NEW YORK -- After three long games on the road, the Brooklyn Nets made quick work of Cleveland back at home. Paul Pierce scored 17 of his 22 points in a flawless first quarter, and the Nets pulled away in the second on the way to their 12th straight home victory, 108-97 over the Cavaliers on Friday night. "It was great for him to come out and get us started and get us going, and then that second group kind of finished it off," Nets guard Deron Williams said. Joe Johnson added 14 points for the Nets, who played three straight overtime games on their road trip, losing the last two of them. But things were much easier inside Barclays Center, where they won for the 19th time in their last 21 games. "It sure beats us getting booed earlier in the year," Pierce said. "So were playing well here. We feel comfortable on our home turf." The Nets are hoping to open the playoffs here, but still have work to do to catch either Toronto or Chicago for home-court advantage in the first round. They are 2 1/2 games behind the Raptors for first place in the Atlantic Division and 1 1/2 behind the Bulls for the No. 4 spot in the Eastern Conference. The Nets were without Kevin Garnett for a 15th straight game because of back spasms and Andrei Kirilenko for a third in a row because of a sprained left ankle, but had six players score in double figures and shot 55 per cent from the field. They scored the first 12 points of the second quarter to break away from a 29-all tie, and Cleveland never put much of a dent in the lead. Brooklyn had a 48-18 advantage in bench points in improving to 28-12 since Jan. 1, best in the East. "Thats who we are. If were going to go anywhere in this playoffs, were a team full of depth. Weve got a number of guys that can beat you on any given night, its not really surrounded around one particular guy," Pierce said. "Tonight I was our leading scorer, but then it can be somebody else tomorrow, the next game and thats what makes us so dangerous." Luol Deng and Dion Waiters each scored 20 points for the Cavaliers, who had won three in a row. They had pulled off a pair of big fourth-quarter comebacks during the win streak, beating Detroit on Wednesday on Waiters jumper as time expired, but there was no run in this one. "Ive come to the conclusion of expecting more from us. Thats whats disappointing," Cleveland coach Mike Brown said. "Its disappointing to play the way we did tonight. Its tough to swallow." Williams and Alan Anderson each scored 13 points for Brooklyn, which improved to 11-4 this month and can tie the franchise record for most victories in March by beating Minnesota here Sunday night. Williams made a 3-pointer and Pierce hit two straight for a 9-0 Brooklyn lead, and Pierce was 4 for 4 before the first was half over. But Spencer Hawes and Deng led a solid finish to the quarter that allowed Cleveland to tie it at 29. The Nets were even better to open the second, scoring 12 straight to make it 41-29 on Andersons 3-pointer. The lead reached 17 on a 3-pointer by Pierce with 2:05 remaining, and Brooklyn took a 61-50 lead into halftime. Six players had at least four points in the quarter. Cleveland cut Brooklyns 16-point lead in the third in half by the end of the quarter, but the Nets quickly regained control by opening the fourth with an 8-1 spurt for a 15-point cushion. "Weve got to do a better job coming out in the first quarter," Waiters said, "not always falling down by a big margin." NOTES: Brooklyns Jorge Gutierrez made some money and lost some Friday. Shortly after the Nets signed him to a multiyear deal after the expiration of his second 10-day contract, the rookie point guard was fined $15,000 by the NBA for making excessive contact above the shoulders when he fouled Charlottes Cody Zeller on Wednesday. ... After opening the season against each other with the Cavs win in Cleveland on Oct. 30, they will finish things off in the same spot on April 16. Wholesale Oakland Raiders Jerseys . The 25-year-old native of Milford, Conn., has 18 points in 41 games this season. The five-foot-eight 166-pound centre also has 28 points (10-18) in 15 games with AHL Oklahoma City. Oakland Raiders Jerseys Outlet . Eller said the Oilers were a "junior team" that was "all over the place" before Edmontons 4-3 victory over Montreal on Tuesday night, Oilers head coach Dallas Eakins took offence to Ellers comments and used it to motivate his youthful team. http://www.cheapraiders.com/ .J. -- Omar Cummings helped the Houston Dynamo advance to the MLS Eastern Conference finals. Authentic Oakland Raiders Jerseys .com) - Colorado may be ahead of the Vancouver Canucks in the Western Conference standings, but they are a club that the Avalanche may want to avoid in the playoffs. Oakland Raiders Jerseys China . In a matchup of teams battling head-to-head for the final playoff spot in Major League Soccers Western Conference, the Whitecaps run to the post-season took a hard hit when FC Dallas blew open a tie game with two goals in the final minutes for a 3-1 victory Saturday night.OAKLAND, Calif. - When Paul George played at Golden State last season, he missed all seven shots he took and finished scoreless in Indianas loss. Instead of sulking, he went straight to the gym after the Pacers arrived back home in the wee hours of the morning. That work ethic has paid off. George scored 23 points to go with four rebounds and two assists, and the NBA-leading Pacers built a big lead before holding off the Warriors 102-94 Monday night for their fifth straight win. "That game changed everything, for our franchise and for him," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said, recalling the 103-92 loss at Golden State on Dec. 1, 2012. "It forced him to change his approach." George has emerged as an MVP candidate this season, and his Indiana teammates are improving just as rapidly. The Pacers (33-7) went ahead by 20 in the third quarter, watched the Warriors whittle the lead to two and then regrouped in the closing minutes to open the five-game West Coast trip with a victory. Roy Hibbert had 14 points and 13 rebounds, David West added 17 points and Lance Stephenson finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists to help the Pacers pull away for good. "I felt good coming off screens, dribbling the ball and hitting some shots," said George, who made 9 of 20 from the floor. "Its just tough running around with those guys and still having legs to make shots at the end. Thats really what the toughness was." Stephen Curry had 24 points and nine assists, and David Lee had 20 points and 12 rebounds for the streaky Warriors, who have lost four of six since winning 10 in a row. Indiana outshot the Warriors 45.1 to 40.7 per cent and outrebounded them 52 to 45. Both teams committed 15 turnovers. "Were right there as a team that has the potential to do some great things this year if we can figure that last, little bit of consistency out," Curry said. "Weve shown in spots we have the talent to do it, we just have to find that last little piece of assertiveness against the best teams in the league." Golden State made the Pacers work for the win. After going down by 20 in the third quarter, Harrison Barnes hit a 3-pointer to slice Indianas lead to 79-77 early in the fourth. The Pacers pulled away by eight before the Warriors roareed back within three on Lees free throws.dddddddddddd Stephenson answered with a 3-pointer to put the Pacers up 94-87. Klay Thompson followed with swish from long range, then George Hill hit another from beyond the arc to keep Indiana in control. "It was like the movie Rocky II. Im not sure which guy was going to fall first. Both teams were completely exhausted," Vogel said. The Warriors final push ended almost as quickly as it started. Andre Iguodala made a fadeaway to trim Indianas lead to 98-94 with less than a minute left. After Iguodala stole the ball from Hill, Curry missed a contested 3-pointer short, and the Pacers put the game away on free throws. "Were close, but we still have work to do," said Warriors centre Andrew Bogut, who had 10 points and 13 rebounds. The Warriors entered the night having played an NBA-high 25 road games compared to 17 at home. The game began a string of five straight and nine of 11 at Oracle Arena, though Golden States home court provided little comfort against the NBAs best. Sparked by its defence and work-to-get-a-good-shot approach, Indiana opened a 35-21 lead at the end of the first quarter. Golden State switched to a smaller lineup to try and outrun the Pacers, who instead exploited their size inside. After going ahead by 16 points late in the second quarter, Indiana let the Warriors creep closer thanks to a series of turnovers. The Pacers led 53-40 at the half. Indiana came out of the break just like it did to start the game, scoring the first seven of the third quarter to take a 60-40 lead that silenced most of the announced sellout crowd of 19,596. But Curry and Co. quickly had fans on their feet and to a fever pitch after a timeout. Curry hit a jumper, then tossed an alley-oop to Bogut before Thompsons 3-pointer started a run that brought the Warriors within eight heading to the frantic fourth quarter. NOTES: Warriors coach Mark Jackson said it was an honour to play on the holiday honouring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. "Im not sitting here if he didnt have a dream and he didnt fight for that dream the right way," Jackson said. ... The Warriors havent won a series against the Pacers since the 2000-01 season. ... Indiana hosts Golden State on March 4 in the teams only other meeting this season. Wholesale MLB Orioles JerseysRed Sox Jerseys From ChinaDiscount Yankees Jerseys OnlineRays Jerseys For SaleBlue Jays Jerseys From ChinaWholesale MLB White Sox JerseysIndians Jerseys For SaleTigers Jerseys From ChinaWholesale MLB Astros JerseysCheap Baseball Angels JerseysAthletics Jerseys From ChinaMariners Jerseys For SaleCheap Baseball Rangers JerseysBraves Jerseys For SaleDiscount Marlins Jerseys OnlineDiscount Mets Jerseys OnlinePhillies Jerseys From ChinaWholesale MLB Nationals JerseysCubs Jerseys From ChinaDiscount Reds Jerseys OnlineBrewers Jerseys From ChinaWholesale MLB Pirates JerseysWholesale MLB Cardinals JerseysDiamondbacks Jerseys For SaleRockies Jerseys For SaleDiscount Dodgers Jerseys OnlineDiscount Padres Jerseys OnlineGiants Jerseys For Sale ' ' '