B’klyn nudges Nugs

The Brooklyn Nets almost picked up another heartbreaking loss Wednesday night. Then Sean Kilpatrick and Bojan Bogdanovic stepped up in the final seconds.

Kilpatrick and Bogdanovic each made two big free throws to help Brooklyn hold off the Denver Nuggets for a 116-111 victory.

“It’s a confidence boost for me when I know my teammates are counting on me with the ball in my hands towards the end,” Kilpatrick said. “I’m trying to make sure I make the right plays, especially down the stretch.”

Brooklyn led by as many as 29 points midway through the third quarter, but Denver closed to 103-99 on Kenneth Faried’s layup with 4:31 left.

“Look at the positive, I think we took a punch, two punches, maybe five punches and we got off the floor and finished it out,” Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said.

Trevor Booker went 1 for 2 at the line with 13 seconds remaining for a 112-109 Nets lead. Jameer Nelson then threw away the inbounds pass after a Denver timeout, and Bogdanovic made two free throws with 12.7 seconds left.

After Wilson Chandler hit a driving layup for Denver, Kilpatrick made two foul shots to help secure the win for the Nets.

“I tried to take advantage every time I saw a crease in the defense,” said Kilpatrick, who finished with 22 points.

Brooklyn had dropped three in a row and 10 of 11. Brook Lopez scored 24 points, Bogdanovic finished with 19, and Booker had 15 points and 12 rebounds.

Caris LeVert, the Nets’ firstround pick this year, made his season debut. He was 0 for 3 from the field, but finished with four rebounds and three steals in nine minutes. He had not played due to a left foot injury suffered in his senior season at Michigan.

“It’s been so long since I played in an actual game,” LeVert said. “It was a blessing to get back out there.” —AP