Williams leads Nets past Cavs

Associated Press

NEW YORK

Giving up a big run no longer means giving up for the Brooklyn Nets.

The team that not long ago was accused by its coach of accepting losing is now showing a willingness to fight.

“We’re not buckling, we’re not getting down, have a bad stretch and let’s give in,” center Andray Blatche said. “We’re fighting and we’re competing.”

Deron Williams scored 21 points, Paul Pierce added 17 while moving past Allen Iverson into 19th place on the NBA’s career scoring list, and the Nets beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 89-82 on Saturday night.

Blatche had 12 points in his return from a four-game absence as the Nets won their second straight, just their second winning streak of the season. They limited a Cleveland team playing without star guard Kyrie Irving to 37 percent shooting — 19 percent in the final period — and matched their best defensive performance of the season.

“He’s our best player, especially when it comes to scoring the basketball. So you miss his 22 points a game,” Cavs coach Mike Brown said. “But I give our guys credit. They competed in the second half. We had a chance to win it. We took the lead, we just couldn’t hold on. You miss a guy of his capabilities especially down the stretch in situations like this.”

Reggie Evans had eight points and 11 rebounds for the Nets.