Sixers edge Nets in OT thriller

Evan Turner delivered.

The 76ers swingman said he can score on anybody whenever he wants.

That's what he did Friday night when his team needed it the most. Turner's driving layup at the buzzer gave the Sixers a much-needed 121-120 overtime victory over the undermanned Brooklyn Nets at the Wells Fargo Center.

The Sixers (8-19) avenged an embarrassing 130-94 setback to the Nets (9-17) on Monday night at the Barclays Center. But more important, the victory snapped their seven-game losing streak.

Turner inbounded the ball to Spencer Hawes with six seconds left in overtime. He then took a handoff from the center at the top of the key. He turned left and was able to beat Shaun Livingston off the dribble. The 6-foot-7, 216-pounder then drove to about two feet from the rim, where he floated a high-arcing layup over Brook Lopez and Paul Pierce. The ball bounced three times on the rim before dropping through.

"It felt like 150 times," Turner said of the ball bouncing on the rim. "It was up there. I was just thinking about my reaction if it didn't go in - who I was going to punch. Thank the Lord it went in. I'm glad we won. We're just trying to get some momentum going into Christmas."

The fourth-year veteran made 13 of 22 shots to finish with 29 points, two shy of his career-high. He also had 10 rebounds and five assists.

This was a confidence-booster for Turner.

He finished with nine points on a dismal 3-for-11 outing against the Nets at the Barclays Center on Monday and had gone 1 for 7 to finish with just three points against Portland on Dec. 14.

But he started Friday's game by making his first eight attempts. On this night, he did it all. He made pull-ups, running bank shots and driving layups.

The game also marked the return of Michael Carter-Williams. The Sixers rookie point guard finished with 15 points and 10 assists after missing the previous seven games with a skin infection and sore right knee. Thaddeus Young added 25.

The Nets were without two starters - shooting guard Joe Johnson and power forward Kevin Garnett.

Johnson, who missed the game due to personal reasons, embarrassed the Sixers on Monday.

He made eight three-pointers in the third quarter to tie the NBA record for threes in a quarter. The Nets rested Garnett.

The Nets had a 120-119 lead with on Pierce's 26-foot three with 16.9 seconds left in the overtime.

Following a timeout, Turner had a driving layup blocked with six seconds left. But the Sixers retained possession of the ball after it went off a Brooklyn defender.

That's when Turner redeemed himself as time expired.

"I just felt really confident driving towards the rim," Turner said. "I saw a few people in front of me, but I saw open lane and I thought if it wasn't going to go in at least it was going to be a foul.

"But a lucky couple rolls - I must have done the right thing in practice or something. The basketball gods looked out for me. It's a great team win. We're just glad to finally win."

@PompeyOnSixers

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