Brooklyn Nets: Brooks Filibustered In D.C.

From the desk of:   THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

BROOKLYN NETS - Old Habits Are Hard To Break.


Last night's visit to the nation's capital was an abysmal fail.  The Nets scored their second lowest point total of the season against the (15-35) Washington Wizards.  You can't put lipstick on this pig.  I only wish I were talking about the government.  But if we should take anything away from this game, it would be this:

"Just a lot of bad habits...., then we start pointing the finger and getting a little selfish. We just got to get out of that habit."  -  Deron Williams after loss.

That is disturbing, but only echoes Gerald Wallace's rant from just over a week ago.  So at least we know there are two players who recognize there is a problem.

Friday Final

NETS      74

Wizards  89

The vocal Deron Williams led all players with forty minutes.  He tied for game high with twenty points, but his ball distribution was limited to five assists.  Deron also took a game high twenty shots.  Lopez took eleven shots, and Joe Johnson twelve.  The three combined on 37% shooting.  In the second quarter, the Nets only made four of twenty two shots.  So what are you going to do when you're consistently shooting below 35% from the floor? - See the Lakers game, and many others this season.  In the meanwhile, what scoring they lack from the field they are making up for by consistently getting to the line.  But even then, they only shot 59% from the stripe last night, making 19 of 32 shots.  By contrast, Washington shot 91% from the line.


When you lose the second quarter 30-11, where do you point the finger first - at low scoring, or poor defense?  To that effect, the Nets held their opponent to under ninety points.  Or, do we try a completely different tact, and point a finger at how, for a very good rebounding team, the Nets continually get out-scored in fast break points?  Something has to give, because if you didn't notice the Wizards beat the Nets at their own game.  With a big boost from Nene's twenty points (double-double, 11 rebounds) Washington out-scored Brooklyn 32-30 inside the paint.  The Nets barely out-rebounded the Wizards by a 47-45 margin.  Brook Lopez pulled down eight; seven on the defensive end; and blocked another four shots.  He was limited however to thirteen points.


On a side note, Andray Blatch has no particular love for the Wizards these days, not after they amnestied him to relieve themselves of his contract.  The crowd in D.C. reciprocated last night with a little bit of their own local love.  They delighted in a rather futile night by their former forward.  In sixteen minutes off the bench, Andray only managed five points and four rebounds.  The crowd also reveled in Andray's futility from the line, as he only converted one of six attempts.


Next up - a rematch against the San Antonio Spurs at Barclays Center.  The last time they met was on the last day of 2012 in San Antonio.  The Spurs whooped up on Brooklyn 104-73 to hand P.J. Carlesimo his first loss as Nets coach.  The game also resulted in Brooklyn's lowest offensive output of the season.  Last night against Washington, the Nets came within one point of tying that mark.



Mike.BTB