After weeks of close losses, the Nets got blown out Monday.
Trailing wire-to-wire, the Nets were on the receiving end of 120-101 beatdown by the Mavericks before a crowd of 16,434 at Barclays Center.
The Nets never led, trailed by as many as 22 and had a string of 10 straight games decided by single digits snapped — eight of which had been defeats.
The Nets (23-49) moved half a game ahead of Philadelphia for fifth in the lottery standings, pending the 76ers’ result later Monday, and two games ahead of seventh-place Toronto.
Monday was a huge day in the tanking world, with the 76ers facing the Pelicans (fourth in the lottery odds) and the Raptors beating NBA-worst Washington.
Playing without injured point guard D’Angelo Russell (sore right ankle), a lack of ballhandling came back to haunt the Nets.
Anthony Davis attempts a shot during the Mavericks’ win against the Nets on March 24. Jason Szenes for the NY Post
They got outscored 31-14 in points off turnovers.
Nic Claxton had a team-high 19 points and Cam Johnson added 17.
The Nets stumbled right out of the gate, down 21-8 on a pull-up by Naji Marshall (game-high 22 points) less than seven minutes in.
The Nets allowed nine unanswered points later in the quarter, Brandon Williams’ jumper leaving Brooklyn in a 32-15 hole with a half-minute left in the first.
Cameron Johnson attempts a shot during the Nets’ loss to the Mavericks on March 24. Jason Szenes for the NY Post
Nic Claxton (33) and Day’Ron Sharpe (20) defend during the Nets’ loss to the Mavericks on March 24. Jason Szenes for the NY Post
His free throws pushed the deficit to 19 early in the second.
Brooklyn mounted a 12-4 run, but they couldn’t get enough stops or protect the ball enough to ever get any traction.
The Nets were outscored 12-0 off turnovers in the first half, and fell behind 94-72 on Williams’ basket with 42.1 seconds left in the third.
The rest was garbage time.