AP

Nets hold off Wizards’ rally, beat Washington 119-118

Jan 19, 2022, 4:40 AM | Updated: 8:11 pm

Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) drives to the basket against Washington Wizards forward Kyle ...

Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) drives to the basket against Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma (33) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)


              Brooklyn Nets center LaMarcus Aldridge, left, is defended by Washington Wizards center Montrezl Harrell during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
            
              Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal drives to the basket against Brooklyn Nets center LaMarcus Aldridge during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022, in Washington. At left is Wizards center Daniel Gafford, and at right is Nets guard Kyrie Irving. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
            
              Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden, right, defends against Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
            
              Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) drives to the basket against Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma (33) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Kyle Kuzma missed a 3-pointer in the final seconds, and he could accept that.

He was less diplomatic about a play earlier in the fourth quarter, when someone on the Brooklyn bench appeared to reach out and deflect a pass that was headed toward Kuzma in the corner.

“AAU basketball. That’s what it looked like,” Kuzma said.

That was one of the more printable things Kuzma said about that bizarre play, but Washington still had plenty of opportunities after that Wednesday night. The Wizards lost to the Nets 119-118 when Kuzma and Spencer Dinwiddie missed 3-pointers in the final seconds.

Washington trailed by as many as 16 points, but a 3-pointer by Kuzma cut the lead to one with 36 seconds left. That set the stage for a wild finish. Kyrie Irving missed a 3 for Brooklyn, but the Wizards couldn’t secure the rebound. Then James Harden had a shot blocked by Montrezl Harrell, giving Washington the ball.

The Wizards didn’t call a timeout, and the ball ended up with Kuzma, who missed from the left wing. Harrell’s offensive rebound gave Dinwiddie a last-ditch shot against his former team, but that was off the mark as well.

Irving scored 22 of his 30 points in the first half for Brooklyn. The star guard made his season debut two weeks earlier. His refusal to get vaccinated against the coronavirus means he can’t play in New York, but he was sharp on this night in Washington.

“Obviously having him on the road has been a big plus for us,” coach Steve Nash said. “Tonight he was brilliant.”

LaMarcus Aldridge added 27 points for the Nets, and Harden had 18. Brooklyn won for only the fifth time in its last 12 games.

Bradley Beal led the Wizards with 23 points.

Official Ben Taylor told a pool reporter nobody on the crew saw a deflection from the Brooklyn bench on the pass toward Kuzma with 5:45 remaining, which created a steal for the Nets. Joseph Blair, Washington’s acting coach, said he was in “utter disbelief” about the play.

Kuzma was more pointed.

“It’s just an unfortunate situation,” he said. “There’s a couple guys out there that were (expletive) all night. So, got to live with it.”

The Nets are without Kevin Durant because of a left knee injury, and Joe Harris has been out following left ankle surgery. With Irving and Harden, Brooklyn still has plenty of star power.

In fact, the Nets went 16-3 last season when they had Irving and Harden but not Durant. They dropped their first game in that situation this season, Monday against Cleveland.

Brooklyn led 74-62 after shooting 63% from the field in the first half. A 9-0 run by Washington in the fourth quarter cut the lead to one, but a layup by Irving started a 7-0 run by the Nets that made it 111-103.

“I just feel like, even coming into halftime, the Wizards were very comfortable,” Irving said. “It was a good test for us. I felt like we could have maintained the lead a little bit more.”

The Nets improved to 16-5 on the road this season. Only Phoenix (17-4) has been better.

NO TIMEOUT

Blair chose to let things play out at the end, hoping the Wizards could catch Brooklyn in an unsettled situation with no timeout.

“I considered it for sure, but I felt like we had such momentum when we got the rebound going the other way, we had them scrambling,” Blair said.

FAMILIAR FACE

Dinwiddie scored 11 points. He was acquired by the Wizards this offseason after blossoming into a quality contributor in five seasons with the Nets.

TIP-INS

Nets: DeAndre’ Bembry (back), Nic Claxton (left hamstring) and Paul Millsap (personal) did not play.

Wizards: Blair coached Washington for a second straight game after coach Wes Unseld Jr. and assistant Pat Delany entered health and safety protocols. … Beal had nine assists, his 13th straight game with at least five. That ties the longest streak of his career.

UP NEXT

Nets: Visit San Antonio on Friday night.

Wizards: Host Toronto on Friday night.

___

Follow Noah Trister at https://twitter.com/noahtrister

___

More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

Associated Press

Ex-Packer Guion gets 1 year for domestic violence assault

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Former Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion was sentenced to one year in jail after pleading no contest in a domestic violence assault at his home last fall. Brown County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Walsh also ordered Guion on Tuesday to serve three years’ probation and complete a domestic […]

1 year ago

Joe Jarzynka...

Associated Press

Durant eager for Suns debut vs. Hornets after knee injury

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kevin Durant has been through quite a bit during his 15-year NBA career — but joining a new team midway through the season is a new one for the 13-time All-Star. The 34-year-old Durant doesn’t seem all that worried. Durant makes his highly anticipated Phoenix Suns debut on Wednesday night against […]

1 year ago

FILE - Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores stands on the sideline during the second half of an N...

Associated Press

Judge: NFL coach can press discrimination claims in court

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Coach Brian Flores can pursue some of his discrimination claims against the league and its teams in court rather than through arbitration, a judge ruled Wednesday. The written decision by Judge Valerie Caproni in Manhattan was issued months after lawyers for the league tried to get the lawsuit moved to […]

1 year ago

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock cools off in the first period during an NHL hockey game ...

Associated Press

Kane trade reinforces hard reality of Blackhawks rebuild

CHICAGO (AP) — After days of speculation, the harsh reality of the Chicago Blackhawks’ situation was reinforced by one move in a flurry of transactions ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Showtime is over, at least in Chicago, and a seemingly bright future is, well, way off in the distance. The reverberations of Chicago’s decision […]

1 year ago

FILE -  Yves Jean-Bart, president of the Haitian Football Federation, wearing a protective face mas...

Associated Press

Disgraced ex-Haitian soccer president announces he’s back

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s former soccer federation president whose lifetime ban from sport over sexual abuse allegations was overturned last month announced Wednesday that he is reclaiming his position. Yves Jean-Bart’s defiant announcement could lead to a standoff with FIFA, which already has appointed an emergency management committee to lead the Haitian Football Association […]

1 year ago

FILE - Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers walks off the field after an NFL football game against the ...

Associated Press

Rodgers says decision on future will come ‘soon enough’

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers says he will make a decision on his future “soon enough” as the four-time MVP quarterback ponders whether to play next season and if his future remains with the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers, 39, discussed his future while speaking on an episode of the “Aubrey Marcus Podcast” that […]

1 year ago

Nets hold off Wizards’ rally, beat Washington 119-118