Andray Blatche scored 24 points and Joe Johnson added 21 as the Brooklyn Nets survived a late meltdown and escaped the Toronto Raptors 102-100, to stop a five-game losing streak.
Paul Pierce netted 16 points and Kevin Garnett contributed 12 for visiting Brooklyn (4-10) which posted its first victory on Tuesday night since November 15 over Phoenix.
The Nets led 101-86 on Blatche's put-back with five minutes 22 seconds left, but they collapsed with shoddy play and turnovers down the stretch.
The Raptors took advantage and Rudy Gay's three-pointer from the left wing capped a 14-0 tear, making it 101-100 with 23.7 ticks left.
Shaun Livingston was fouled with 11.2 seconds left and missed the second of two free throws at the other end, giving the Raptors a shot to tie or go ahead.
After a timeout, Gay wasn't able to find any openings and sent a pass over to Amir Johnson in the left corner. But his potential game-winning three-pointer missed and Steve Novak couldn't get the tip-in to fall at the buzzer.
DeMar DeRozan scored a game-high 27 points, Kyle Lowry added 24, while Gay finished with just nine for the Raptors (6-8), who remain atop the weak Atlantic Division despite a losing record.
Elsewhere: John Wall poured in 13 of his 31 points in the final quarter, Brazilian big man Nene added a career-high 30, and the Washington Wizards ended the LA Lakers' season-high three-game winning streak, 116-111.
Jordan Farmar topped the visiting Lakers with 22 points, and Spaniard Pau Gasol contributed 17 with eight rebounds.
- Arron Afflalo erupted for 26 points and the visiting Orlando Magic snapped an 11-game losing streak to the Atlanta Hawks with their first road win of the season, 109-92.
Victor Oladipo and Andrew Nicholson added 18 points apiece for Orlando, which also broke a four-game skid overall.
Al Horford and Jeff Teague netted 15 points apiece for Atlanta, which has its first two-game losing streak of the season.
- Klay Thompson scored 22 points, David Lee had 19 and Jermaine O'Neal 18, as the visiting Golden State Warriors stopped a three-game losing streak after escaping the New Orleans Pelicans 102-101.
New Orleans had a shot to win, but Eric Gordon's wide-open three-pointer from the left corner rimmed out in the closing seconds.
Ryan Anderson had 21 points and 12 rebounds, while Gordon netted 16 to pace the Pelicans, who dropped their second game in as many nights.
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