Nets waste Cam Johnson’s career night in lopsided loss to 76ers

PHILADELPHIA — The Nets got a career performance from Cam Johnson.

And they fumbled it away, the same way they gave the ball away.

Brooklyn’s turnovers, sloppiness and self-inflicted problems negated Johnson’s big shooting night and cost it a 113-98 loss Friday night in shorthanded Philadelphia.

“It was very self-inflicted,” coach Jordi Fernandez said. “We’re up five with 10 minutes left and it ends up being a (33-13) run. It’s not a good sign. It’s hard to win a game like that. We have to get better. We have to find a way to react, especially on the road, and we didn’t. The team has always competed and (Friday) their last shot we just didn’t hit back.”

Despite finishing with 37 points on 9-of-13 shooting from deep, Johnson couldn’t save the Nets from themselves.

They coughed up the ball 19 times, resulting in Philadelphia’s 28-12 edge in points off turnovers — 6-0 in the fourth quarter.

It proved the difference, especially in the playoffs.

Nic Claxton, coming off the bench in his return after missing three straight games with a stiff back, hit a reverse drive to give the Nets an 85-80 lead with 9:59 left. But they couldn’t hold on, allowing the Sixers to close out the game on a 33-13 run.

“It was 13-33 or something. (The) fourth quarter was bad. It wasn’t us. We’ve got to be better. Everybody, we’ve got to hold each other accountable. We’ve got to talk more down the stretch. We went just flat,” Claxton said.

“They just did what they wanted. Wherever they wanted to go, they got to their seats comfortably.”

The Nets shot just 6-for-18 with four turnovers down the stretch in that run, falling to 6-10 and 1-2 in the NBA Cup.

Johnson finished one point shy of his career high. His 3-pointers tied both his career mark and the Nets franchise record for 3s in a road game.

But it still wasn’t enough.

“Yeah, they definitely blew it more (late), but we always know it’s coming,” said Ben Simmons, booed at every touch from start to finish by the sellout crowd of 19,817 at the Wells Fargo Center. “We just have to be better prepared and pay attention to it and take care of the ball. It is precious.”

Simmons had just two points, four assists and was an ugly minus-20. Cam Thomas had 18 points but shot just 6 of 15 with seven turnovers.

“They really didn’t do much. It wasn’t anything we haven’t seen. A lot of our turnovers were unforced … stepping out of bounds … that kind of thing,” Thomas said. “We’ve just got to be better, clean up, take care the ball.

“We looked good. It’s just the live-ball turnovers that really hurt — turnovers, they go, get dunks or transition 3s and that really swings the game, especially a road game like this. Then they get the crowd in in it. It clears the air, but we all just have to be cleaner with the turnover, including me.”

Philadelphia improved to 3-12 and 1-2 in the NBA Cup. Joel Embiid and Paul George missed the game, but young Jared McCain had 30 points and Tyrese Maxey added 26.

The Nets trailed early by 13. Thomas gave the ball away to Guerschon Yabusele, who fed Maxey for a fast break dunk. It became a trend.

The Nets found themselves behind 51-38 with 3:27 left in the first half before going on an extended 26-4 run that spanned the break.

Dorian Finney-Smith hit from the right corner to make it 64-55.

The Nets led by nine several times and it was still 70-62 after Johnson’s layup with 7:07 left in the third before getting sloppy.

Thomas committed multiple turnovers in a 15-2 Philadelphia run. The second — being stripped by Maxey for a breakaway dunk that cut Brooklyn’s lead to 70-69 — saw Fernandez call a timeout and lift Thomas for Jalen Wilson.

Reggie Jackson’s 3-pointer capped the run and left Brooklyn down 77-72 with 2:36 left in the third.

The fourth was a back and forth affair. Brooklyn led by five until he cashed in on the 33-13 run that closed it out.