NEW YORK — Devin Harris scored 31 points and the New Jersey Nets erased an early 16-point deficit to beat the New York Knicks 113-93 on Saturday night, improving the NBA's worst record to 7-55.
Courtney Lee added 25 in his return to the starting lineup for the Nets, who are trying to avoid finishing with the worst record in NBA history. The Nets beat the Knicks for the second straight time.
Taking advantage of the easiest game on a difficult early March schedule, the Nets snapped a three-game losing streak and won for the first time since stunning Boston last Saturday. Despite its woeful record, New Jersey has actually won three straight road games.
Brook Lopez finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds for New Jersey, which took control in the third quarter behind 13 points from Harris.
David Lee scored 23 points and Wilson Chandler had 20 for the Knicks, who were 0 for 18 on 3-point attempts.
The Knicks got only two points in 23 minutes from Tracy McGrady and was frequently booed in the second half.
Lee, who missed three games with a sprained left ankle, helped the Nets put it away early in the fourth. The Knicks had trimmed the deficit to five before New Jersey ran off 11 straight points, capped by consecutive 3-pointers from Lee to make it 96-80 with 6:13 remaining.
The Nets were coming off consecutive home losses to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic and are running out of time to surpass the 9-73 record of the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers, the worst record in NBA history. This was the opener of a five-game road trip that now moves to the Western Conference for games at Memphis, Dallas, Oklahoma City and Houston.
Notes
Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni said center Eddy Curry could play Wednesday when New York opens a five-game road trip at San Antonio. Curry returned to practice recently after having left knee surgery on Jan. 18. … Chandler started for New York after coming off the bench Friday in Toronto. He had missed the previous two games for personal reasons.