NEW YORK — The Brooklyn Nets opened their new Barclays Center home with a 107-100 victory over the Toronto Raptors Saturday as the first major professional sports team in 55 years to call Brooklyn their home. The Nets led by 13 points in the third quarter, but had to hold off the Raptors, who closed within 97-95 with 65 seconds left before a three-point play by Brook Lopez gave Brooklyn the necessary cushion in their first game of the season. Center Lopez led the Nets with 27 points, while Kyle Lowry scored 28 points and DeMar DeRozan had 25 for Toronto, who fell to 0-2 after an opening home loss to the Indiana Pacers. The Nets, who moved to Brooklyn from New Jersey, had been scheduled to play their home opener Thursday against cross-city rivals the Knicks, but the game was postponed because of mass transit problems due to damage by the superstorm Sandy that hit the area on Monday. National Basketball Association Commissioner David Stern greeted the crowd, expressing concern for storm victims before declaring: “Welcome Brooklyn, USA, to the NBA.” The Nets also debuted a new team anthem and dropped down from the rafters on a cable their new mascot — a masked, shield-bearing “Brooklyn Knight”. A sold-out crowd of 17,732, that included entertainers Jay-Z, part-owner, and wife Beyonce, chanted “Brooklyn! Brooklyn!” a few times during the game and loudly at the end. Miami 119, Denver 116: Chris Bosh scored 40 points and Ray Allen sank the go-ahead basket while being fouled with 6.7 seconds remaining to spark the Miami Heat over the Denver Nuggets. Allen, who left Boston and was obtained by the reigning NBA champions in the off-season, hit six 3-pointers and finished with 23 points while LeBron James added 20 as Miami bounced back from a 20-point loss on Friday at New York. Andre Iguodala's jumper gave Denver a 116-114 advantage, but the Heat answered when James flipped a pass to Allen in the left corner and the veteran sank a 3-pointer while the Nuggets' Corey Brewer ran into him after the shot. Allen added a free throw to create the final margin and Italy's Danilo Gallinari missed a final 3-point attempt to clinch the Miami triumph. Boston 89, Washington 86: Paul Pierce scored 27 points, and the visiting Celtics got their first victory. Indiana 106, Sacramento 98 (2 OT): George Hill scored 18 points for the host Pacers. Sacramento managed just three baskets in the final 10:45. Miami 119, Denver 116: Ray Allen had a four-point play with 6.7 seconds left that put the host Heat ahead for good, and Chris Bosh scored 40 points. LeBron James finished with 20 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds. New Orleans 89, Chicago 82: Greivis Vasquez scored 18 points, and the visiting Hornets won without Anthony Davis (concussion). Portland 95, Houston 85 (OT): Rookie Damian Lillard scored 20 points, including eight in overtime, for the visiting Trail Blazers. In other games it was: Dallas 126, Charlotte 99; Milwaukee 105, Cleveland 102; San Antonio 110, Utah 100; Golden State 114, LA Clippers 110. — Agencies
