Nets pull off big upset vs. Rockets for second consecutive win

On the road against one of the best teams in basketball Saturday, the Nets dominated Houston 110-98 for their most impressive rout of the season.Brooklyn has followed their season-worst seven-game losing skid with their first winning streak since Nov.24-27.But though Wednesday’s victory was against a decimated Charlotte squad, Saturday’s came over a dominant Rockets one.

The Nets lead by as much as 22 against a top-four team in the league.“We tried to hit first.Any chance we got, we knew they were going to try to hit first.

And I think it was contagious from the first group to the second group, and we just took it all the way down to the full game,” D’Angelo Russell said.“Everybody’s out there playing as hard as they can.Shout-out to the coaches for getting us in that mentality and creating that environment.

On our practice days, we work hard, on our off days we work hard.So on game days, shoot, we have no choice but to work hard.”Russell guided a Nets attack that put six scorers in double figures, but they won this with ball pressure and shifts.“We made that paint look crowded,” coach Jordi Fernandez said.

“Our guys were just focused, they were organized.… We didn’t turn it over.

So the focus was there.The playing hard was there.

And that’s how you win games in this league.”Now the Nets come home for a six-game homestand, starting Tuesday against this same Rockets team that’s sure to be salty.Brooklyn allowed just 40 percent shooting and 12-for-39 (31 percent) from deep.That let them get into early offense.Ziaire Williams had 21 points, eight rebounds, three blocks and a late dagger 3 to make it 99-86 with 1:31 left.Russell scored 18 points while Nic Claxton added 17 and five boards.“Just starting the game intense, understanding they were going to come out trying to play physical,” Jalen Wilson said.

“We just had to match that from the beginning of the game and set the tone that we’re here to play physical the entire g...