Nets 107, Hawks 101: Brook Lopez, Devin Harris Respond In Overtime Win

Head coach Avery Johnson challenged Brook Lopez and Devin Harris to step up and lead the New Jersey Nets.

The two seem to have responded.  Lopez led the Nets with a season-high 32 points and 9 rebounds, while Harris added 27 points and 9 assists to help down the Atlanta Hawks 107-101 in overtime at the Prudential Center.

New Jersey had a chance to win the game in regulation, but Harris' contested jumper at the buzzer drew the front of the iron.

Jamal Crawford paced the Hawks off the bench with 21 points and Josh Smith chipped in 20 points and seven rebounds.

The Nets never trailed in the game, but were unable to put the Hawks away until the final minute of overtime.  The Nets extended Atlanta's losing streak to three games while ending their own slide at the same number.

Lopez was able to rebound from a rough West Coast road trip that ended with him missing a game-tying layup in the final seconds of the Nets loss to the Denver Nuggets.

New Jersey won't be able to savor this victory for long as they have Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and the Celtics waiting for them tomorrow night in Boston.

Terrence Williams Deactivated For Violating Team Rules

When the New Jersey Nets take on the Atlanta Hawks Tuesday night in Newark, it will be without sixth man Terrence Williams.

Head coach Avery Johnson told reporters today that Williams will miss the next two games after repeatedly violating team rules.  While Johnson did not say exactly what the swing man had done, he did say Williams was fined multiple times but the message was not getting through.

Williams is still recovering from an abdominal strain that forced him to miss most of the Nets West Coast trip, but he had declared himself 100 percent at practice on Monday.

New Jersey Nets vs. Atlanta Hawks: Struggling Teams Meet In Newark

The New Jersey Nets (4-9) return home to the Prudential Center Tuesday night to take on the Atlanta Hawks (8-6).

The Nets wrapped up a 1-3 West coast trip Saturday with a 107-103 loss to the Nuggets with Carmelo Anthony pacing Denver with 28 points and 8 rebounds.

Brook Lopez missed a game-tying layup in the final seconds of that game, but he finished with 20 points as New Jersey scored 100 points for just the second time in seven games.

The Nets are looking for their third win at The Rock, a benchmark they didn't reach at home last season until January 27.  For just the fourth time this season they will have their owner, Mikhail Prokhorov, in the building watching from his box.

The Hawks began the season as one of the hottest teams in the league by winning their first six games. Since then they have only managed to go 2-6. Atlanta was blown out at home by the Boston Celtics Monday night 99-76. They were trailing 39-13 after the first quarter of that game and never made it a game.

Mike Bibby led the Hawks against the Celtics with 11 points, but the rest of the starting lineup only contributed 16 combined.