Long Island Nets roll past Legends on record-setting night

The Long Island Nets won their 2nd straight game Wednesday, setting a franchise scoring record in a 135-127 victory over the Texas Legends in Frisco, Texas.

The Long Island Nets were in an almost-Texas sized hole Wednesday night in the third game of their four-game Western road trip, trailing the Texas Legends by 13 points midway through the second quarter before rallying in a record-setting 135-127 victory at Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas.

The Nets (20-10) set franchise records with 51 points in the third quarter and 135 points in a regulation game, outscoring the Legends (12-22) 86-69 in the second half.

Long island took its first lead early in the second half, opening the third quarter on a 13-2 run capped by Shannon Scott‘s 3-pointer with 9:28 left in the period.

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The teams traded the lead back and forth over the next several minutes before the Nets went ahead for good on a pair of free throws by Alan Williams with 5:54 left in the third, the start of an 8-0 run that pushed Long Island out to a working lead they never surrendered.

Texas only got as close as three once in the fourth quarter on Gary Trent Jr.’s 3-pointer with 2:23 remaining.

The Legends had a chance to tie it with 1:33 to go, but Trent’s 3-pointer was off-target and Drew Gordon put back a miss by Kamari Murphy at the other end to put Long Island back up by five with 1:13 left.

The win allowed Long Island to maintain a one-game lead in the Eastern Conference over the Lakeland Magic, who won Wednesday at home against the Canton Charge. The Nets moved a game back in front of Raptors 905, which lost at home to the Westchester Knicks Wednesday.

Seven players scored in double figures for the Nets, who shot 45.8 percent (44-for-96) on the night and hit 8-of-30 (26.7 percent) from 3-point range.

In a foul-filled contest that included 64 personal fouls and a pair of flagrant calls against the Legends, the Nets took advantage by hitting 39-of-45 at the line (86.7 percent).

Texas hit 44.1 percent (45-for-102) and was 11-for-30 (36.7 percent) from deep and outrebounded Long Island 52-50. The Nets hammered the Legends inside, outscoring them 68-54 in the paint, while Texas had a massive 38-12 edge in fast-break scoring.

Williams led the Nets with 28 points and 12 rebounds before fouling out. Gordon came off the bench for a season-high 23 points to go with 10 rebounds and two blocks in 22 minutes.

Rookie Dzanan Musa, on assignment from the parent Brooklyn Nets, scored 20 points with eight assists in 25 minutes. It was his first action since partially dislocating his shoulder while on assignment with Long Island on Dec. 16.

Murphy also had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, Scott finished with 17 points, nine assists and three steals and Kevin Olekaibe logged 14 points and two blocks.

Trent, playing with Texas while on assignment from the Portland Trail Blazers (who do not have a G League affiliate), led the Legends with 37 points. Xavier Rathan-Mayes added 22 points and eight assists.

Xavier Johnson had 12 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks before being ejected in the fourth quarter for a flagrant foul against Musa with 5:31 remaining. Asauhn Dixon-Tatum blocked three shots for the Legends, the G League affiliate of the Dallas Mavericks.

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The Nets close out their road trip on Friday when they visit the Austin Spurs at H-E-B Center at Cedar Park in suburban Austin. The game, scheduled for 8:30 p.m. Eastern, can be seen live on Twitch.