INDIANAPOLIS -- Brook Lopez had 26 points and four blocked shots to lead the Brooklyn Nets to a 123-111 victory over the slumping Indiana Pacers on Saturday night.
Bojan Bogdanovic had 21 points and five rebounds off the bench, and Deron Williams scored 17 for the Nets, who have won four of five.
George Hill had 18 points and nine assists, and Luis Scola and Solomon Hill each finished with 17 points for the Pacers (30-39), who have lost five straight.
Lopez scored the go-ahead basket with 1.5 seconds remaining in the third quarter to give the Nets an 88-87 lead.
Brooklyn pulled away for good when Joe Johnson converted a three-point play and Bogdanovic made a 3-pointer to put the Nets ahead 109-100 with 4 minutes remaining.
The Nets (29-39) used an 11-0 run in the second half to take the lead -- much different from Indiana's 110-85 romp in Brooklyn on Dec. 27.
But this time, the stakes were higher. A win for the Pacers would have put them in sole possession of eighth place in the Eastern Conference.
Instead, the Nets closed the gap in a crowded race for the final playoff spot.
After Lopez scored to give the Nets the lead, Bogdanovic hit a 3-pointer and another basket, and Alan Anderson made a layup to give Brooklyn a 96-87 advantage with 9:54 left.
The Pacers went on a 9-1 run of their own in the fourth.
Scola converted a three-point play to bring the Pacers within a point with 8:04 remaining, but the Nets then managed to pull away.
TIP-INS
Nets: Johnson missed both of his 3-point attempts in the first half.
Pacers: Indiana coach Frank Vogel was asked before the game about a potential return for Paul George, who broke his right leg in a Team USA scrimmage last summer. Vogel said there's still no timetable for when the All-Star forward will be back in the lineup. The team is expected to update his status on Monday.
UP NEXT
Nets: Host Boston on Monday.
Pacers: Host Houston on Monday.
