Nets 94, 76ers 87

PHILADELPHIA — Forward Thaddeus Young had 21 points and nine rebounds against his former team as the Brooklyn Nets held off the Philadelphia 76ers 94-87 on Saturday night, ending a five-game losing streak.

Young, acquired by the Nets Feb. 19 from Minnesota for forward Kevin Garnett, spent his first seven NBA seasons with Philadelphia. He had the highest point total of his 12-game tenure with Brooklyn, and capped a 6-0 run late in the game with a hook shot, after the Sixers cut an 11-point deficit to two, 87-85.

Guard/forward Joe Johnson added 15 points for Brooklyn (26-38), which began the night 3 1/2 games behind Charlotte for the Eastern Conference’s eighth and final playoff spot.

Center Nerlens Noel had 17 points to lead Philadelphia (15-51), which lost for the sixth time in eight games. The Sixers shot just 37.2 percent from the field, including 21.6 percent 3-point shooting (8-for-37).

Philadelphia missed 16 of 21 shots in the pivotal third quarter, when it was outscored 23-10. Young notched the first seven points in a 13-4 flurry at the end of that period, giving the Nets a 74-66 lead.

Brooklyn extended its lead to 79-68 on a free throw by Alan Anderson with 8:56 left in the game, but the Sixers went on a 17-8 run that included seven points by Noel, cutting the gap to 87-85 with 3:37 left.

Nets guard Deron Williams nailed a jumper from the top of the circle with 2:47 left, and center Brook Lopez sank two free throws 27 seconds later. Young’s hook shoot pushed the lead to 93-85 with 1:19 to play.

The Sixers, who trailed by nine early in the game, used a 15-5 run at the end of the second quarter to claim a 56-51 halftime lead. The spree featured a 3-pointer by forward Jerami Grant and an off-the-backboard pass from guard Jason Richardson to forward Robert Covington, who dunked.

Backup point guard Ish Smith capped the half with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from deep on left wing.

Guard Isaiah Canaan led the Sixers with nine points in the half. Young had 10 for Brooklyn.

NOTES: The 76ers rested F Luc Mbah a Moute and gave rookie F Jerami Grant his first career start. … Philadelphia G Jason Richardson returned to the lineup after resting Friday against Sacramento. … Nets F Thaddeus Young played his first seven NBA season for the Sixers, then was traded to Minnesota last offseason. The Timberwolves dealt him for Kevin Garnett on Feb. 19. “It happens,” Young said. “It’s part of the business. Trades happen. The good thing is, I got traded to Brooklyn, so I’m back in the division. … I like the guys on the roster. I like (that) we have some veterans on the team. We get up and down. We do a lot of different things. That’s the biggest thing. It’s one of those things where they want me for the future, want to keep me around. It’s a mutual feeling, mutual relationship.” … Philadelphia F Glenn Robinson III, claimed on waivers March 7, made his first appearance for the team. … Sixers F Furkan Aldemir (bruised ribs) did not dress.