Nets thump Cavaliers 113-107

Reserve Spencer Dinwiddie scored 28 points as the host Brooklyn Nets overcame a lackluster third quarter and gained control midway through the fourth and held on for a 113-107 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday. Dinwiddie recorded his team-record 14th game with at least 20 points off the bench and shot 10 of 21 from the floor.

The Nets won their second straight game by overcoming an ugly third quarter in which they were outscored 35-25. They entered the fourth facing an 85-80 deficit but dominated most of the final quarter by outscoring Cleveland 33-23. Dinwiddie scored 12 points in the fourth and played a significant role in Brooklyn's decisive 14-0 run by scoring nine points, including the last seven. During the run, Dinwiddie hit a pair of layups, a corner 3-pointer, and two free throws.

Dinwiddie's layup put Brooklyn up 110-94 with 3:26 remaining but the Nets were forced to sweat out the final minutes. Kevin Love hit two 3-pointers in an 8-0 Cleveland run to make it 110-102 with 2:07 remaining. Following a missed 3-pointer by Love, Joe Harris hit a layup with 67 seconds left to make it a 112-102 game, but Cleveland was within 112-108 when Love hit two of three free throws with 5.5 seconds remaining.

The Nets iced the game on a free throw by rookie Rodions Kurucs with 3.8 seconds left. D'Angelo Russell, who scored 36 in Brooklyn's triple-overtime win at Cleveland on Feb. 13, added 25 as the Nets shot 47.3 percent. Jarrett Allen collected 15 points and 11 rebounds while Caris LeVert helped Brooklyn's reserves total 50 points by 14 points in the fourth. Love scored 21 of his 24 points after halftime and pulled down 16 rebounds for Cleveland, which shot 40.2 percent and committed 18 turnovers.

David Nwaba finished with a career-high 22 points for the Cavaliers. The Nets took a 37-22 lead with 9:45 left in the second, but Cleveland outscored Brooklyn 63-43 through the end of the third quarter before the Nets regained control in the fourth. The Nets took the lead for good at 93-92 on a 3-point play by Dinwiddie with 8:57 left.