Nets topple shorthanded Bucks as impressive offense erupts in late run

MILWAUKEE — Cam Johnson was flat on his back after a huge, game-breaking 3-pointer, splayed on the Fiserv Forum floor.

He wasn’t hurt. He wasn’t even relishing in the stunned crowd’s vexation. Johnson was just catching his breath.

Not shocking. He had just carried his Nets to a come-from-behind, 111-105 win, stunning the shorthanded Bucks in front of 17,957 fans.

Milwaukee played without superstars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.

And the Nets — who trailed by as many as 13 points and 97-92 with just 4:53 left — couldn’t care less. Not after this one.

Not after closing the game on a 19-8 run to snatch victory.

Not after a team that’s had one of the league’s worst offenses over the past two weeks erupted in the fourth.

Johnson had 10 of his game-high 29 in that final period.

Backup guard Shake Milton had 14 of his 20 in the fourth quarter, and young big Noah Clowney also added 20 on a career-high 6-of-9 from deep.

And in the end, the Nets (12-18) snapped a two-game skid.

“Just continue to believe, continue to fight,” Johnson said. “That’s the one thing that can’t go. And when we believe we can win the game, which we did the entire game, we give ourselves a chance. So it just starts with that belief.

“And then play by play, stopping their runs, creating runs of our own, and then that empowers guys to go out there and make plays like Shake did, like Keon [Johnson] did. Just big buckets. Noah hitting 3s. So it’s just that belief that we have to have across the roster and that showed up in the second half for us today.”

Brooklyn, one of the NBA’s worst offenses the past two weeks with Cam Thomas hurt and Dennis Schroder traded, was shooting just 44 percent and 9-for-27 from deep entering the fourth.

But they hit 57.7 percent and 7-of-11 when it mattered.

The Nets trailed 97-92 after Khris Middleton (21 points) sank a free throw. But that’s when they seized the game with a 17-5 blitz.

“I’m proud of those guys. Proud of everyone on the roster for just kind of coming together and getting a dub,” Johnson said.

Added head coach Jordi Fernandez: “We cleaned it up. I think we came together. We had good energy. We were not disappointed. A lot of times, a lot of our guys just get down on themselves, and we have to find the way to support each other and keep fighting. And I think the group did it. They did a great job.”

It was knotted at 99-all before Clowney beat the sH๏τ clock with a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 2:33 left.

Nic Claxton drove baseline and got fouled, hitting 1 of 2 from the line to make it 103-99.

Then Johnson took a pᴀss from Ben Simmons (eight points, nine ᴀssists, plus-16) and hit a long 3-pointer, getting fouled and laying on the court for a breather.

He sank the free throw, as well, putting Brooklyn ahead 109-102 with 47.9 seconds left in regulation.

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