(Field Level Media) Spencer Dinwiddie scored 23 points and hit the game-winning jumper with 1.8 seconds as the visiting Brooklyn Nets withstood blowing a nine-point lead in the final two-plus minutes and pulled out a dramatic 108-106 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers last night.
Dinwiddie continued to fill in effectively for Kyrie Irving (right shoulder impingement), who missed his sixth straight game and is out for at least one more game. He posted at least 20 points for a career-high six straight games and the Nets improved to 5-1 in those games.
Dinwiddie won the game when he took the inbounds pass from Joe Harris and made about seven dribbles to maneuver from the sideline to slightly above the left end of the foul line. As Cleveland’s Cedi Osman was caught off-balance and stumbled to rotate over, Dinwiddie released the fadeaway and it cleanly went in.
Before his clutch shot, Dinwiddie also came up with a huge defensive play. After Jarrett Allen blocked Jordan Clarkson’s layup attempt with 8.9 seconds remaining, the Cavaliers retained possession with three seconds left on the shot clock. Dinwiddie blocked Collin Sexton’s 3-point try with 7.6 seconds left.
The Nets needed Dinwiddie’s clutch plays on both ends because they allowed nine straight points after taking a 106-97 lead on Taurean Prince’s 3-pointer with 2:12 remaining. Cleveland tied the game when Sexton made the first of two free throws with 21.5 seconds left but retained possession after a replay review.
Allen added 22 points and 21 rebounds for his second career 20-20 game as Brooklyn (9-8) also moved above the .500 mark for the first time this season.
Harris contributed 19 points and Prince chipped in 18 as Brooklyn shot 46.8 percent.
Clarkson scored 23 points to lead Cleveland, which lost for the seventh time in eight games. Larry Nance Jr. added 20 points and 13 rebounds while filling in for Kevin Love (back soreness) as Cleveland shot 42.6 percent.
The Nets took an 81-75 lead into the fourth quarter but Cleveland got an 84-83 edge on a layup by Clarkson with 9:08 remaining. Harris hit a 3-pointer with 6:40 to go for a 95-88 Brooklyn lead but Cleveland was within 97-95 on Clarkson’s 3-pointer with 4:09 remaining.
