Los Angeles - New Jersey Nets coach Lawrence Frank continues to learn valuable lessons to take into the regular season.

Vince Carter scored 20 points, and the Nets nearly blew a 21-point fourth-quarter lead before holding off the New York Knicks, 111-110, on Friday night in the preseason finale for both teams.

"There are a lot of good things that happened tonight, a lot of good play to get the lead," said Frank, whose club opens the regular season at Washington on Wednesday.

"It's good lessons because you're on the road, (the) team's obviously going to make a run back and it's learning how to play through mistakes and not letting mistakes multiply, not letting momentum take over the game."

Devin Harris and Bobby Simmons added 16 points apiece for the Nets, who (3-4) avenged a home loss to their cross-river rivals earlier in the week.

Jamal Crawford had a game-high 30 points for the Knicks (3-4) who officially tip off the Mike D'Antonio coaching era at home on Wednesday against the Miami Heat.

Trailing 105-84 with 6:18 left, the Knicks came alive, energized by an old familiar name.

Patrick Ewing Jr, whose Hall of Fame father is the club's all-time scoring leader, had seven points, including a three-pointer and a thunderous one-handed dunk to spark a 
26-6 run.

Anthony Roberson and Mardy Collins followed with three-pointers before Crawford's layup with 28 seconds remaining pulled New York within 111-110 as the Madison Square Garden fans turned their jeers into cheers.

"It was amazing," said Ewing, trying to make the final roster cut. "It showed that they really appreciated what I was doing on the floor. Having that crowd behind us throughout that comeback was good for us."

The Knicks had a chance to pull out the victory after Jarvis Hayes missed a forced jumper at the other end.

Malik Rose grabbed the rebound and called timeout to set up a final play.

With four seconds left, Crawford took the inbounds pass and launched the potential game-winning three-pointer from the left corner that missed as time expired.

Elsewhere:

Cleveland Cavaliers 107, Washington Wizards 80

LeBron James scored 26 points in just 29 minutes, and the Cavaliers whipped the Wizards, in the preseason finale for both teams.

Mo Williams had 15 points for Cleveland (3-5) which opens on the road Tuesday against reigning league champion Boston.

Antawn Jamison and Antonio Daniels netted 13 points apiece for the Wizards (2-5) who played the entire preseason without their top scorer Gilbert Arenas (knee surgery rehab).

Miami Heat 96, San Antonio Spurs 93

Rookie Mario Chalmers scored all of his 11 points in the final quarter, including the game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer, lifting the visiting Heat over the Spurs, in the preseason finale for both teams.

Michael Beasley - the number two overall pick in last summer's draft - netted 19 points for the Heat (2-5) who rested all- star guard Dwyane Wade.

Frenchman Tony Parker tallied a team-best 16 points for San Antonio (3-4), which hosts Phoenix in Wednesday's opener.

Chicago Bulls 112, Milwaukee Bucks 104

Argentine Andres Nocioni erupted for nine of his 26 points, in the overtime, including a pair of three-pointers, leading the Bulls over the visiting Bucks in the preseason final for both clubs.

Kirk Hinrich had 25 points for the Bulls (4-4), who lost top overall draft choice Derrick Rose to a hip flexor strain in the first quarter.

However, he is expected to play the season opener Tuesday night against the same Bucks.

Richard Jefferson netted 21 points for the Bucks (1-7) who were outscored 17-9 in the extra session.

LA Lakers 105, Oklahoma City Thunder 94

Andrew Bynum scored 23 points, and the Lakers welcomed Kobe Bryant back to the lineup, by beating the Thunder in the preseason finale for both teams.

The reigning league MVP, Bryant scored six points in eight minutes after missing Thursday night's game with a hyper-extended right knee, suffered in Tuesday night's victory over Charlotte.

The Lakers, 6-2 in the preseason, will host Portland on Tuesday.

Rookie Russell Westbrook scored 23 points for Oklahoma City (1-6) formerly known as the Seattle SuperSonics. The Thunder opens up against Milwaukee on Wednesday.

Denver Nuggets 106, LA Clippers 92

JR Smith scored 19 points, and Linas Kleiza added 18, leading the visiting Nuggets over the injury-depleted Clippers, in the preseason finale for both teams.

The Nuggets (6-1) open the season Wednesday at Utah.

The Clippers, meanwhile, open at home the same night against their Staples Centre co-tenant Lakers.

Cuttino Mobley scored 21 points for the Clippers (3-4), which played without injured starters Baron Davis, Tim Thomas and former Nugget Marcus Camby. (dpa)