O'Neale's late 3-pointer lifts Nets past Warriors 120-116

Updated Jan. 22, 2023 11:34 p.m. ET

Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Royce O'Neale hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 28.5 seconds left, and the Brooklyn Nets capitalized on Golden State's third straight game squandering a double-digit lead, beating the defending champion Warriors 120-116 on Sunday night.

Golden State went ahead 106-93 on Klay Thompson's jumper with 6:57 to play then the Nets outscored the Warriors 27-10 the rest of the way.

Stephen Curry hit the go-ahead free throws with 1:12 remaining moments after Kyrie Irving's three-point play gave Brooklyn the lead, then Irving missed on the other end facing defensive pressure from Thompson. Irving missed another try but Golden State got two more chances and both Curry and Kevon Looney missed with less than a minute left.

Irving finished with 38 points, nine assists and seven rebounds for a Nets team that won a second straight playing without injured star Kevin Durant, who missed facing his former team after winning titles and NBA Finals MVP honors in 2017 and ’18 with Golden State.

Nic Claxton contributed career highs of 24 points and and 15 rebounds as the Nets won two in a row following a four-game losing streak.

Irving shot 12 for 22 with five 3-pointers coming off a spectacular 48-point performance in a 117-106 road win at Utah on Friday night in Brooklyn's first win since Durant sprained his right knee.

Curry had 26 points, seven assists and six rebounds.

Little brother Seth Curry’s layup with 2:29 left pulled Brooklyn within 112-109 then Joe Harris tied it on a 3 the next time down.

Jordan Poole added 17 points for the Warriors, who used a 39-point second quarter to take charge but couldn't hold it.

Irving's 3-pointer at the 6:55 mark of the third tied the game and the Warriors led 90-86 heading into the final 12 minutes.

O'Neale scored 11 of his 16 points with three 3-pointers in the first quarter.

Donte DiVincenzo made all four of his 3-point tries in the first half and the Warriors led 70-53 late in the second before a 7-0 Nets run got Brooklyn within 72-60 at the break. DiVincenzo wound up with 13 points and eight assists and Jonathan Kuminga added 20 points in 25 minutes.

Poole stayed in the starting lineup in Looney's place after scoring 30 or more points in two of the previous three games.

Looney had 14 points and 10 boards and Draymond Green nine points, 11 rebounds and seven assists after Brooklyn whipped the Warriors 143-113 at home on Dec. 21 but without Curry and Thompson.

Thompson added 10 points as six Warriors scored in double figures.

TIP-INS

Nets: F T.J. Warren was available and played 11 minutes after dealing with a bruised right knee. ... Seth Curry scored 12 points. ... Brooklyn matched the Warriors with 42 rebounds. ... The Nets improved to 5-6 on the road vs. the Western Conference.

Warriors: The Warriors dropped to 8-2 at home against teams with winning records coming into the game. ... Golden State has hit 15 or more 3s in 12 straight games. ... The Warriors scored 50 bench points in another big performance by the backups.

UP NEXT

Nets: At Philadelphia on Wednesday having lost on the Sixers' home floor 115-106 on Nov. 22.

Warriors: Host Memphis on Wednesday riding a two-game home winning streak in the series.

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