Brook Lopez, making a move on Timofey Mozgov, scored 20 points in the Nets' 107-97 victory over the Lakers on Wednesday night at Barclays Center.
Two teams with eyes firmly set on what each hopes is a bright future met in a rather dismal present Wednesday.
And for one night at least, the Nets found the present not such a bad place at all.
In a back-and-forth game, the Nets, again without Jeremy Lin, finally grabbed control late in the fourth quarter, receiving eight points from Brook Lopez in the final 6:56, to hand the equally young, equally hungry, equally rebuilding Lakers their eighth straight loss, 107-97, at Barclays Center.