Bogdanovic scores career-high 44, Nets beat 76ers 131-114
NEW YORK (AP) - Bojan Bogdanovic and the Brooklyn Nets had a night to remember against the league-worst Philadelphia 76ers.
Bogdanovic scored a career-high 44 points, the Nets snapped a four-game losing streak with a season-high scoring total in a 131-114 victory over the 76ers on Tuesday night.
Bogdanovic's previous career high was 28 points against Orlando last April 15. His total was the most for a Nets player since Deron Williams scored 57 on March 4, 2012, and the most by any Nets player since the team moved to Brooklyn prior to the 2012-13 season.
"I started the game with a couple of easy free throws, easy buckets on the fast break. I had 15 or 17 after the first quarter," Bogdanovic said. "So I realized that tonight is maybe my night to get a career-high in the NBA.
"I tried (for 50), but then I missed a couple of shots and then I was like 40 is good too."
Sean Kilpatrick added 19 points, Brook Lopez had 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Thaddeus Young finished with 14 points and 16 rebounds for the Nets.
Isaiah Canaan led the 76ers with 20 points, while Nerlens Noel, Ish Smith and Nik Stauskas each had 18.
Smith opened the scoring with a 3-pointer, but the Nets scored the next seven points and never gave up the lead.
Brooklyn was ahead 32-15 after the first quarter and Bogdanovic's running layup with 2:45 left in the second quarter gave the Nets a 63-40 lead.
The 76ers managed to pull to 71-51 at halftime, but the Nets opened a game-high 24-point lead, 84-60, on Lopez's jumper with 7:45 remaining in the third quarter.
"We just came out aggressive and held it for the majority of the game," Lopez said. "They made a few runs, but we always answered back. For the most part we were unselfish with the ball."
Philadelphia got within 15 points on Hollis Thompson's free throw with 1:16 remaining in the quarter and trailed 100-83 heading into the fourth quarter.
The 76ers opened the final quarter on a 16-8 run and pulled to 108-99 on Thompson's layup and foul shot with 8:04 remaining.
"We started playing some defense and running out of it. We ended up going smaller and making some threes. We cut it to nine," 76ers coach Brett Brown said. "But, we gave up two offensive rebounds and missed a couple of threes and it ballooned back up quick."
The Nets then scored the next four points and never led by less than 11 the rest of the way.
"There were times when we had Bogie playing some four, and we had matchups where we could post up," Nets coach Tony Brown said. "We don't do it a lot with him, but we had an opportunity to try to keep that going with him in the post.
"Just a tremendous game by him," Brown added. "When we needed the lift he was the one that gave us the punch."
Shane Larkin added 10 points for the Nets.
Thompson finished with 14 and Carl Landry had 10 points for the 76ers.
TIP-INS
76ers: Philadelphia has lost 15 of its last 16 games. The Sixers' only victory during this stretch was against the Nets, 95-89 on March 11 at home. ... The 76ers have lost seven of their last eight roads games to the Nets.
Nets: The victory tied the season series with Philadelphia 2-2. The Nets have not lost three games in a season to the 76ers since 2010-11. ... The Nets previous high for the season was 128 against Sacramento on Feb. 5.
BOGO STICKS
Bogdanovic made all of his shots (6 for 6 on field goals, 2 for 2 on 3-pointers, and 3 for 3 on free throws) in the first quarter. He singlehandedly outscored the 76ers over the first 12 minutes 17-15.
DOUBLE-ISH
Smith's current 10-game streak of scoring in double figures for the 76ers is the longest on the team.
If I AIN'T STARTING ...
Only two Nets have started every game in which they've played this season. Lopez and Young have each started in 66 of the Nets' 67 games. They both did not play in Brooklyn's game at Minnesota on March 5.
UP NEXT
76ers: Host Washington on Thursday night.
Nets: At Chicago on Thursday night.