Nets hold on to beat Hornets in NBA Cup play as Cam Johnson scores season-high 34 points
Nets forward Cameron Johnson drives against Charlotte Hornets guard Josh Green in the first half of an NBA basketball game at Barclays Center on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
At shootaround Tuesday, the Nets spoke glowingly of the NBA Cup and hosting their first group-play game this season. By tipoff, the mood changed with Cam Thomas ruled out because of lower back tightness.
The Nets, however, rediscovered their joy at the final buzzer, escaping Barclays Center with a 116-115 win over the Hornets. Cam Johnson had a season-high 34 points, his most since joining the Nets in February 2023.
The game had a wild rhythm adding to the stakes of the second NBA in-season tournament. Both teams gave back double-digit leads, including the Nets trailing by 17 in the second quarter.
The Nets (6-9, 1-1 in group play), who ended a three-game losing streak, scored 24 points off 23 Hornets turnovers. Ben Simmons had his first double-digit scoring game of the season with 10 points. But it ended with an unlikely closer in Trendon Watford in his second game back from injury.
Watford played the final 7:15 and scored the last seven Nets points to keep them ahead after they led 109-108 with 1:52 remaining. His three-point play with 1:10 left pushed the Nets’ lead to five and he added a short hook shot with 38.9 seconds left that made it 116-111
“Adrenaline was out the roof, honestly,” said Watford, who played 19 minutes, one above his limit. “I told Coach just let me rock. I’m good. I know I’m on minutes restriction, but nah, I feel good. I was just happy to be back out there.”
The Hornets (5-9, 1-1) didn’t go away. Brandon Miller, who had 29 points, cut the deficit to three on a short jumper with 28.8 second left, but he misfired on a game-tying three with 1.8 seconds left with Dorian Finney-Smith guarding him closely.
The game was tied at 100 after the Nets rallied from a seven-point fourth-quarter deficit. Both teams traded blows from there with the Nets scoring the next four, the Hornets the next six and Johnson coming back with a three-pointer.
Johnson entered the game shooting 52.6% from the field and 44.2% on threes over his last seven games. He kept up that efficiency, shooting 11-for-20 from the floor, including 6-for-12 on threes.
His sixth game with at least 20 points matches his total from last season. “He’s a bad man,” Dennis Schroder said at shootaround. “I didn’t know he was that nice shooting the ball, playing defense, running the floor, cuts. I thought he was just a shooter, but he’s more than that.”
The Nets started the game flat while the Hornets buzzed with early energy, especially on the perimeter. The visitors opened 6-for-6 from the field, including five three-pointers, to jump out to a 17-5 lead.
After falling behind 44-27 with 7:35 left in the second, the Nets outscored the Hornets 47-19 through the third quarter. They opened the third quarter on a 20-4 run and took their first lead of the game at 60-59 on a three by Jalen Wilson.
But an eventual 11-point lead faded away. The Hornets tied it at 83 on free throws by Tidjane Salaun, setting the stage for a tight fourth quarter where Watford was the difference.
Finney-Smith had 15 points, Schroder added 14 points and 12 assists while Watford finished with 10 points. Simmons added eight rebounds, three steals and five assists in his first double-digit scoring game since Feb. 10.
Thomas missed his first game of the season. The Nets’ leading scorer was a late add to the injury report after shootaround. He was ruled out 12 minutes before tipoff and Wilson made his first start of the season.
The second-year forward made a career-high five threes and had a season-high 17 points in his fourth career start. But even he was in awe of how Johnson’s raised his game after an injury-plagued last season.
“I mean, he’s playing with so much confidence,” Wilson said of Johnson. “Obviously, my first year knowing him was last year and seeing him play, but this year is like, I feel like every shot’s going in for him.”
Evan Barnes covers the Nets for Newsday. He previously covered Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
