Johan Petro

Johan Petro put together one of his best offensive performances of the season on Monday as the Nets closed their road trip in LA.

Johan came off the bench to score 10 points on 5-for-7 from the field in 16 minutes,
adding a steal, a rebound and an assist. But the Nets again succumbed to an early
deficit and dropped the finale of their trip, 101-91 to the Clippers.

"We have to do a better job in the first quarter; we dug ourselves a
big hole," Nets head coach Avery Johnson said. "I like the way our guys battled back and played their hearts out."

JP was an important part of that effort, scoring six points in the closing moments of the first to keep New Jersey afloat.

Johan entered the game with 4:46 left in the first quarter and the Nets trailing by 17-10. Over the next two minutes, LA's Caron
Butler went on a personal 10-0 run to push the Clippers lead to 17.

But No. 27 answered with a 17-foot jumper off a Jordan Farmar assist, to end the run. He followed with back-to-back jump shots in the final minute, nailing one from 18-feet and one from 19-feet. Thanks to Johan, rather than go down by 20, the Nets trailed by just 15 after one.

In the second quarter, Johan grabbed a defensive rebound off a missed jump shot by Ryan Gomes. That rebound turned into an assist as he outleted to MarShon Brooks for a finger roll. Just like that, the Nets were within 11 points of the lead.

JP left the game with less than nine minutes left in the second and re-entered with 4:48 left in the half. With just under a minute to go, No. 27 hit a 17-foot jumper to cut the New Jersey deficit to 11. They trailed by 13 at the break.

Johan scored his final bucket at end of the third quarter, a layup off a Farmar feed, and a 20-9 Nets run to open the fourth brought them even at 83. But back-to-back buckets by Randy Foye pushed LA back out by four and they led the rest of the way.

No. 27 was one of five Nets players to score double digits in the loss and his 10 points were the most he has scored since the season opener against Washington. The Nets outscored the Clippers in the second, third and fourth quarters, but their early deficit created a hole they couldn't completely overcome.

NEXT UP
JP and the Nets head home for three straight inside the Prudential Center for the first time this season. They open the homestand on Wednesday night against the Golden State Warriors. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 EST and the game will be televised on YES.

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