Nets fall to 76ers in NBA Cup play despite another big night from Cam Johnson
Nets' Cam Johnson (2) goes up for a shot against Philadelphia 76ers' Caleb Martin (16) and Guerschon Yabusele (28) during the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, in Philadelphia. Credit: AP/Matt Slocum
PHILADELPHIA — One month ago, few would have expected the Nets and 76ers to be in their current states. The Nets playing above preseason expectations and the 76ers drowning among the league’s worst teams.
Few would’ve also expected Cam Johnson to morph into a lethal scorer despite his hot shooting touch. Johnson kept up his torrid pace Friday night but the 76ers’ dual closers of Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain were too much, sending the Nets to a 113-98 loss at Wells Fargo Center in Emirates NBA Cup play.
After scoring 34 last game, Johnson scored 37 points, one shy of his career-high. He tied his career-high with nine made three-pointers and extended a stretch where he came into the game shooting 52.1% on field goals and 41.8% on three-pointers over his last nine games.
For the first time in his career, Johnson scored at least 20 points in three consecutive games. It went for naught because the Nets (6-10) couldn’t control the ball.
Nineteen turnovers gave the 76ers 28 points. Fittingly, the Nets turned the ball over on their second-to-last possession, giving the 76ers their final basket.
It was a lackluster finish to a 76ers (3-12) that entered with the NBA’s worst record and was down Joel Embiid (injury management) and Paul George (left knee bone bruise).
Maxey’s steal and dunk with 2:27 left gave the 76ers a 11-point lead and all coach Jordi Fernandez could do was call timeout and stare up at the crowd with his hands on his hips.
He couldn’t do much because he couldn’t play defense on the court. Maxey and McCain combined for 23 fourth-quarter points to outdoes Johnson’s 18-point quarter.
McCain, the 76ers’ first-round pick, finished with 30 points. Maxey added 26 points.
The Nets trailed 51-38 in the second quarter before ended the half on a 12-2 run to trail by three at halftime.
It foreshadowed an even stronger start after the break. The Nets stormed to the lead with a 14-0 run as part of a larger 26-4 run since their 13-point deficit. Cam Thomas found his rhythm after a quiet first half with 10 points in the third.
Yet the Nets couldn’t maintain it. They led 70-62 before giving up a 15-2 run of their own. Maxey gave the 76ers a 74-73 lead with a three-point play then McCain found Reggie Jackson for a three to cap the run.
McCain got hot in the fourth to keep up with Johnson. He made a layup to give the 76ers a 91-90 lead then drained a three-pointer to push the advantage to four.
It was part of a 9-0 76ers run that left the Nets behind for good. The poor start to this four-game road trip was also their sixth loss in eight games.
Thomas had 18 points for the Nets, who shot 49.4% from the field
Evan Barnes covers the Nets for Newsday. He previously covered Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
