Brooklyn Nets: Heading West Mining For Their First Road Win In Sacramento

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

TONIGHT

 

BROOKLYN NETS

vs.

Sacramento Kings

FROM

Heart of the 1849 Gold Rush

Left Coast

BROOKLYN NETS: Despite Loss To Pacers, Deron Williams And The Flatbush Five May Be Closing In On Consistency.

During their first three games of the season, the Nets demonstrated an inability to finish.  They opened the second half of each game by allowing the Cavs, Heat and Magic 30 or more points in the 3rd quarter.  But, they have not allowed a 30-point quarter since.

After a rather impressive victory over the Utah Jazz in game four, they then dropped a pair of games late, in overtime to the Washington Bullets Wizards and in the last minute against the Indiana Pacers. 

You might say the Nets are getting closer to gaining game-in, game-out consistency, albeit slowly.  That's was a very good Pacers team the Nets hung around with, until they were undone by a series of last minute possession miscues - ditto in overtime against the Wizards.  They were both winnable games.

So, after six games, the Nets have (almost) three efforts they can find a measure of satisfaction with, and three other efforts to bow their heads over.  Whichever way you spin it, they enter Wednesday night's action against Sacramento towards the bottom of the Atlantic Division along with the Knicks. That's clearly not where the Nets want to be.  Melding new players and styles together is not a six game operation.  The Indiana Pacers are playing with a lot of cohesion after spending considerable time growing up together.  The Nets are more like a collection of mercenaries.

The Nets have yet to win a game away from Barclays Center.  Perhaps that changes on this trip through Sacramento, Phoenix and Los Angeles to face the Clippers.  The Kings could drastically change the Nets narrative back east with a victory tonight.  That's why it behooves the Hoops of Flatbush to get their first road win tonight, and do it in convincing fashion against what might be a lottery team.

So far, Deron Williams is shooting 42%, which is just under his career average.  But outside of his very first 12 games as a Net, Deron is yet to average 10 assists or better in a season like he did in Utah.  He may finally be showing signs again of being that perennial double-double guard.  I would say 17 points and 10 assists against the Pacers should serve as a nice spring board.  His late turnover was a killer though.  What's most important, he is showing no lingering affects of a troublesome ankle injury suffered just prior to camp.  If you remember, Deron didn't even see the 4th quarter on opening night against the Cavs.



Mike.BTB