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NEW YORK -- Before they can think about beating Miami in the playoffs, the Brooklyn Nets had to show they could do it in a game. By the time they ended 4 1/2 years of futility, the only losing streak belonged to Miami -- for the first time in 10 months. Paul Pierce and Joe Johnson scored 19 points each, and the Nets ended a 13-game skid against the Heat and sent the NBA champions to consecutive losses for the first time since January with a 101-100 victory Friday night. "It was good that we got a taste of this type of atmosphere this early in the season to try to see where were at," Pierce said. "Miami, whenever they come into town, theyre a measuring stick for everybody, so it was good for us to come out and get the win." Pierce and Johnson both hit two free throws in the final seconds as the Heat were trying to pull off a comeback. Instead, they fell to 1-2 and have dropped two in a row for the first time since Jan. 8 and 10. The Heat got Dwyane Wade back after he missed Wednesdays loss in Philadelphia, and he scored 21 points. LeBron James led Miami with 26 points as the Heat again fell far behind and couldnt catch up. "What youve done in the past doesnt mean you can make it happen in the present, so weve just got to have a little more sense of urgency," James said. "Its not doomsday right now. Were good, but we understand what we need to fix and correct." The Nets ended a 13-game skid against the Heat with their first victory since March 20, 2009, before Miamis Big Three got together and when the Nets were still playing in East Rutherford, N.J. -- two homes ago. Deron Williams, who came to the Nets two years later, said he wasnt aware of the skid until seeing it on TV earlier Friday. "You dont want to have those types of losing streaks to any franchise," he said, "so it was definitely on our mind." Brooklyn, bigger and deeper, opened an 11-point lead after three quarters and kept the lead right around there until the final 2 minutes. Then Miami ran off 10 straight, cutting it to 96-94 with 18 seconds left after consecutive 3-pointers by Wade and Mario Chalmers. James later nailed a 3-pointer from the corner to cut it to 99-98 with 4.7 seconds remaining before Johnson hit two free throws. Chris Bosh was fouled and after making the first appeared to try and miss the second, but it went in and the Heat couldnt commit another foul in time. The Nets bounced back from a season-opening loss in Cleveland by winning in their second and final game without first-year coach Jason Kidd, suspended two games by the NBA after pleading guilty in a drunken driving case. James heated up late for his 21st straight 20-point game against the Nets. Only Michael Jordan had a longer streak, with 39 in a row from 1984-95. Miami had bounced back with a win after every loss since following a Jan. 8 defeat to Indiana with another loss two nights later in Portland. But the Nets seized control in the third quarter behind 11 points from Pierce, holding the Heat without a basket for nearly 6 minutes and building just enough of a lead. "This aint nothing new. Weve dealt with this before. This story line continues," Wade said. "At the end of the day, we want to play better. We would love to play better, obviously the start, the first and the third, but we had a chance to win the game. We have to find a way to pull it out." The Heat swept three games against the Nets last season by an average of 21 points, the series appearing more lopsided than ever. Getting Kevin Garnett and Pierce from Boston should change that, as well as whatever pleasantries might have existed between the teams. Garnett said James should worry about the Heat and stay out of Celtics business last month after James made some critical comments about their departure from Boston, and James refused to answer any questions about the Nets before the game Friday, saying Garnett told him not to talk about other teams. Brooklyn got eight points in 12 minutes from Andrei Kirilenko after he missed the opener with back spasms. Fellow newcomer Alan Anderson also had eight points, while Andray Blatche led the reserves with nine. NOTES: Miamis longest winning streak against an opponent is 12 in a row over Charlotte. ... The crowd included Magic Johnson, David Beckham, Allen Iverson and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Jason Heyward Cubs Jersey .Y. -- Major League Soccer has agreed to new measures to protect gay players from discrimination and harassment as a result of meetings with New Yorks attorney general. Bob Dernier Cubs Jersey . 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Ron Santo Cubs Jersey .J. -- Richard Sherman, Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch deservedly draw the attention for what theyve done in getting the Seattle Seahawks to the Super Bowl.American businessman Randy Lerner put Aston Villa up for sale on Monday after eight years in control of the Premier League club, saying he was drained by the "week-in, week-out battles." Lerners future plans have been the subject of intense speculation following another season when the central England club -- the European Cup champion in 1982 -- came close to relegation. "I have come to know well that fates are fickle in the business of English football. And I feel that I have pushed mine well past the limit," Lerner said in a statement. "I feel further thatnow is the time for me to look for new ownership and thus new leadership." Lerner, the former owner of the NFLs Cleveland Browns, bought Villa in 2006 for 62.2 million pounds and pledged to return the club to the top of the English game. During his time as owner, Villa reached the League Cup final in 2010, losing to Manchester United, and finished sixth in the Premier League for three straight seasons from 2008-10 under manager Marrtin ONeill.dddddddddddd But since ONeills departure in 2010, Villas fortunes have tumbled and a youthful team managed by Paul Lambert has narrowly avoided relegation the last two years. It finished 15th in the 20-team league this season and is desperate for investment in new signings. "The last several seasons have been week-in, week-out battles," Lerner said in his statement. "Iowe it to Villa to move on, and look for fresh, invigorated leadership, if in my heartIfeelIcan no longer do the job." Villa has won the English league title seven times, most recently in 1981 -- the year before the team lifted the European Cup by beating Bayern Munich 1-0. Lerner is one of a slew of American owners of clubs in the lucrative Premier League, along with Stan Kroenke at Arsenal, the Glazer family at Manchester United, John Henry at Liverpool and Ellis Short at Sunderland. Fulham, which was relegated from the top flight this season, was bought by American businessman Shahid Khan last July. ' ' '