Long Island Nets can't stop slide in 2OT loss at Westchester

The Long Island Nets had their chances to win Saturday night against the Westchester Knicks, but wound up with their 3rd straight loss in double-overtime.

Dzanan Musa‘s career-high 30 points couldn’t save the Long Island Nets in the end Saturday night as they took their third straight loss, dropping a 134-130 decision in double-overtime to the Westchester Knicks at the Westchester County Center in White Plains.

The loss dropped the Nets (21-13) to 1½ games behind the Lakeland Magic in the NBA G League’s eastern Conference.

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Musa went off early, scoring 14 points and canning all four of his 3-point attempts in the first quarter as the Nets build a 14-point lead. The Knicks (22-16) climbed back to make it just a three-point margin at halftime, 63-60 in favor of Long Island.

The Nets had a seven-point lead with 8:18 remaining in regulation, but Westchester came back to tie the game twice and then take the lead on a layup by Zak Irvin with 4:08 left.

Mitch Creek‘s reverse layiup with 1:01 to go put Long Island up four, but Billy Garrett dropped in a 16-foot pull-up jumper with 54.1 second remaining and after Creek missed a 3-pointer at the other end, Irvin tied it with 23.3 seconds left on a jumper after Garrett’s layup had been blocked by Alan Williams.

The Nets got a look at a deep 2 from Theo Pinson late in the clock, but it was off the mark and the teams headed to overtime tied at 117-117.

In the first overtime, Long Island led by three with 8.9 seconds left before Tahjere McCall made a crucial error, committing a foul away from the play as the Knicks were attempting to inbound the ball.

Garrett made the free throw and the Knicks retained possession. Garrett drove and was fouled by Williams, tying the game with a pair of free throws. Long Island got the ball back with five seconds left, but Jordan McLaughlin misfired on a 22-foot step-back jumper at the horn.

The Nets never led in the second overtime and scored just four points in the session — all by Musa.

Westchester had a chance it go up two possessions with 13.2 seconds left, but Garrett missed the second of two free throws to give Long Island a chance. Pinson and Musa each missed 3-pointers on the ensuing possession and Alan Williams gathered in the offensive rebound.

Williams was hit with a technical foul after the board, as he lost the ball out of bounds while appearing to take a blow to the head from Irvin. Instead, Williams was T’d up while arguing the call.

Garrett hit the foul shot to put the Knicks up four with 1.7 seconds to go.

Long Island shot 46 percent (46-for-100) in the game, and was 14-for-38 (36.8 percent) from deep, while outrebounding the Knicks 55-51 and having a 22-15 edge in second-chance points.

Westchester hit 49.5 percent (55-for-111) and was 7-for-31 (22.6 percent) from deep. The Nets hurt themselves with 20 turnovers that led to 31 points for the Knicks. Westchester had only 13 giveaways, yielding 19 Long Island points.

Musa added 11 rebounds and six assists for the Nets, while Pinson finished with 21 points and seven assists, but also committed seven turnovers. Williams went for 17 points, 16 rebounds and two blocks.

Garrett went off for career-high 39 points for the Knicks while adding 12 assists and three steals. Irvin finished with 25 points and 14 rebounds, Jameel Warney scored 24 points to go with 10 rebounds, three steals and four blocks and Stephen Zimmerman grabbed 11 boards and blocked two shots.

Devon Baulkman went for 18 points and three blocks for Westchester.

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The Nets get a shot at gaining a game on the conference leading Magic Monday night, when they visit Lakeland’s RP Funding Center for a 7 p.m. tip. The game can be seen on Facebook Live. That will be Long Island’s last game before shutting down for the NBA All-Star break.

Long Island Nets can’t stop slide in 2OT loss at Westchester

By Phil Watson | Feb 10, 2019

The Long Island Nets had their chances to win Saturday night against the Westchester Knicks, but wound up with their 3rd straight loss in double-overtime.

More from Nothin' But Nets