Johnson set a new career high with 36 points and added 10 boards and 4 steals in a game that was ugly and chippy, but a San Antonio win.
SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Spurs (14-32) snapped a five-game skid with a 106-98 win over a depleted Nets team.
Keldon Johnson set career highs for points and steals in a game that was ugly and even a bit chippy at times.
The Spurs got out to an early lead by pounding the paint as Jeremy Sochan and Jakob Poeltl dominated inside. Jak got 8 points and 5 boards in his opening stint, and Sochan showed off smooth moves and soft touch as San Antonio quickly built a double-digit lead.
Keldon Johnson knocked down a triple, finished an and-1, and ripped 3 steals in the first quarter.
San Antonio led 27-15 after a quarter, with the Nets shooting under 29% from the floor without Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
Brooklyn found their footing and the Spurs slowed down to start the second quarter, and a 12-4 run got the Nets back into the game.
PHOTOS: Spurs beat Nets 106-98 on a career night for Keldon Johnson
Sochan missed a middie, then made up for it with a three on the next trip down. Collins found McDermott for a slashing dunk, then Sochan hit another three from the same spot.
The 19-year-old was talking a bit of trash to Markieff Morris, who then plowed through him while setting a screen. Sochan held on and dragged him to the floor, they got into each others’ faces, and Zach Collins jumped into the fray.
A few plays later, Sochan drove right through Morris for an and-1. Brooklyn challenged unsuccessfully and the rookie hit a one-handed free throw to get up to 16 points.
Brooklyn continued to score, and fought their way in front to erase what was once a 14-point Spurs lead. The Nets went up by 7, but Josh Richardson hit a three and Tre Jones hit free throws to tie things at 51 to end the half.
Keldon scored a few times in a row to start the second half, then Nic Claxton answered with 7 points for Brooklyn. Sochan picked up his fourth foul and went to the bench after a stellar first half. Tre Jones hit a corner three. Jak busted up a lob pass and Romeo Langford scored on a putback, then Poeltl got another stop in the paint and got it to Josh Richardson for a mid-range jumper. Richardson missed a layup, and Poeltl put it back up and in.
Richardson blocked a shot, then Poeltl was called for his fourth foul after being elbowed in the face. Pop challenged, but it was unsuccessful. Keldon went coast to coast and carved through the defense for a tough layup, then drove and bullied his way in for another, then drove for free throws, then got followed his own miss and got more.
Josh Richardson came flying in from the top rope to smash a two-handed block off the window.
Keldon again drove to the basket and again kissed it in off the glass, making it 10 points in a row for the Spurs. Branham hit a mid-range J to end that streak. San Antonio led 76-68 heading to the fourth.
The Spurs pushed their lead to a dozen, then the Nets cut it to five. Collins dribbled into and out of trouble for a tough layup. Seth Curry answered with a three.
Sochan caught a lob and wanted to cram a dunk but the timing was off. He held it, surveyed the floor and found Keldon for an open triple. The next trip Keldon went for a dunk but got stuffed. Collins blocked a dunk attempt on the other end, and on his second try Keldon crammed it and talked some noise.
Keldon drove, spun, faded away and drilled a paint jumper. Richardson dribbled into a middie. The Nets started 2-19 from three, but hit a big one. Johnson took a handoff from Sochan and drove for a dunk, but Curry answered with a putback.
With the shot clock winding down, Johnson calmly dribbled into a three and swished it to make it an 8-point game with under a minute to go.
Curry made a quick layup and Pop called time, but Tre Jones got called for an offensive foul on the inbound. Claxton got called for an illegal screen moments later, then a wild sequence of events ended with the ball in Tre Jones’ hands. He hit free throws, then the Nets quickly answered.
Johnson got fouled and set a new career high with 36 points, and the Spurs won 106-98.
GAME REWIND
The Spurs are coming off a 132-119 loss versus the Kings.
Jakob Poeltl had 23 points and seven rebounds to lead the team while Keldon Johnson added 20 points. Josh Richardson finished with 21 points and four assists while Tre Jones recorded eight points and 10 rebounds in the loss.
Sacramento connected on 14 three-point shots.
“They’re a better team,” Gregg Popovich said. “Against them, we made too many mistakes. It’s a lot easier to score when you make stops. We were making so many defensive mistakes. The good part is that they never give in. They keep on pushing. They keep on trying. With the defensive mistakes, it makes it tough on ourselves.”
INJURY REPORT
THE UNIFORMS
The Spurs will be in their Icon Edition jerseys today.
LOCKED ON SPURS PREVIEWS SPURS-NETS
FIVE THINGS TO WATCH
1. The Spurs have lost five-straight games against the Nets.
2. The Spurs are 5-4 at home versus Eastern Conference teams.
3. The Nets are 10-2 on the road when leading after the first period.
4. The Nets are on a two-game losing streak heading into tonight’s game.
5. The Nets are 18-4 this season against teams with a below .500 record.
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