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NEW YORK -- If only the Brooklyn Nets could get a mulligan on that 2013 part of the 2013-14 season. They are perfect in the new year, looking more like the team that was the heavy Atlantic Division favourite than the one that was 10-21 through December. "Were undefeated this year," swingman Alan Anderson said. "So as long as we just keep that rolling, man, we know weve got a couple of tough games ahead of us, but like I said, take it one game at a time, one practice at a time, and keep building." Joe Johnson snapped out of a slump with 23 points against his former team, and the Nets matched a season high with their third straight victory by beating the Atlanta Hawks 91-86 on Monday night. Mirza Teletovic scored 16 points and Anderson added 14 starting in place of the injured Deron Williams as the Nets moved to 2-0 on four-game homestand that finishes with visits from Golden State on Wednesday and Miami on Friday. Despite yet another injury to a key player, the Nets look ready to test themselves against those powerful teams after matching their three consecutive victories from Dec. 7-12. "Were going to have our hands full, but weve got to come with the same effort that we have since 2014 started," Nets coach Jason Kidd said. Paul Millsap scored 16 points for the Hawks, who lost their third in a row to equal their worst stretch of the season. Jeff Teague also had 16 but shot 5 of 15 from the field. "We felt like we could (get over the hump) and a few things didnt go our way," Millsap said. "But still we fought to the end. At the end of the day, weve just got to work on our fundamentals." Williams missed his 12th game this season after his ankle swelled Sunday. He will be re-evaluated Tuesday. But the Nets got solid guard play from Shaun Livingston, who scored 12. And they got clutch play from Johnson, who had been held in single digits in five straight games for the first time in 11 years -- though he did hit the winning shot in one of those, a victory at Oklahoma City on Thursday that started the win streak. "Jason told me I was going to have to pick it up," Johnson said. "And he told me in the fourth quarter when I came back in that he wanted me to be very assertive and make plays and kind of take over the game, which is what I tried to do." He finished 10 of 22, making the go-ahead 3-pointer with 6:21 remaining. The Hawks rebounded from a dreadful start to the second half to grab a 78-77 lead on DeMarre Carrolls dunk with 6:38 left in the game. Johnson answered with a 3-pointer on the next possession, Livingston had a steal and dunk, and Johnson nailed another jumper to cap the run of seven straight points and make it 84-78 with 3:37 to go. Johnson, traded to the Nets in the summer of 2012, made another jumper with 2:12 left, then made a huge play after Atlanta had trimmed it to two, finding Teletovic in the corner for a 3-pointer and 89-84 lead with 44 seconds remaining. The teams meet again on Jan. 16 in London in whats considered a home game for the Hawks. Kyle Korver needed little time to extend his NBA-record streak with a 3-pointer to 104 games, hitting with 9:11 remaining in the first quarter. The Hawks scored the final 11 points of the first half, capped by Millsaps 3-pointer with 28 seconds left, to take a 52-46 advantage. But the Nets stormed out with the first 14 of the third quarter. Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer angrily knocked his clipboard onto the court while reaching for it after calling one timeout, then was hit with a technical foul on a subsequent possession after redirecting his rage from his players to the referees. Anderson made a jumper and then consecutive 3-pointers to cap the spurt and make it 60-52. The Nets led 72-67 following three 3-pointers by Teletovic late in the third. "I think the game really changed coming out of the third quarter," Budenholzer said. "They went on a big run. We went from up six to down six. I think in a lot of ways thats where the game was won." Notes: Because of Williams injury, the Nets recalled Tyshawn Taylor from Springfield of the NBA Development League, hours after theyd assigned him. He left Springfield early Monday afternoon and arrived at the arena shortly before 5 p.m. He did not play. ... Singer Rihanna was at the game, seated next to the Nets bench. . Solomon Elimimian did not make the trip with the team after suffering what appeared to be a right leg injury in the teams regular season finale against the Calgary Stampeders. . - The Seattle Sounders busy off-season continues with the team acquiring defender Chad Marshall from the Columbus Crew in exchange for a 2015 third-round pick and allocation money. . He had even more fun Friday. Coming off a sensational rookie season, Spieth opened the new year by never coming close to bogey and making a 12-foot birdie putt on the last hole for a 7-under 66. . Cabrera-Bello shot a 1-over-par 73 and was caught by Webster, who carded 70 at Doha Golf Club for three-round totals of 12-under 204. They were only one stroke ahead of Adrien Saddier of France, the biggest mover with six birdies in his opening seven holes in a round of 64, South African Thomas Aiken (70) and Denmarks Thorbjorn Olesen (68) on a packed leaderboard. . Van Slyke drove in a career-high four runs with two homers off struggling left-hander Tony Cingrani, and the Los Angeles Dodgers pulled away to a 6-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night, a rare comfortable win in their pitching-dominated series.CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Before the game, Dusty Baker didnt know who his closer would be. The Cincinnati Reds managers eventual choice turned out just right. Sam LeCure overcame two ninth-inning hits and earned the save in the Reds 2-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday. Shin-Soo Choo scored the decisive run in the eighth inning on Arizonas fourth wild pitch of the game. Choo scored both Cincinnati runs, helping the Reds to their third win in the four-game series. Cincinnati (73-55) improved to a season-high 18 games over .500 and increased its lead over Arizona to seven games in the race for the National Leagues second wild-card playoff spot. Choo singled to lead off the eighth against reliever Eury De La Rosa (0-1) and moved to second when De La Rosas pickoff attempt rolled away from first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. Todd Frazier sacrificed Choo to third, and Choo scored when ball four to Joey Votto was a wild pitch. Mat Latos (13-4) went eight innings and earned the win, despite getting sick before he took the mound. In his previous three starts, Latos had received only five runs of offensive support. Baker was forced to use his closer Aroldis Chapman for two innings Wednesday night, making him unavailable Thursday. So LeCure was given the chance to earn his first major league save. "Sam is our utility guy," Baker said. "He can go long or short. He has a lot of guts." Latos made the most of two runs on Thursday, allowing just one run and five hits to Arizona. Latos struck out seven, didnt walk anyone, and hit one batter with a pitch. "I was sick right before the first inning," said Latos, who couldnt even keep water down. "I was sick again in the fifth inning. Its gone now but I didnt have anything left in the tank." Latos managed to save the bullpen. "Latos gave us what we wanted," Baker said. "A security guard told me he was vomiting underneath the stands." Arizona starter Trevor Cahill, in his second start since coming off the disabled list, allowed four hits and one run. He walked three, struck out seven and threw three wild pitches -- all in the third inning.dddddddddddd "He struggled that inning," Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said. "They scored two runs on four wild pitches and an error. Its very frustrating, disappointing." Cahill allowed two hits but still faced the minimum 12 batters over his final four innings, with help from a caught stealing and a double-play ball. In the third, the Reds put runners on second and third with one out. Brandon Phillips cashed in the opportunity with a run-scoring groundout for a 1-0 lead. Cahill entered the game with 11 wild pitches this season, and now has a major league-high 14. The Diamondbacks took a more conventional route in getting even 1-1 in fourth. Adam Eaton and Goldschmidt led off with singles, Arizonas first hits off of Latos. Martin Prado hit into a double play, but Aaron Hill rapped a sharp one-hopper that third baseman Frazier couldnt handle. Hill was credited with a run-scoring infield hit. LeCure told himself he needed three outs like any other inning. "I didnt want to even let myself think of being the closer. I knew there was a possibility," LeCure said. "Chapman is our closer but I did tell him to watch out." Baker selected LeCure because he is fearless. "He doesnt have the best stuff, but hes not afraid," Baker said. "Sam was the best man. He knows how to pitch. I knew he wouldnt get rattled if there were runners on." NOTES: Cincinnati RHP Jonathan Broxton is expected to have surgery after he was placed on the disabled list with a strained right forearm. ... The Reds moved RHP Johnny Cueto to the 60-day disabled list to open a roster spot for RHP Nick Christiani, who was called up from Triple-A Louisville. ... Arizona C Miguel Montero was 1-for-2 with a double and a walk. INF Willie Bloomquist was 2-for-3 with a run scored on Wednesday while on rehab assignments with the teams rookie-level Arizona League affiliate. ... LHP Wade Miley (9-8) is Arizonas scheduled starter in Fridays opener of a three-game series at Philadelphia. RHP Homer Bailey (8-10) is due to start at home for the Reds against Milwaukee. ' ' '
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