NEW YORK _ The 76ers avoided another unexplainable loss.
Jimmy Butler's 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds on the clock lifted them to a 127-125 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday night at the Barclay Center.
His 3-pointer ensured the Sixers (14-8) wouldn't lose their second straight game to a team with a losing record. It also helped them avoid a second setback to the Nets (8-13) in as many meetings. The Nets defeated them here, 122-97, on Nov. 4.
This marked Butler's second game-winning basket since acquired in a blockbuster trade with Minnesota Timberwolves. The four-time All-Star swingman's 3-pointer with 0.3 seconds left lifted the Sixers to a 122-119 overtime victory over the Charlotte Hornets at the Spectrum Center on Nov. 17.
On Sunday, Butler scored 18 of his team-high 34 points in the fourth quarter. The 29-year-old also finished with 12 rebounds, two assists and four steals. Joel Embiid added 32 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks.
Landry Shamet (16 points), JJ Redick (15), Ben Simmons (13 points, nine assists) and Wilson Chandler (10) were the Sixers' other double-figure scorers.
Brooklyn was paced by D'Angelo Russell (38 points) and Spencer Dinwiddie (31).
The Sixers pulled within seven points (110-103) on a Butler 3-pointer with 7 minutes, 39 seconds remaining in the game after trailing by as many as 20 points twice in the second quarter.
They went on to close the gap to four points (118-114) on Redick's four-foot floater with 3:51 left. The Sixers pulled within two points twice _ the second time came on Embiid's dunk to make a 120-118 with 1:38 left.
Russell misfired on a 26-foot three-pointer on the ensuing possession. Seven seconds later, Redick drained a three-pointer to put the Sixers up 121-120.
After the score seesawed, Dinwiddie buried an 18-foot pull-up jumper to give the Nets a 125-124 lead with 26 seconds left.
Twenty-five seconds later, Butler hit the game-winner over Chester native Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.
The Net had a chance to win the game, but turned the ball over on the final possession.
But for a while, it looked like the Sixers were going to suffer a second straight loss to a losing team. They lost 121-112 at home on Friday to the 4-14 Cleveland Cavaliers.
