Nets 117, Pacers 109: Deron Williams scored 25 of his 33 points in the first half and matched a season high with 14 assists as visiting Brooklyn prevented Indiana from clinching the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez scored 24 points apiece as the Nets pulled two games behind the Pacers with three games remaining. Williams made five 3-pointers and Johnson drained four as Brooklyn went 12-for-25 from 3-point range and clinched the No. 4 seed in the East.

David West scored 26 points, Paul George added 21, Roy Hibbert had 18 points and 10 rebounds and George Hill had 17 points and 10 assists for the Pacers.

Indiana recovered from a 24-point third-quarter deficit to take its first lead of the contest at 101-100 on Lance Stephenson’s 3-pointer with five minutes left. Jerry Stackhouse hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 2:56 remaining to start a run of nine straight Brooklyn points as the Nets scored the most points Indiana has allowed all season.

Brooklyn recorded a season-high for points in the first half and shot 65.1 percent from the field en route to a 69-50 advantage at the break. The lead reached 76-52 early in the third quarter before the Pacers went on a 12-2 surge and eventually trimmed their deficit to 92-85 entering the final quarter.

GAME NOTEBOOK: This was the second time Williams scored 30 or more points and had 10 or more assists in the same game this season. … Indiana had a 58-28 advantage in points in the paint. … Nets PF Reggie Evans had 12 rebounds before being ejected in the third quarter after drawing his second technical foul.