Brooklyn Nets: Dwight Howard Watches Lopez Drop Thirty In Loss To Lakers

From the desk of:   THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

TUESDAY FINAL:

Lakers  92

NETS    83

 

 

Next: Wednesday, @ Detroit

 

BROOKLYN

vs.

Pistons

 

 

 

BROOKLYN NETS - Kobe Bryant Punctuated Tuesday Night's Loss With A Serious Display of DAMN!


The Nets were playing at home.  The Lakers had no Dwight Howard, no Metta World Peace, and were without Pau Gasol towards the end of the game.  Yet the Lakers ended the game on a 10-0 run, and the Brooks lost by nine points.  L.A. outworked Brooklyn in the 4th quarter, which is nothing new for this team. And Kobe Bryant punctuated the night with a serious display of Damn!!  After the game, Kobe likened his drive into the lane to the parting of the Red Sea.


Further hindering the Nets, their bench contribution was negligible.  But when you shoot 34.8% from the field, you're begging for trouble.  The Lakers shot 45.1% from the field.  Otherwise, the Nets dominated the glass, pulling down fifty two boards versus L.A.'s forty.  Each team cancelled each other out from the free throw line with fifteen points apiece.


So how do you fix poor shooting?  Well, you can attempt higher percentage shots by dropping the ball into the low post....I guess.  So that's what the Nets did.  With Dwight Howard looking on from the Lakers bench dressed in a suit, Brook Lopez responded with a game high thirty points.  Only problem with Tuesday's loss was everyone else was launching bricks.  Hello Joe Johnson.  Hello Deron Williams.  And hello Gerald Wallace.  The three combined to make twelve shots in thirty eight attempts.  Brook Lopez finished the night with a double-double; thirty points and eleven rebounds.  Seven of his rebounds came on the offensive glass.  Brook also blocked three shots and was 8 for 10 from the line.  But only three other Nets went to the line, and attempted a mere eight shots between them.


The Nets are now 28-20 for the season.  Where do they go from here?  Where ever they go, speculation is sure to follow them until they play with consistency against better teams of the league.  The Nets have still yet to distinguish themselves among other NBA contenders.  To question their cohesiveness and collective ability is still warranted.


Next up - Road Trip!  The Nets will be in Detroit tonight, and will then hop a flight to D.C. to play the Wizards.



Mike.BTB