NEW YORK _ No one can use the rest afforded by the All-Star break more than the Nets. They were outscored 15-8 by the Pacers in the final four minutes on their way to a seventh straight loss, 108-103, Wednesday night at Barclays Center.
After finishing the third quarter on a 16-2 run, the Nets had a six-point lead going to the final period, but they immediately gave up a 7-0 run to the Pacers to lose the lead and made only one of their first six field-goal attempts. But the Nets' sense of desperation kicked in midway through the period when a 6-0 burst gave them a 91-88 lead on a dunk by Dante Cunningham with 5:52 left.
Still clinging to a two-point lead, the Nets suddenly went cold from the field, missing eight straight field-goal attempts as the Pacers put together an 11-2 surge for a 104-97 lead after Cory Joseph hit a pair of foul shots with 26.5 seconds left.
Allen Crabbe topped the Nets (19-40) with 24 points, DeMarre Carroll added 21 and 10 rebounds, and D'Angelo Russell had 18 points and nine assists. All-Star Victor Oladipo led six Pacers (33-25) in double figures with 25 points, Cory Joseph had 15 and 11 rebounds, and Myles Turner totaled 11 points and 14 rebounds.
