The Nets' best defensive performance of the year didn't help either.
Mikal Bridges and Cam Thomas dish on a big night together as Brooklyn lost 96-95 in overtime to Miami in front of a sellout crowd of 17,893 at Barclays Center on Monday night. It wasn't unusual either.
The game fell just short with 1.1 seconds left in overtime when Bridges (team-high 26 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists) made a 10-foot baseline fade against three defenders, but the game was decided. There wasn't.
Thomas scored 23 points off the bench, but Brooklyn struggled to take a 16-point lead in the second half, hearing chants of “Let's go heat!” on its home floor.
The Nets (16-23) have lost 14 of their past 18 games and are now off to the West Coast for a trio of games, including a tilt in Portland and games against the Clippers and Lakers in Los Angeles.
Jimmy Butler returned from a seven-game absence and scored a game-high 31 points, leading the Heat to 24-16.
Brooklyn's defense went from suffocated to sieve-like after the break.
The Nets built a 14-point lead at halftime, but shot just 26.2 percent from the field and 0-of-12 from 3-point range. The Nets shot 70.6 percent in the third quarter and 5 of 7 from deep to win 37-24.
They were unable to close the game in the fourth quarter, with Bridges' free throw with 4.4 seconds left in regulation making it 88 points, forcing overtime.
The Nets took the lead even further.
Thomas led the Nets, and after an error by Bam Adebayo, Royce O'Neal's triple to right gave them a five-run lead.
Bridges blocked Caleb Martin, forcing Brooklyn to violate the shot clock.
Tyler Herro (29 points) hit a 3-pointer with 1:29 left, but Bridges countered with a tough floater in the lane that gained bounce for a 95-91 lead.
Herro made another 3-pointer to bring the Heat within one point.
And after Brooklyn was whistled for offensive basket interference, Miami had a golden opportunity.
Claxton forced Herro to give up the ball, but Butler made two free throws against Dennis Smith Jr. with 11 seconds left to earn the whistle.
He gave the Heat the lead, but an error by Bridges allowed the Heat to hold onto that lead.
