TURKEY BOUND – Team USA’s Lopez has big night as struggling Nets beat Kings

EAST RUTHERFORD (2010 FIBA World Championship) - Team USA hopeful Brook Lopez poured in 26 points and hauled in 13 rebounds as the New Jersey Nets claimed a precious victory in their fight to avoid possessing the worst single-season record in NBA history.

The Nets beat the Kings 93-79 to improve to 8-63. The Philadelphia 76ers finished the 1972-73 campaign with a 9-73 mark.

New Jersey have 11 games remaining.

The victory came two days after Nets chief executive Brett Yormark had an exchange with a fan who wore a paper bag over his head during a loss to the Miami Heat.

It was an emotional evening for Nets interim coach Kiki Vandeweghe for another reason.

Vandeweghe’s mother, the former Miss America Colleen Kay Hutchins, died just hours before game.

"I talked to my dad about it and he said she would have wanted me here," Vandeweghe said.

"She knows that I love this, and we love it as a family. What I'd like to say is: 'Thanks Mom. We got one."

China international Yi Jianlian started for New Jersey and scored five points, corralled six rebounds and came up with two steals.

Sacramento's Slovenia point guard Beno Udrih continued to play well for the Kings.

In 40 minutes, Udrih had 19 points, five assists and eight rebounds.

He made all three of his shots from three-point range.

Other players possibly headed to the 2010 FIBA World Championship were in action on Tuesday.

Turkey

• Mehmet Okur - The Utah center had 16 points, eight rebounds and three blocks as the Jazz thrashed Toronto 113-87.
• Hedo Turkoglu - Toronto's big signing last summer and the national team captain of Turkey had four points, two rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block for the Raptors in their loss to Utah.
• Ersan Ilyasova - The Milwaukee forward played 33 minutes and had 11 boards, a steal and a block to go with his six points as the Bucks fell to a 101-86 home defeat to Philadelphia.

Australia

• Andrew Bogut – The Milwaukee center played only 20 minutes and scored eight points, pulled down three rebounds and swatted two shots in the setback against Philadelphia.
• Matthew Nielsen – In the Eurocup Quarter-Finals, Nielsen had 14 points as Power Electronics Valencia prevailed at Aris, 71-64.

Argentina

• Carlos Delfino – The Bucks sharpshooter started and scored 10 points for Milwaukee on three of 10 shooting from the floor in their NBA defeat to the Sixers. He also had four rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block.
• Luis Scola - The Houston power forward poured in 25 points but the Rockets lost at Oklahoma City 122-104.
• Manu Ginobili - The San Antonio guard had 24 points but the Spurs fell at home to the Los Angeles Lakers, 92-83.

Germany

• Steffen Hamann – The Alba Berlin playmaker had six points and two steals in his team’s 67-61 home setback to Hapoel Jerusalem in the Eurocup Quarter-Finals.

Canada

• Matt Bonner - The center played 24 minutes off the bench for the Spurs and eight points, three steals and a block.

Slovenia

• Primoz Brezec - The national team center got a rare chance to play and had four points, three rebounds and a block in seven minutes for Milwaukee.

Serbia

• Nenad Krstic - The Oklahoma City center finished with 13 points and three rebounds in the win over the Rockets.
• Kosta Perovic – The Valencia center had four points in his team’s Eurocup Quarter-Final first-leg triumph at Aris.

Team USA

• Kobe Bryant - The Los Angeles Lakers guard scored 24 points in his team's NBA triumph at San Antonio.
• Kevin Durant - The Thunder's leading scorer had 25 points as Oklahoma City won at home against Houston.
• Carlos Boozer – The Utah big man poured in 18 points, grabbed 11 boards, dished out four assists and had two steals for the Jazz in their win over Toronto.
• Deron Williams - The Jazz playmaker tore apart Toronto, scoring 18 points and handing out 16 assists. He also had eight rebounds and four steals.
• Chris Bosh - The Toronto star finished with 20 points and eight rebounds in the loss to Utah.
• Carmelo Anthony - The Denver forward scored 32 points but the Nuggets lost for the third game in a row, falling 113-99 at Boston.
• Chauncey Billups - A member of the USA Basketball national team squad for 2010-12, the Denver point guard 12 points, six assists and seven rebounds against Boston.
• Dwight Howard - The rebounding machine had 24 boards to go with his 19 points but his Orlando Magic slumped to an 86-84 defeat at Atlanta.
• LeBron James - The Team USA superstar finished with 38 points, nine assists and six rebounds as Cleveland prevailed 105-92 at New Orleans.
• Chris Paul - The Hornets playmaker, attempting to prove he is fully fit and able to play for Team USA this summer, had five points, seven assists and two steals against the Cavs.
• Rajon Rondo - The Boston point guard had a triple-double against Denver. Rondo scored 11 points, handed out 15 assists and grabbed 11 boards.
• Kendrick Perkins - The Boston center, a member of the USA national team squad, had seven points, five rebounds and two blocks against Denver.

Spain

• Pau Gasol - The seven-footer scored 10 points and pulled down 12 rebounds for the Lakers in their victory over San Antonio.
• Jose Calderon - The Toronto playmaker started and had 10 points with three assists in the loss to Utah.
• Victor Claver – The Spain youngster scored two points and hauled in four rebounds for Valencia in their Eurocup victory at Aris in Greece.

Brazil

• Anderson Varejao - The South American came off the bench and seven rebounds and two swats to go with his four points for the Cleveland Cavaliers in their NBA triumph over New Orleans.
• Nene - The Brazil center scored just seven points but added five rebound and three blocks in Denver's defeat to Boston.

France

• Johan Petro - The Denver big man started and played 18 minutes, contributing two points, five rebounds, a steal and a block in the loss to the Celtics.
• Mickael Pietrus - The Orlando sharpshooter played just nine minutes and had four points in the two-point setback at Atlanta.
• Nando de Colo – The Valencia playmaker scored 12 points and dished out three assists but turned the ball over five times in his team’s win at Aris in the Eurocup.
• Florent Pietrus – The Frenchman had four rebounds to go with his three points in the Valencia victory at Aris.

FIBA