NEW YORK -- Giving up a big run no longer means giving up for the Brooklyn Nets. The team that not long ago was accused by its coach of accepting losing is now showing a willingness to fight. "Were not buckling, were not getting down, have a bad stretch and lets give in," centre Andray Blatche said. "Were fighting and were competing." Deron Williams scored 21 points, Paul Pierce added 17 while moving past Allen Iverson into 19th place on the NBAs career scoring list, and the Nets beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 89-82 on Saturday night. Blatche had 12 points in his return from a four-game absence as the Nets won their second straight, just their second winning streak of the season. They limited a Cleveland team playing without star guard Kyrie Irving to 37 per cent shooting -- 19 per cent in the final period -- and matched their best defensive performance of the season. "Hes our best player, especially when it comes to scoring the basketball. So you miss his 22 points a game," Cavs coach Mike Brown said. "But I give our guys credit. They competed in the second half. We had a chance to win it. We took the lead, we just couldnt hold on. You miss a guy of his capabilities especially down the stretch in situations like this." Reggie Evans had eight points and 11 rebounds for the Nets while starting in place of Kevin Garnett, who was given a night to rest with the Nets beginning a stretch of five games in eight days. The Nets gave up a double-digit lead with another poor third quarter, which has been a season-long problem. Only this time, they shook it off with a strong fourth, holding Cleveland to 4-of-21 shooting. "Normally a third-quarter run on us tends to be a downfall, but tonights game was a positive," Nets coach Jason Kidd said. "Guys stayed together. We got stops and then we executed on the other end." Dion Waiters scored 26 points for the Cavaliers, who played without Irving for the second straight game because of his bruised left knee. They beat Orlando in overtime on Thursday but didnt have nearly enough firepower in this one, losing for the seventh time in eight games. "Its not frustrating," Waiters said. "We win four or five big games, were right back in the playoff hunt. I mean, dont get me wrong, the East is just not doing good." Coming off a 95-93 victory at Oklahoma City on Joe Johnsons jumper at the buzzer, the Nets returned to Brooklyn to open their longest homestand of the season, a four-game stretch that turns tougher with visits from Atlanta, Golden State and Miami. They welcomed back Blatche, who missed the previous four games for personal reasons and had consecutive baskets early in the fourth when the Nets took control for good by scoring seven straight points to open a nine-point cushion. Pierce came in two points behind Iverson, who retired earlier this season, and now has 24,383 points since entering the league as the No. 10 pick in the 1998 draft. "Its just a tribute to my longevity, just being able to stay healthy, continue to work on my craft and playing with a lot of good teammates over the years," Pierce said. Evans was 3 for 4 for eight points in the first quarter, surpassing his season high of five points and helping the Nets take a 22-17 lead. It grew to 48-34 when Williams capped a 13-3 spurt with a 3-pointer with 1:51 left in the half, and Brooklyn was ahead 51-38 at the break. But the Nets managed one basket during a span of nearly 9 minutes of the third quarter, while the Cavaliers outscored them 20-4 to take a 61-58 edge on Matthew Dellavedovas 3-pointer with 1:51 remaining. Brooklyn regrouped to take a 67-65 advantage to the fourth. C.J. Miles scored 19 for Cleveland but shot 6 of 19. Notes: Nets centre Brook Lopez had surgery Saturday on his broken right foot. Besides repairing the fractured fifth metatarsal, surgeons also repositioned another bone. Nets medical director Dr. Riley Williams III said in a statement that part of the procedure "lessens the stress on the fractured bone, and decreases the likelihood of re-injury in the future." Lopez was averaging a team-high 20.7 points when he broke the foot for the second time in three seasons on Dec. 20. Barry Sanders Womens Jersey . (January 11, 2014) – Once again Kevin Martin proved why he is the all-time TSN skins leader, winning $11,500 in prize money and a spot in the Travelers All-Star Curling Skins Game presented by Pintys final following a semifinal victory over Brad Jacobs earlier this evening at the Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre in Banff, Alta. Marvin Jones Jr Womens Jersey . - Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II says the NFL has told the team it will not be docked a pick in this years draft for coach Mike Tomlins foray onto the field against Baltimore last November. http://www.authenticnfllionslockroom.com/Customized/ . The win gives Canada its fifth title at the World Sledge Hockey Challenge. "Weve got to keep pushing," said Westlake, who led Canada with five goals in the tournament. "The second you let off the pedal, everyone catches up. Will Harris Womens Jersey .com) - Kam Chancellor bobbed his head in celebration as he crossed the goal line on his game-clinching 90-yard interception return. Barry Sanders Lions Jersey .com) - Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James will sit out Thursdays game against the Oklahoma City Thunder with left knee soreness.Salt Lake City, UT (SportsNetwork.com) - Tayshaun Princes 19 points off the bench and a huge second quarter helped carry the Boston Celtics to a 99-90 win over the Utah Jazz. The 34-year-old veteran went 7-of-10 from the field in his highest output since joining the Celtics in a trade earlier this month, while helping his new team outscore Utah 38-14 during a dominant second quarter. Boston built a 55-31 halftime lead, then held off a Jazz comeback attempt down the stretch to improve to 3-2 on its current six-game trip. Fellow reserve Tyler Zeller chipped in 14 points to the victory, with Jared Sullinger adding 12 along with nine rebounds for the Celtics. The Jazz were denied their first three-game win streak of the season despite Gordon Haywards game-high 26 points and a 20-point effort from Enes Kanter. Trey Burke finished with 18 points in defeat. Neither team could get into a rhythm during a sluggish opening quarter that ended in a 17-17 tie, but the Celtics went on a major roll in the second. Boston buried four consecutive 3-point tries while putting forth a 16-2 run that turned a four-point lead into a commanding 44-26 advantage. Prince accounted for two of those treys, the last capping the spurt with 5:10 left in the first half. The Celtics continued to knock down long shots and extend the margin before the period concluded, with Avery Bradleys dunk off an Evan Turner feed with 2.8 seconds leftt staking Boston to its 24-point cushion at the break.dddddddddddd Boston went 6-of-9 from beyond the arc during its second-quarter outburst, with Bradley and Prince leading the barrage with 10 points apiece. The Jazz cut into the deficit considerably in the third quarter, using a 16-0 tear to get back in it. Kanter had eight points during the stretch, which ended on a Burke triple that suddenly pulled Utah within 60-56 late in the period. Utah failed to get any closer, however. Up 71-66 entering the fourth, the Celtics recorded the quarters first eight points and maintained a double- digit lead with 4 1/2 minutes to play. The Jazz had once last charge in them, however. Burke buried back-to-back 3- pointers to get Utah within 89-83 with 2:52 remaining, and the differential was still six after Hayward hit one to make the score 93-87 with under a minute left. Boston was able to stay in front, though, when Turner and Brandon Bass each made two free throws with time winding down. Game Notes The win was Bostons seventh in its last eight meetings with Utah ... The Jazz last won three straight from Feb. 8-12 of last season ... Celtics rookie Marcus Smart returned to action after missing Sundays game at Golden State due to a death in the family ... The Jazz blocked 10 shots, led by Derrick Favors four rejections and three from Rudy Gobert. ' ' '