and the Wizards held on.
Webster finished with 13 points and Gortat had 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Nene played 22 minutes off the bench after missing four games with right foot tendinitis.
The Wizards made seven of their first nine 3-point attempts and built a quick 11-point lead, but the Nets trailed only 30-28 after one. Washington went back up by 10 late in the half, but the Nets got the final four points to make it 59-53. Brooklyn shot 56 percent in the first half, but Washington made up for that by going 9 of 12 from behind the arc.
Williams had 15 points and 13 assists but shot just 5 of 13 from the field.
NOTES: The Nets had a three-game home winning streak snapped. ... Wizards G Glen Rice had surgery in New York on a broken right wrist and will be sidelined three to six weeks.