Nets’ Finney-Smith strong to the finish

Scores 12 fourth-quarter points as Brooklyn tops Philly

March 6, 2024 John Torenli, Sports Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Dorian Finney-Smith celebrates as Brooklyn fans roar during the Nets' come-from-behind victory at Barclays Center Tuesday night. AP Photo by Adam Hunger

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Dorian Finney-Smith saved his best for last, and helped the Nets avoid a loss to the severely short-handed Philadelphia 76ers Tuesday night at Downtown’s Barclays Center.

Brooklyn’s power forward scored 12 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter as the Nets rallied for a 112-107 victory over the 76ers in front of 17,806 fans on the corner of Atlantic and Flatbush.

Dennis Schroder also scored 20 points and added eight assists for Brooklyn, which trailed 92-84 more than three minutes into the final period.

After Mikal Bridges drained three free throws, Finney-Smith buried a 3-pointer to spark an 11-0 run that gave the Nets (25-37) a 95-92 lead en route to completing a 3-1 homestand ahead of their upcoming six-game road trip.

Finney-Smith, who finished 8-for-11 from the field, including 4-of-7 from 3-point range, grabbed three of his eight rebounds off the offensive glass as the Nets recovered quickly from Monday’s momentum-killing 106-102 loss to visiting Memphis.

“This is our fourth quarter of our season, so we have to challenge each other,” Nets interim coach Kevin Ollie said. “We can’t let any games slip and we’ve got to take care of business.”

Brooklyn, which remained 2 1/2 games behind 10th-place Atlanta for the last spot in the Eastern Conference’s play-in tournament, won back-to-back games against the Hawks to open the stand.

Finney-Smith made sure it would be a winning one.

After the Nets burst in front to stay, he added a putback and a 24-footer to stretch the advantage to 106-100 with 1:37 remaining. Schroder’s layup with 23 ticks on the clock settled matters, making it 108-103.

“Coach’s been telling us to respond,” Finney-Smith revealed. “That’s something he’s been challenging us to do, stick together when things get bad when things aren’t going our way and we’re not making shots.”

Kevin Ollie pushed his team to bounce back from Monday’s home loss to Memphis, and they responded against visiting Philadelphia Tuesday. AP Photo by Adam Hunger

Already without reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid due to a left knee injury that required surgery last month, the Sixers (35-26) learned earlier Tuesday that All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey would also be out due to a concussion suffered Sunday in Dallas.

Kelly Oubre Jr. poured in a season-high 30 points and Tobias Harris had 18 for Philadelphia, which dropped to 6-9 without Embiid and had its two-game winning streak snapped.

“I think we did play pretty well and I keep saying in these kinds of circumstances — again, we’re still not super-organized for obvious reasons — you’re going to have to play good to give yourselves a chance,” Sixers coach Nick Nurse told the Associated Press.

“We gave ourselves a chance tonight but again, you can’t make so many probably glaring mistakes like those were.”

Lonnie Walker IV put up 19 points off the bench and Nic Claxton added 17 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots for Brooklyn, which won its second straight vs. the Sixers after dropping nine in a row to its Atlantic Division rivals, including a four-game sweep in last year’s playoffs.

Bridges had 15 points for the Nets, who won the rebounding battle 44-38 one night after the Grizzlies outboarded them, 50-33.

The Nets also grabbed 10 offensive boards, three of which were easy tip-ins for Finney-Smith, who refused to let this one get away.

“They came out and hit us in the face first, but we responded well,” he noted.

Brooklyn will have to do so again Thursday, when it visits Detroit to kick off a trip that will keep the Nets away from our borough until March 19.

Dennis Schroder’s 20 points and eight assists helped the Nets complete a 3-1 homestand with a win over the 76ers Tuesday in Downtown Brooklyn. AP Photo by Adam Hunger

NOTHING BUT NET: The Nets lost forward Cam Johnson to an apparent ankle sprain Tuesday. He didn’t play the entire second half after being fouled by Sixers guard Kyle Lowry on a made 3-pointer. There was no update on his injury postgame. … Point guard Ben Simmons (back) remained out for the fifth straight game, as did shooting guard Cam Thomas (ankle), who remains listed as day-to-day. … After visiting the league-worst Pistons on Thursday, the Nets will be in Charlotte Saturday and Cleveland on Sunday.