Nets 102, Nuggets 96: Joe Johnson scored 27 points and Mason Plumlee had 19 points and 13 rebounds as host Brooklyn defeated Denver.

Jarrett Jack added 17 points and eight assists for the Nets, who were without point guard Deron Williams. Sergey Karasev scored 12 points as Brooklyn won its second straight game.

Ty Lawson had 29 points and nine assists for the Nuggets, who lost their second straight game. Kenneth Faried contributed 20 points and 14 rebounds, Arron Afflalo had 11 points and nine rebounds and Wilson Chandler scored 11 points.

Denver’s J.J. Hickson scored on a layup to tie the score at 89 with 5:13 left before Plumlee scored a basket to start an 8-0 run that concluded with Johnson’s hoop with 2:41 to go. Faried hit a jumper to pull the Nuggets within seven with 51.6 seconds remaining but Jack responded with a basket with 26.8 seconds left to seal it.

The Nets led by as many as 10 in the second quarter before settling for a 58-54 lead at the break. The Nuggets were only 7-of-21 shooting in the third quarter but Lawson scored nine points to help them take a 77-76 edge into the final stanza.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Brooklyn was 6-of-23 from 3-point range with Johnson (4-of-5) being the lone hot outside shooter. … Nuggets F Darrell Arthur (leg) missed his fourth straight game. … Nets C Brook Lopez returned from an eight-game absence due to back issues and had six points and four rebounds in eight minutes off the bench.