NEWARK, N.J. – Deron Williams scored 24 points, 11 coming in crucial stretch of the fourth quarter, and had 10 assists and eight rebounds, leading the New Jersey Nets to their first home win, a 107-100 victory against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night.
The Nets entered the fourth quarter trailing 83-80, then took control with a 12-5 run. Williams had five points in that stretch, including a 3-pointer that made it 105-96 with 3:26 remaining.
The Nets (4-11) held on the rest of the way, going scoreless for almost three minutes. MarShon Brooks had 22 points, eight rebounds and six assists for the Nets, and Kris Humphries had 18 points and 15 rebounds.
The Warriors (5-9), who had their two-game winning streak snapped, got 30 points from Monte Ellis and 17 from Dorell Wright.
The Nets shot 50 percent from the floor, 37 percent from 3-point range, 87 percent from the free throw line and had a 44-24 advantage in rebounding.
For the first time in five home games, the Nets didn't fall behind early. In fact, they actually led by as many as seven (24-17) on a 3-pointer from Mehmet Okur with 3:03 remaining in the first period.
But the lead was short-lived, as Golden State outscored the Nets 14-5 over the remainder of the quarter to take a 31-29 lead.
Ellis, who had 11 points in the quarter, nailed a 38-footer at the buzzer to give the Warriors the lead.
The two teams traded the lead 10 times in the second quarter alone and the game tied on three different occasions.
Humphries scored six straight points to give the Nets a 64-60 lead early in the third quarter, but the Warriors came right back, thanks to the athleticism of Ellis, who drove hard to the basket on consecutive possessions, giving Golden State a 74-71 lead with 3:43 left in the period.
Anthony Morrow hit a long 3-pointer as the third quarter buzzer sounded, bringing the Nets to within 83-80 to start the final period.
The Nets pulled to within a point on a long 3-pointer from Jordan Farmar, but then Klay Thompson countered with a corner jumper to push it to 90-87 with 8:46 left. Then Ellis scored on an alley-oop from Thompson off a steal to take a 92-87 lead.
Williams scored six straight points, on a long 3 and three free throws after being fouled by Thompson, to give the Nets a 93-92 lead with 6:42 left.
The Nets then went on a 12-4 run to take control of the game.
NOTES: Before the game, the Nets made a series of transactions, waiving rookie free agent Dennis Horner, signing free agent forward Larry Owens and sending rookie forward Jordan Williams to Springfield of the NBDL. Horner, a New Jersey native, scored a total of four points in 16 minutes over five games. He may return to Springfield if he clears waivers. Owens, a 6-7 forward out of Oral Roberts, had been playing with Tulsa of the D-League, averaging 13.2 points and 5.2 rebounds there. He was dressed for Wednesday night's game. Williams, the team's second round pick out of Maryland, averaged 1.0 points and 1.5 rebounds in six games..Nets C Brook Lopez was in attendance after missing the season thus far with a broken right foot. Lopez said the boot protecting his surgically repaired foot has been removed and he will be cleared for light activity soon .. Golden State has the second youngest roster in the NBA, averaging 24 years, 349 days. Only Minnesota has a younger average and it's only by two days (24 years, 347 days).
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