NEWARK, N.J. – Channing Frye hit a 3-pointer with 6.6 seconds to play in overtime and the Phoenix Suns spoiled Deron Williams' home debut for the Nets with a 104-103 victory over New Jersey on Monday night.
The Nets narrowly missed pulling this one out, but Kris Humphries' tip-in of Williams' floater came a split second after the final buzzer. A review showed the ball on his right hand with the clock showing zeros.
Still, the Nets' faithful had to love Williams' first game in New Jersey. He had 13 points and a season-high 18 assists, including five in rallying New Jersey from a seven-point deficit late in the fourth quarter.
Reserve Marcin Gortat led the Suns with 17 points, one more the Hakim Warrick. Robin Lopez added 14 points and Steve Nash had 10 points and 15 assists. Frye, who hit a game-winning shot at the buzzer against Indiana on Sunday, finished with seven points on 3-of-8 shooting.
Brook Lopez had 28 points for New Jersey and Anthony Morrow added 22, including nine in the final 22 seconds of regulation to force overtime. Humphries had 16 points and 15 rebounds.
Humphries gave the Nets a 102-99 lead with 1:46 left in the overtime, tipping in a miss by Williams, who missed about 5 minutes in the fourth quarter after bruised his left hand. He came into the game with a strained right wrist.
Nash set up Gortat for a layup to cut the lead to a point, and the next minute or so was followed by a series of misses by both teams.
Grant Hill and Nash, who was 3 of 13 from the field, missed shots in the final minute and Brook Lopez had a chance to extend the lead to three points with 9.3 seconds to go when he was fouled, but he missed the second of two free throws.
Phoenix called a timeout and set up Frye, who nailed the shot, sending New Jersey to its sixth straight loss and third in a row with Williams in the lineup.
Williams seemed to will the overtime, assisting on the final five Nets baskets in regulation, including 3-pointers by Morrow with 22 and 10 seconds to play, the last one cutting the Suns' lead to 94-93.
Phoenix seemed to be in control when Channing Frye scored on a dunk off an inbound play with 8.5 seconds to go and the Nets out of time.
Williams got the inbound pass, dribbled up the court and found Morrow on the left wing for a 3-point attempt. Nash tried to block the shot and fouled the Nets guard with 2.5 seconds to go. The 90 percent free throw shooter hit nothing but net in tying the game.
Phoenix called a timeout to set up a game-winning shot, but they were called for a five-second turnover, giving New Jersey the last shot. Sasha Vujacic could not beat the final buzzer with his off-balance attempt.
The Nets did their best to make Williams' first game at the Prudential Center memorable. The first 10,000 fans received T-shirts with No. 8 on the front and his name on the back.
And when the lineups were introduced, Williams was saved for last and got the royal welcome from announcer Gary Sussman, with many in the crowd of 15,836 giving him a loud standing ovation, although there might have been some piped in noise to help.
Notes: Former Giants and Fox football analyst Michael Strahan was sitting courtside. Beyonce and rapper Jay-Z, a Nets' minority owner, sat next to the New Jersey bench. ... Humphries brought the crowd to its feet late in the first half by blocking a dunk attempt by Robin Lopez. ... Sasha Vujacic seemed to wake the Nets up on the final play of the first quarter, hitting a halfcourt shot at the buzzer.
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