NEW YORK -- Deron Williams scored a season-high 31 points, Thaddeus Young made the tiebreaking basket with 22 seconds left, and the Brooklyn Nets beat the Toronto Raptors 114-109 on Friday night for their season-high sixth straight victory.
Brook Lopez added 30 points and 17 rebounds for the Nets, who have surged into seventh place in the Eastern Conference. Young, acquired from Minnesota for Kevin Garnett in February, tied his season high with 29 points.
Young broke a 109-all tie when he swooped in for the rebound after Williams missed in the lane and Lopez kept it alive.
DeMar DeRozan finished with 27 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for the Raptors, who came in tied with Chicago for third place in the East.
Lopez had his fifth 30-point game in the last nine, while Williams also handed out 11 assists.
And the Nets needed all of it to win another thriller against the Raptors, the team they eliminated in seven games in the first round of last year's playoffs. This was the fifth straight regular-season game between the teams here decided by five points or fewer.
Neither team led by more than three points in the fourth quarter until the final seconds. DeRozan followed Williams' 3-pointer with a jumper 10 seconds later to tie it at 109 with 36 seconds to play. But he missed on Toronto's possession after Young's basket, and Joe Johnson closed it out for the Nets with free throws.
Lou Williams scored 23 points for the Raptors, playing their fifth straight game without All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry, who said before the game he hopes to return from back spasms before the regular season ends.
Toronto then lost starting forward Amir Johnson to a sprained right ankle midway through the third quarter.
The Nets led 34-27 after one, but the Raptors outscored them 27-15 in the second for a 54-49 halftime lead.
TIP-INS
Raptors: Lowry has missed seven of the last eight games, and felt he came back too soon after he initially hurt his back on March 18 against Minnesota, lasting less than two quarters against Detroit on March 24. He worked out before the game, but said he won't come back this time until he's sure he's ready. ... Raptors coach Dwane Casey was chosen Friday as a finalist for the Rudy Tomjanovich award, given by the Professional Basketball Writers Association to recognize the coach who best combines excellence in his craft with co-operation with the media and fans.
Nets: Lopez has two 30-point, 15-rebound games in the last two weeks after never having one previously. ... The Nets finished with 21 assists and have had 20 or more in every game during their winning streak.
UP NEXT
Raptors: Host Boston on Saturday.
Nets: Visit Atlanta on Saturday.
