Brooklyn Nets: Pre-Season - Victorious In Barclays Opener

From the desk of:   THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

BROOKLYN NETS:

The Borough's First Tip-Off Is A Winner.

 

Pre-Season Final:

Wizards  88

NETS      98

 

Broo-klyn!  Broo-klyn! ...Was The Anthem of the Night

The Hoops of Flatbush finally tipped off in the Borough of Kings.  Although only an exhibition, the first game in Barclays Center was a success.  The Nets defeated the Washington Wizards in Barclays Center Monday evening by a 98-88 final score.  Fourteen thousand plus fans watched the Nets take their court for the first time in their road blacks.  Broo-klyn!  Broo-klyn...! was the anthem of the night.


Late in the game with the outcome near certain, Deron Williams and the Nets punctuated the night by finally planting their flag.  The Nets floor general unfurled it in front of Washington's A.J. Price after taking exception to a hard foul.  This was Deron Williams' perfect moment to declare - This Is My House!


Returning Nets center Brook Lopez led all scorers with eighteen points, and all players with eleven rebounds.  While Lopez is a proven NBA scorer, he is being counted on to pull down rebounds this season, after four years of being labeled soft on the boards.  Deron Williams led the floor with nine assists.  Very encouraging were Andray Blatche's sixteen points off the bench.


In all, five Nets players scored in double figures.  Behind Lopez and Blatche, Joe Johnson followed with fourteen points.  Kris Humphries and Deron Williams scored eleven points each.


Brooklyn out-rebounded the Wizards by a 45-41 margin.  They shot fifty percent from the field while Washington only shot thirty nine percent.  The knock?  Brooklyn was abysmal from the stripe sinking only twelve of twenty three free throw attempts.


Seventeen days remain until the Nets and Manhattan Knicks kick off the 2012-2013 NBA regular season, officially inaugurating professional sports back in Brooklyn.  Last night's tip-off was a momentous occasion for the home team none the less.


Welcome home fellas!  Welcome to Brooklyn.




Mike.BTB