Nets Destroy Cavs for Third Straight Win

Added by Deshawn Jelani on November 14, 2012.

(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

The Brooklyn Nets captured their third straight win with a 114-101 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

“It’s probably the best game that we’ve had together,” said starting shooting guard Joe Johnson. “It’s still early in the season, but yeah, I’m sure that’s the vision everybody had, that’s the vision I had and I’m sure this won’t be the last (big) game. Like I say, man, we’re just figuring things out.”

Point guard Deron Williams had 26 points and 10 assists, while Johnson and center Brook Lopez chipped in 25 and 23 points, respectively.  The Nets opened a 20-point lead against the Cavs, keeping the game out of reach for most of the contest.

Cavs forward Anderson Varejao scored a career-high 35 points and captured 18 rebounds.  He also had the unique opportunity of embarrassing the Nets frontcourt with an emphatic dunk on Lopez two minutes into the third quarter.  Point guard Kyrie Irving added 34 points and eight assists of his own for the slumping Cavs.

The Nets seem to be gaining a ton of confidence since their devastating loss to the Miami Heat last week.  The double digit victories however were posted against two teams that were picked for the bottom of the eastern conference (with two large victories against the Orlando Magic).

The Nets next game will be against the Boston Celtics at home on Thursday.  The game will be a true litmus test against a veteran opponent and will show how well the young Brooklyn squad has gelled at this point in the season.