Grapefruit League Preview, Sky King, and "Ya Gotta Believe" on Another Metsian Podcast

From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

with SAM, RICH & MIKE

Opening Day in the Grapefruit League

Mets Roster Projections 

Bullpen - Third Base - Luis Rojas

Pete Alonso > Social Media < Steve Cohen

The 1973 National League Champion New York Mets

and so much more!

ninety-five minutes

#LGM

Dallas Mavericks Exploit Undermanned Brooklyn Nets

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

Win Streak Snapped at Eight Games

Miss Opportunity to Overcome Sixers

SATURDAY

Mavericks   115

Nets              98

FINAL

Flatbush Support Staff Fails to Extend Win Streak

Sean Marks said this team isn't fully formed yet.  That means something is potentially brewing before the trade deadline.  Well, he had better do something about the interior.  Because once again, Brooklyn's deficiencies in the paint were on full display.  Coach Nash decided to limit DeAndre Jordan to just 13 minutes off the bench.  The toll on the Nets was high; Dallas outscored the Nets 50-36 in the paint, and with 19 turnovers committed by Flatbush, the Mavs also outpaced Brooklyn on the face-break by a 15-4 margin.  Brooklyn and Dallas had the same number of attempts from the field and converted the same number of three-pointers.  The Nets were even a plus-three from the free-throw line.  

At one point, the Mavs led by 14 points, but the Nets closed the gap and went into the half trailing by four.  James Harden led all players with 15 first-haf attempts from the field and six attempts from the line converting for 25 points.  In 15 minutes, Joe Harris is just 2/4 from the floor for six points.  He started the game with no shots taken in his first nine minutes on the floor, then struck for consecutive three-pointers.  After Harden, each of the other four Nets starters (Brown, Harris, Green, Cabarrot) contributed six first-half points apiece.  Landry Shamet was second on the Nets with nine points in 15 minutes off the bench.  DeAndre Jordan only saw nine minutes, with no shot attempts, two rebounds, and two assists.

A reason Flatbush generated just 98 points is mainly that Joe Harris failed to take a single shot in the first quarter and only managed 3/8 from behind the arc for nine points in 27 minutes.  Frankly, this is unacceptable and what I've been saying all along.  When Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, or James Harden, or any combination of the three is missing from the floor, it's incumbent upon Joe Harris to do more.  This was that kind of night.  To his credit, Joe has been holding his ground much better this season.  However, this night, he was tied for fourth on the team with eight shots when this was the very type of game when the Nets much needed more.

Another reason Flatbush failed to break one hundred points was Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot shooting a mere 2/12 from the field in 24 minutes.  Nic Claxton was also strangely stuck to the bench, going 1/3 in just 13 minutes.  The Nets got 30 points on 11/29 (28%) from a seven-man bench.  Landry Shamet played a bench-high 27 minutes but only accounted for nine points.  In fact, no one scored double-digits off the bench.

James Harden was 9/21 from the floor and 7/8 from the line for a game-high 29 points and six assists.  However, one sequence essentially describes the night.  With 3:50 left in the game, James Harden dishes to Joe Harris, who does not connect.  Dallas scores on the following possession.  Harden then brings the ball upcourt and drives the lane but is stopped cold by three defenders who cause a turnover. 

Despite the Philadelphia Sixers losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Nets gain no ground.  They remain one-half game out of the Eastern Conference lead. 

N.Y. Knicks: Look What the Bockers Did to the Pacers, Again

From the desk: KICKING CANS DOWN 33RD STREET WITH JIMMY

SATURDAY

Pacers  107

Knicks  110

FINAL

Bockers Outpace Indy; Climb To Fourth Spot in Eastern Conference Standings

Climb Back To Level Ground

17-17 (.500)

Almost all things in this game being equal, the Knicks grit and determination and Coach Thibs ultimately win out over the Pacers Saturday at the Garden.  

There's really no other way to explain it.  

The Pacers were plus-three in total possessions, plus-three in attempts from the line, a slim plus-one in assists, and plus-five in blocked shots.  They were also plus-ten points in the paint.  Meanwhile, the Knicks were a more proficient 49.4% from the field, including 50% from behind the arc, plus-six on fast-break points, a plus-three in rebounds, and plus-seven in steals.

Indiana starts the game on an 8-0 run, brought to a stop when Derrick Rose buries a pair of free throws to finally get the Knicks on the board.  Roughly 20 minutes later, Rose launches a three-attempt from 8th Avenue and hits to give the Knicks a one-point lead at the half to the great delight of the socially distanced crowd.

With a three-point lead, Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin open the fourth quarter together.  Toppin, however, would only see six minutes all game.  Quickley hits a three-pointer-and-one at 11:04, giving the Knicks a nine-point lead.  After relinquishing the lead, RJ Barrett's short-range jumper ties the game at 98-98, and his follow-up free throw puts the Knicks up by one with 3:32 left.  Julius Randle's three at 2:55 puts the Knicks up by four.  After a Nerlens Noel steal in the defensive end, Julius Randle draws a foul and sinks two free throws to the chants of MVP! MVP!, giving the Knicks a five-point lead.  At this point, Coach Thibs subs out Julius Randle for Frank Ntilikina, and the move pays off.  With a two-point lead, RJ Barrett misses a pair of free throws with just 0:14 seconds left.  On Indiana's ensuing possession Frank Ntilikina steals the ball and is fouled.  Frank then converts both attempts, and the Knicks hold on for a three-point margin of victory.

The hardest working man in Manhattan, Julius Randle, wins his one-on-one confrontation with Domantas Sabonis, who led the Pacers with 15 points, nine assists, and a team-high seven rebounds in 36 minutes.  The Knicks all-star answered with a game-high 28 points, with six assists and a game-high ten rebounds for his 22nd double-double through 34 games.  RJ Barrett was second in with 24 points on 8/17 from the field, including 4/6 from behind the arc.  Getting another start, Derrick Rose, who caused a decisive turnover in the closing moments of the game, contributed 17 points with a team-high eleven assists.

Immanuel Quickley was 3/4 from behind the arc and 1/1 from the line for ten points in just 13 minutes off the bench.  Alec Burks played 21 minutes off the bench with five points, two assists, and a steal.  

The Knicks improved to 2-1 against the Indiana Pacers, but more importantly, finally, reestablish par with a 17-17 record.  Moreover, they move into a tie with the Florida Raptors for fourth place in the Eastern Conference with just over a half-season left to play.

N.Y. Rangers: Blueshirts Pick Up Against Boston Where Long Islanders Leave Off

From the desk: RAISE GRESCHNER WITH THE GREATS

FEW AND DISTANCED FANS RETURN TO 

MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

FRIDAY

Bruins  2

Rangers 6

FINAL

Third Time Is A Charm; Blueshirts Defeat Division Leading Bruins

Brad Marchant, very early in the first period, tried setting the tone for the rest of the evening, pinning Adam Fox in the corner, even dropping his gloves.  But Fox refused to oblige, and Marchant ponderously escaped without a penalty.  Marchant was nonetheless successful, as the shorthanded Rangers on this night decided they weren't having any of it, and so the tone indeed was set.  Big hits, obligatory crosschecks, scrums, and bad words abounded.  

In their first meeting against the Bruins, the Rangers were plus-eight in hits but a woeful minus-16 in face-offs and minus-three in shots on goal en route to a 3-2 loss.  Then despite a tighter 1-0 defeat in the second meeting, Boston was in clear command, outhitting the Rangers 31-22, going plus-five on faceoffs, and a plus-nine on shots on goal.  Through the first two games, each team went scoreless on the power play.  Boston was scoreless in eight opportunities, and the Ranger came empty in six chances. 

On Friday, the correlation between winning face-offs, possession, drawing penalties, and shots on goal works in the Rangers' favor for a change.  The Blueshirts were plus-four in hits, plus-one in face-offs, and plus-one in shots on goal.  In the second period, Colin Blackwell scored the first power-play goal of the series by either team, while Boston was once again held to 0/3 on the man-advantage.

At 13:16, Julien Gauthier opened the scoring assisted by Ryan Lindgren, who clashed with David Pastrnak during the game.  Ryan Strome opened the second period scoring on a beautiful feed from Alexis Lafreniere at 2:32, but Patrice Bergeron scored just 1:30 later.  Afterwhich the roof caved in on Boston.  The Rangers scored twice in the closing two minutes of the second period on a power-play goal from Colin Blackwell, then just twelve seconds later on Chris Kreider's ninth of the season assisted by Strome.  Picking up where they left off, the Rangers strike quickly in the third on Pavel Bushnevich's fifth of the season at 1:45, and Jonny Brodzinski's first goal of the season and only the sixth of his career at the 3:43 mark.  Brad Marchant added an inconsequential goal at 7:51 to cap off the night's scoring.

I'm pleased to see Brendan Lemieux's minutes were increased.  He mustered three shots on goal and, late in the third, got stuffed on a good drive to the net.  Alexis Lafreniere registers just his second point of the season.  Chris Kreider now has five goals in his last three games and a team-leading nine for the season.  Rangers' centermen generated 13 (38%) shots on goal with four goals and two assists for six points.  However, Bret Howden has just one point in his last 13 games and only two for the season.  With three more points against the Bruins, Ryan Strome unexpectedly leads Rangers centers this season with 13 points.

This is the second straight night the Bruins have gotten their doors blown off.  Thursday, on the front end of back-to-back nights, the Long Islanders drubbed the Bruins by a 7-2 final at Uniondale.  The Islanders centermen joined for 14 shots on goal with two goals and three assists for five points.  

The Rangers and Bruins resume hostilities again on Sunday.

Bedford & Sullivan Podcast: On Jackie Robinson, Negro Leagues Baseball, and Black History Month

From the desk: DEM BARNSTORMERS

BEDFORD & SULLIVAN 

PODCAST

a Sam Maxwell Production

On Jackie Robinson, Negro Leagues Baseball, & Black History Month

⚾

GUEST PANEL

Author and Journalist David Krell

Negro League Historian, Speaker, Author Phil S. Dixon

Forbes Contributor, Baseball Historian, Interviewer Nick Diunte

Video Director and Producer hailing from Crown Heights, Phil Maillard

TheBrooklynTrolleyBlogger and host Sam Maxwell

120 minutes

This was simply one of the best broadcast that I have participated on in sometime. Lots of wisdom was given. https://t.co/vnzkZbjTE9

— Phil S. Dixon (@NegroLeagueMan) February 26, 2021

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL 

AND THE GREAT AMERICAN NARRATIVE

Hockey Night in New York State: Long Island Up; Buffalo Down

From the desk: HOCKEY NIGHT IN NEW YORK STATE

NYR Centermen vs. Flyers

ten shots on goal; four assists

🏒

THURSDAY

Devils    4

Sabres   3

FINAL

BUFFALO - Devils center Nico Hischier scores his first goal since returning to action one week ago.  After falling behind in the first period, Jesper Bratt ties the game at one at the 5:27 mark.  But Dmitry Kulikov gets called for slashing and Casey Mittelstadt puts the Sabres back in front.  The lead doesn't last long.  Miles Wood opens the third period with a power-play goal at 4:25, and just over two minutes later Hischier finds the net giving Newark a 3-2 lead.  However, Sam Reinhart's power-play goal at 15:30 sends the game into overtime.  Buffalo then commits a cardinal sin of hockey: allowing a goal in the first or last two minutes of a period.  At 1:17 of overtime, Pavel Zacha finds the back of the net ending the game.

The Devils level out at 3-3 since returning from COVID lockdown.

Miles Wood with his sixth goal earned his 9th point in 15 games.

Now for my stick it to the New York Rangers segment.  Newark centermen accounted for 18 of the Devils 40 shots on goal.  They come away with two goals and two assists for four points. 

THURSDAY

Bruins       2

Islanders  7

FINAL

LONG ISLAND - Look what the Isles did to the Bruins, again!  As I always say, once is an event, twice is a coincidence, and three times is a trend.  With a third victory over the division-leading Bruins, the Islanders appear to finally be taking major steps forward towards the heights of the division.  Long Island has now outscored Boston by a whopping 12-4 margin through three contests.  

In my effort to keep sticking it to the Rangers, Long Island centerman joined for 14 shots on goal, with two goals and three assists for five points.   

Brooklyn Nets: Flatbush Wins NBA Leading Eighth In A Row

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

THURSDAY

Kings    92

Nets    129

FINAL

For only the fourth time this season, but not coincidentally for the third time since their game against the Detroit Pistons, Flatbush limited their opponent under one hundred points en route to a commanding 37 point margin of victory against the Orlando Magic.

With Kevin Durant missing his sixth straight game while still hampered by a strained hamstring, Kyrie Irving leads the Nets with 27 points and a game-high nine assists in 30 minutes.  However, he continues to struggle from long-range shooting 11/18 from the floor but only 1/6 from three.  James Harden was 5/10 from behind the arc en route to a 20 point night with nine rebounds and seven assists.  

Despite 14 points each from Joe Harris and Bruce Brown, I'm going to give DeAndre the third man recognition award this game for his eight points and a game-high eleven rebounds.  Flatbush finished +16 in rebounding and exhibited better distribution with a 30-19 advantage in assists.  Moreover, Brooklyn was on the run, outscoring Sacramento 25-6 in fastbreak points, and were a +5 in the paint.

The hot and cold season of Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot continues.  He was just 1/7 from the field, which really means he was just 1/6 from long range.  Landry Shamet led the bench effort with 19 points in 29 minutes.  Nicolas Claxton gave the Nets six players scoring in double-digits with ten points in just 15 minutes.

Jeff Green remains out of action. 

Brooklyn extends their NBA leading winning streak to eight, with the Dallas Mavericks coming to town on Saturday.  Philadelphia defeated the Mavs on Thursday to keep Brooklyn one-half game out of the Eastern Conference lead.

N.Y. Knicks: Offensive Surge Upends Sacramento Kings

From the desk: KICKING CANS DOWN 33RD STREET WITH JIMMY

This is Alec Burk's City, We're Just Living In It

THURSDAY

Kings  121

Knicks 140

FINAL

Bench Leads Revolt Over Kings

No need to get your vision checked.  You saw that right ...

The Knickerbockers score a season-high 140 points en route to a 19 point victory over the Sacramento Kings.  In possession once again of the Midas touch, the Knicks shot 58.6% from the field, including 52.8% from beyond the arc.  The Knicks also outrebounded the Kings by a margin of plus-nine.

Rookie Immanuel Quickley leads the Knicks with 25 points in just 20 minutes off the bench, shooting 5/10 from the floor and a perfect 12/12 from the line.  Also, off the bench, Alec Burk was next in with 24 points and 5/8 from three range in 25 minutes but exploded for 19 of those points in the fourth quarter.  Meanwhile, Frank Ntilikina returned to action for the first time since just before New Year's Day.  Frank scored seven points in only his fifth game of the season with two assists in 23 minutes.

Derrick Rose made his first start since rejoining the Knicks.  He scored 18 points and distributed a team-high seven assists.  Julius Randle, recently named to the all-star game, notches yet another double-double, with 21 points and a game-high 14 rebounds; it's his 21st double-double of the season.

The Knicks improved to 9-7 at home and once again close to within one game of achieving a .500 record.

N.Y. Rangers: Blueshirts Cannot Overcome Pandemic, Putin, and Penalties

From the desk: RAISE GRESCHNER WITH THE GREATS

WEDNESDAY

Rangers 3

Flyer   4

FINAL

The Rangers are a rebuilding team, right?  

Therefore I don't mind the adversity.

Playing without Filip Chytil and Jacob Trouba due to injury, without Kaapo Kakko and K'Andre Miller due to COVID, and Artemi Panarin playing spy games back in the USSR, you just knew the Blueshirts would be in trouble.  But that's not to say the Flyers weren't missing bodies as well because they were.  

That doesn't excuse eight penalties.  Igor Shesterkin needed to be an octopus out there.  It also doesn't explain their continuing futility on the face-off, outdone by a 35-20 margin.  Face-offs mean possession; possession means potential shots; Philadelphia out-shot the Rangers by a wide 39-27 margin.

See what happens when you loiter around the net?  Sometimes it takes brute force and ignorance, and sometimes it takes a sense of what's happening around you.  Chris Kreider records a hat-trick with two power-play goals and one at even strength, all of the tip-in variety.  Phil Esposito made a career of cleaning up garbage in front to the tune of over 700 goals.  No one ever accused Espo of being the best skater on the ice.

Chris Kreider was assisted by his centermen, finally.  Mike Zibanejad, although still unable to cash in opportunities like last season, assisted on two of Kreider's goals.  Ryan Strome and Colin Blackwell also picked up assists.  All told, Rangers' centermen joined for ten shots on goal and four points.

The Rangers turned over the puck in their own end early in the first period and essentially stayed there until Erik Gustaffson opened the scoring at the 7:38 mark.  Afterwhich, they were resigned to playing catch-up the rest of the way while having to kill 12 minutes in penalties, not to mention two delays of games.  Said another way, it was a very sloppy game.

I'm also a little puzzled why Ryan Lindgren skated a blueline low 14:45 minutes, and Jack Johnson is out there for 19:01 minutes.

Lastly, on this night, with two forwards missing from the lineup, I'm disappointed Brendan Lemieux only got 10:19 of ice time.

N.Y. Mets: Hoping Trevor May Brings Stability to Bullpen Uncertainty

From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

PITCHERS & CATCHERS

⚾

THE BULLPEN

• Pitchers & Catchers: deGrominator Rising
• Pitchers & Catchers: Pressure on Marcus Stroman to Form One-Two Punch
• Pitchers & Catchers: Difference Between Good And Great Could Be Carlos Carrasco
• Pitchers & Catchers: Can David Peterson Pick Up Where He Left Off?
  
• A Metsian Podcast: Reporting to Camp with Baseball Writer & Analyst Ernest Dove

Trevor May Entering Strange New World

Considering the recent injury to Seth Lugo, newly acquired Trevor May might already be the Mets best reliever for all intent and purpose without even having thrown a pitch.  That speaks to how badly the rest of this bullpen riddles me with anxiety.

There are the returnees: Jeurys Familia, Dellin Betances, Robert Gsellman, Miguel Castro, the injured Seth Lugo, and perhaps Jerry Blevins.  There's the main free-agent addition Aaron Loup, and a clutch of potentials, prospects, minor signees, and spring invitees such as Mike Montgomery, Tommy Hunter,  Thomas Szapucki, the familiar Drew Smith, Jacob Barnes, and Sam McWilliams, to name a few. 

For a split second, Familia and Betances were being shopped around in what was being rumored as a salary dump.  But when other key free-agent relievers signed elsewhere, the undynamic duo again suddenly became indispensable.  

Betances last season struggled with a 7.71 ERA, a career-high .353 BABIP, and a WHiP over two in 15 appearances while yielding an untenable ten runs on twelve hits and twelve walks in only 11.2 innings pitched.  His velocity has plummeted from a career-high 98.4mph in 2017 to 94.9mph last season, a loss of 3.5mph in three years.  Meanwhile, Jeurys Familia, whose velocity remains constant at 97.0mph, simply walks too many batters, reflected by last year's 6.4 W/9 average, a bloated 1.463 WHiP, and career-high (full-season) 4.92 FIP.  However, he still somehow posted a representative .204 average against and .247 BABIP.

Robert Gsellman remains a likable member of the bullpen.  But truth be told, since his rookie season, he has been nothing short of ineffective.  You can look it up.  As for Edwin Diaz, he'll get his own narrative coming shortly.

In the meantime, the burden inevitably being placed upon all the aforementioned relievers' shoulders originates with the starting rotation.  Over the course of their respective careers, Jacob deGrom averages 6.1 innings per start, and Marcus Stroman averages an even six innings.  Carlos Carrasco and Taijuan Walkers are next in, averaging 5.2 innings per start.  Further down the depth chart, David Peterson and Joey Lucchesi average 5.1 innings, while Jordan Yamamoto clocks in at five innings flat.  That means, on average, the Mets bullpen will be responsible for 3.2 innings per game, or, said another way, eleven outs ... again, on average.

All the concerns listed herein are precisely why Trevor May's upcoming role in Queens is destined to be far different, or should I say more treacherous, from the one he grew accustomed to at Minneapolis.  Last season he was placed in just three save situations, and over the last three seasons has only faced ten save situations (successfully converting seven).  If recent Flushing history is any indication, the 31-year old right-hander will be afforded numerous more opportunities despite whether or not Edwin Diaz fulfills his primary role as closer.  Two seasons ago, Mets relievers were placed into 65 save situations; Edwin Diaz converted 26 of 33 opportunities while the remaining bullpen saved twelve games in near-equal 32 opportunities.  During last year's abbreviated season, the bullpen was faced with 18 save situations.  Diaz converted six of ten opportunities, and the rest saved five of eight chances. 

KNOW TREVOR MAY

Called up after the trade deadline in 2014, Trevor in 2015 appeared in 48 games and made 16 starts in his first full season with the Twins.  He posted a 4.00 ERA, a 1.344 WHiP, and 3.80 FIP, with 127 hits allowed, a 2.0 W/9 average, and 110 strikeouts through 114.2 innings pitched.  

His 2016 season was compromised by a back injury, and he would subsequently require Tommy John surgery.  After missing all of 2017, Trevor returned to action on the last day of July 2018 to post a promising 3.20 ERA, a 1.026 WHiP, and 3.08 FIP while allowing 21 hits and striking out 36 batters over a brief 25.1 innings pitched.  

This brings us to MLB's last full season, which happened to be Trevor May's first full season post-Tommy John surgery.  In 2019, Trevor appeared in 65 games, posting a career-low 2.94 ERA and a 1.073 WHiP, yielding 43 hits and fanning 79 batters through 64.1 innings.  However, despite a marked decrease from a 7.5 H/9 to a 6.0 H/9 mark, a considerably lowered BABIP, and a career-low .181 average against, he saw his W/9 average, ERA+, and FIP climb significantly.  He pitched in consecutive games eleven times during the season and only once pitched in three straight games.

From his rookie season of 2014 through 2016, Trevor May's velocity increased from 93.1mph to 95.0mph before TJ surgery.  By 2019, he was up to 95.9mph.

Last year he clocked in at a career-high 96.7mph but threw it a career-low 51.8% of the time after averaging 60.6% over his first five seasons.  Trevor in 2020 also abandoned his curveball when it once comprised 14.1% of his repertoire.  Instead, May more than doubled usage (32.6%) of his slider while mixing in a change with a 15.6% rate of frequency.  Net result, he posted career-highs with a 14.7 K/9 average and 39.6 K% through 24 appearances, and 23.1 innings pitched.  His W/9 and FIP improved slightly.  However, his 3.86 ERA, 1.157 WHiP, .326 BABIP, 7.7 H/9 average, and .225 average against, while not terrible by any stretch, all represent increases over the previous season. 

Otherwise, may Trevor's force be with us.

Brooklyn Nets: Fans Witness Flatbush Win Seventh Straight

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

HOME SWEET HOME

TUESDAY

Kings   118

Nets     127

FINAL

Bruce Brown Plays Big Man On Campus

Back home in Flatbush and playing in front of a limited number of fans for the first time in a long time, the surging Nets defeat visiting Sacramento by nine points, extending their winning streak to a season-high seven games.  The game also marks Brooklyn's second defeat of the Kings in the last eight days.

Kyrie Irving's 14 points spearhead the surging Nets to a 42-28 first-quarter lead, who then take a 72-66 lead into the half.  But the Kings close the gap and trail by just two points after three quarters.  

That's when Bruce Brown takes over.  Making his seventh straight start, Brown finishes the night tied for game-high with 29 points and 13 points coming in the final eight minutes of the game.  His layup-and-one at 7:43 gives the Nets a three-point lead.  Brown then nails a three at 3:56, then 23 seconds later drains a mid-range jumper.  He again follows with another three at the 3:05 mark and caps off Brooklyn's scoring with two free throws with 1:01 left in regulation.

With Kevin Durant missing his sixth straight game, James Harden and Kyrie Irving join forces on 50 points, and Joe Harris turns in another step-it-up performance.  Harden was 9/22 from the floor, including 5/10 from beyond three and 6/9 from the line to tie for a game-high 29 points.  The bearded one completes the triple-double with a game-high 14 assists and eleven rebounds (ten defensive) during a floor-high 41 minutes; it's his sixth triple-double since donning a Nets uniform.  Kyrie Irving goes 8/22 from the floor, including only 2/6 from three en route to a 21 point effort with seven assists, five boards, and three steals.  Joe Harris was an efficient 6/10 from the field and 5/9 from behind the arc as part of an 18 point performance.

The center of attention, DeAndre Jordan, was back in the starting lineup, posting ten points but more importantly getting to the line.  He secured eight rebounds and played effective defense with four blocks.  Jordan also played 34 minutes while managing four personal fouls, precisely what I want to see.

Long Island two-way Nicolas Claxton made his Nets debut with a field goal, and 3/4 from the line with one blocked shot in 14 minutes.  However, the rest of the bench managed just 15 points, eight rebounds, and five assists in a collective four-man 53 minutes effort. 

• ICYMI: What Happens in Flatbush Stays in Flatbush

The Philadelphia 76ers also defeated the Florida Raptors on Tuesday and thus retain a one-half game lead over the Nets for the Eastern Conference's top team.

Brooklyn Nets: What Happens in Flatbush Stays in Flatbush

From the desk: MY SOAPBOX AT THE INTERSECTION OF ATLANTIC & FLATBUSH

The Whole Country is Buzzing About the Brooklyn Nets,

All Except the New York City Media That Is.

Listening to the various New York City sports radio shows, of which I am a fan, is becoming painfully irritating to the ear insofar as their inability to simply talk Nets basketball on its own merits.  Very few local radio talk and TV personalities today are conducting a fair, unbiased discussion.  Even fewer, quite understandably, are actually Nets fans.  But must nearly every conversation ultimately be polluted with Knicks talk, and how this will never be a Nets town?  Can it ever be introduction, body, conclusion, and done?  Therefore, I must consider the messengers: the many hosts and sidekicks who are content with being naysayers and (sub)conscious Knicks loyalists claiming professional objectivity. 

If that were only so.

But my intention is not to attack nor disparage; I'm merely pointing out the palatable bias which has been trumpeting over the airways for the last nine years.

I'm a native New Yorker; I'm a lifelong Brooklynite; I'm certainly not naive.  There are biases in every sector of the New York City sports scene, some friendly, others not so much.  The baseball Mets and Yankees and the football Giants and Jets are classic examples of the local media choosing sides but through an openly good-natured albeit antagonistic manner.  That's all in fun because, at the end of the day, each of the aforementioned teams can, at any time, dominate the local narrative and headlines free and independently and out from under the shadow of their neighboring competition.  New York City at times has been a Mets town and other times a Yankees town.  If any team, the Jets somewhat face this second citizen-like disparagement but with a far lesser degree of vigor or dismissiveness than is being directed at Brooklyn basketball.  Even on their worst days, each of the aforementioned area teams is ultimately accorded its time in the spotlight as a New York original should be.

Let me not even delve into how the Brooklyn Americans got screwed over by the New York Rangers!  Therein lay an instance when an entire fan base and the ice they skated on was literally ripped out from under them due to a nefariously engineered broken promise.

Original Six, my ass!  But I digress ...  

Tex Rickard's Rangers since 1940 have won just one Stanley Cup while the Long Islanders won four in a row and the Devils captured three.  

No one ever expected the Isles or Devils to win over New York City.  Both area competitors reside outside the city limits and never once tried planting a flag at Eighth Avenue and 33rd Street.  That was never the plan.  Playing in the nation's largest metropolitan area market, yes, but taking over the city, no.  The Devils have their Newark/North New Jersey fan base and media outlets such as the Bergen Record, NJ.com, et al.  Meanwhile, the Isles will soon be back in the warm embrace of Nassau County where local fans can flip through the sports section of Newsday with great confidence knowing their team is its primary focus.  Barclays Center was an integral component to keeping the Islanders from fleeing the metro area, nothing more.  Their situation has since been straightened out.  Otherwise, the New York Rangers safely own the boroughs, simple as that.

Insofar as how the media perceives the Nets, the Long Island/New Jersey Nets were indeed a low-interest matter in most Manhattan-based sports desks.  After Dr. J's departure to Philadelphia, every so often, Darryl Dawkins would appear on the George Michael Sports Machine after breaking a backboard.  Otherwise, fans got four minutes of Bernard King, Patrick Ewing, or Jim Dolan's follies versus 45 seconds of say, Derrick Coleman/Kenny Anderson, or Dražen Petrović, until that rare occasion someone like Jason Kidd would come along and lead the Nets to the Finals - still with little fanfare emanating out of Gotham radio, evening TV sports desks, or daily tabloids.

The New York Knickerbockers, established in 1946, for long were all the local pundits have ever known or ever needed to care about.  Winning two championships at the end of the 1960s and beginning of 1970s and their playoff run through the 1990s forever cemented their relationship with New York City fans.  Therefore, I do not begrudge the local media after 74-plus years of conditioning.

After commuting to Manhattan or, say, to Bristol, Connecticut, and putting in an honest day's work, where do all these pundits go when the dismissal bell rings?  They go home, or maybe to a game first, then home - not out of the realm of normalcy.  And where exactly is home?  Do these folk live in Long Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Manhattan?  Because I'm very confident that an extraordinarily high percentage of these people do not live in Brooklyn.  To that end, I would also ask what they would know about the heartbeat of Flatbush.  How much time do the voices pumping Brooklyn's second city narrative spend walking the sidewalks, driving the streets, sitting on stoops, or hanging in the schoolyards of Kings County?  Do these sports media pundits and entertainers actually make daily excursions over the East River to decipher for themselves the ability or inability of the Brooklyn Nets to establish a prominent foothold east of Manhattan?

I'll wait ...

What they fail to realize is this isn't about taking over New York City or finding some poor soul walking down 34th Street, Central Park, or the Upper East Side wearing a black B cap.  From Fulton Street to Coney Island, this is about the 2.7 million denizens who call Brooklyn home.  Of course, Kings County has a huge population of unwavering hardcore Knicks fans.  But, please, Brooklynites are the ones wearing the Nets shirts, jerseys, hoodies, and caps in great numbers, and Brooklynites are the ones having meaningful Nets discourse on stoops, in bars, and schoolyards, far away from the bias media's ability to listen.  Therefore, the ignorant who rarely venture out continue slinging their expertise from behind the fortified walls of Fort Knickerbocker.

Throughout the last eight-plus years, numerous members of the media have completely ignored basic truths.  The Nets, since the first shovel moved dirt on Groundbreaking Day for Barclays Center, have been one if not two steps ahead of the Knickerbockers in all aspects of basketball and business operations and competency.  Yet, even now, with the Nets being supremely topical these last few weeks, it seems more and more as if our area pundits continue reading off the same teleprompter like so many puppet news affiliates around the country.

Truth be told, some things never change.  Once upon a time, a general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers named Larry McPhail was hired for the explicit task of turning a profit.  He assessed his business options then took aim at the competition.  McPhail knew the Giants and Yankees owned a distinct advantage over the Dodgers because they had New York displayed across their uniforms and appealed to a broader audience.  In contrast, the Brooklyn Dodgers' notoriety in that respect was limited to the confines of the Borough's borders.  Thus McPhail decided with conviction and haste to break the longstanding agreement between the three clubs, which restricted each from broadcasting their games over radio.

The Nets are likewise at the mercy of media Knickophants because, unlike the Brooklyn Dodgers who had a major hometown newspaper outlet like the famous Brooklyn Eagle championing their cause, this Brooklyn team has no such singularly focused support.  Rather, their coverage is left up to conditioned outlets unyieldingly obedient to the native Manhattan Cagers.

What is said between opposing fan bases makes for a fair fight.  But this contingent of media who continually pump this narrative of the Brooklyn Nets being inconsequential in a Knicks town, distorted as it may be, is done with no check and no balance.

Brooklyn has always forged its own way.  

This is no different.

My son, now beyond his 20s, was also born and raised in Brooklyn:

"The only ones that are really switching over, especially now, aren't real fans.  The ones that want to root for the Nets now with Kyrie, Harden, and KD on the team, are the ones that can leap off the Brooklyn Bridge.  If none of these people cared when Deron Williams was here wasting money, don't talk to me."

#WeGoHard

Brooklyn Nets: California Dreamin'

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

Ain't No Win Streak Like a West Coast Win Streak

SUNDAY

Nets     112

Clippers 108

FINAL

WELCOME HOME!

In the absence of Kevin Durant, Coach Nash utilized the same line-up for the third time in the last four games.  Jeff Green started in place of DeAndre Jordan and Bruce Brown again started in a three-man backcourt.

However, Green was forced to leave with just under three minutes left in the fourth quarter with an injury.  He finished with five points on just 2/6 from the floor in 34 minutes.  But productive reinforcement came courtesy of DeAndre Jordan who posted a double-double with 13 points, eleven rebounds, and four blocked shots in 32 minutes off the bench.  It's DeAndre's third double-double and only the fourth time this season he has exceeded 30 minutes.

Coach Nash played a three-man bench in the boxscore, but only a two-man bench in any meaningful application.  Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot was without a shot attempt while being limited to just six minutes.  Meanwhile, Landry Shamet was a troublesome 1/7 from the field, all attempts from three-range, in 18 minutes.

• ICYMI: Joe Harris Passes Another Test

The starting five averaged 37 minutes with Kyrie Irving and James Harden playing 40 and 41 minutes respectively.  James Harden scored a game-high 38 points, his highest single-game output with the Nets and his second-highest mark this season, while also notching his 17th double-double through 18 games since his arrival in Flatbush.  Kyrie Irving was 12/26 from the floor but only 2/11 from behind the arc.  In fact, the Nets as a team were just 11/38 (28.9%) from three-range.  Kyrie finished with 28 points and a team-high eight assists.  He and Harden joined for 15 assists.  Joe Harris was likewise somewhat off from the field, shooting 3/8 from three and 4/11 overall en route to 13 points.  

Since receiving a reprimand from Coach Nash after a lethargic and futile effort against the Detroit Pistons and being told to look themselves in the mirror, the Nets are now winners of six in a row.  They complete their five-game western trip with a perfect 5-0 record.  In games against the Warriors, Kings, Suns, Lakers, and Clippers, the Nets averaged 123.8 points per game while allowing an average of 114.4 points per game for an impressive +9.4 differential.

The Nets triumphantly return to Flatbush for a three-game homestand against the Kings, Magic, and Mavs.

N.J. Devils: New Captain Cannot Fend Off Defeat

From the desk: BRICK CITY STYX

Travis Zajac 1000 Games

SUNDAY

Devils     3

Capitals  4

FINAL

Nico Hischier Named Captain

After having five games canceled and upwards of seventeen players under mandated quarantine, the Devils rank and file are back in the fold.  However, their return to action has, to date, proven to be a mixed bag of goods.  After shaming the Rangers and turning back the Bruins, they've since followed with consecutive losses against the Sabres and most recently against the Washington Capitals.

Because of an unanticipated delay in his return to action, scuttlebutt and speculation regarding Nico Hischier's injured knee increased.  But after missing eleven games, the Devils centerman made his long-awaited return to the ice against Buffalo, this time sporting a big "C" on his jersey.  

Unfortunately, after Sunday's loss, Nico Hischier is now 0-2 as Captain.

Newark went up 2-0 against the Capitols on Andreas Johnsson's first period power-play goal, then on Jack Hughes' fourth goal of the season at 3:55 of the second.  After John Carlson tied the game at two in the third, two ensuing penalties would spell the Devils' demise.  Kyle Palmieri got whistled for holding midway through the period, and T.J. Oshie answered with his second goal of the game.  Then Ryan Murray got caught tripping Carl Hagelin.  In the blink of an eye, Alex Ovechkin scored his sixth of the season.  Nikita Gusev scored with just 0:12 seconds left in regulations giving this game a 4-3 final score in favor of Washington.  

The Devils penalty kill continues playing on their heels.  Washington was 3 for 4 on the power play.  No surprise, as the Devils are bottom tier at 15.8% through 13 games.

For Jack Huges, his fourth goal and team-leading eleventh point of the season.

CONGRATULATIONS 

TRAVIS ZAJAK 

CAREER GAMES 

1000

N.Y. Rangers: Blueshirt Forwards March on Capitals

From the desk: RAISE GRESCHNER WITH THE GREATS

SATURDAY

RANGERS   4

CAPITALS   1

FINAL

Adam Fox didn't have to everything himself.  He was limited to one shot on goal, while the blueliners accounted for seven of the Rangers' 24 total shots on net against Washington goalie Vitek Vanecek.

The Rangers' top forwards not named Panarin actually showed up to play some hockey Saturday in the nation's capital.  They accounted for the balance of 17 shots on goal.  At 14:57 of the first, Chris Kreider netted his fifth goal of the season on Artemi Panarin's and Ryan Strome's assists.  With time winding down in the second, Artemi Panarin fed Alexis Lafreniere, who deeked Washington goalie Vitek Vanecek with a sweet backhand for a 2-0 Rangers lead.  The Caps then committed one of the cardinal sins in hockey, yielding a goal from Ryan Strome with 1:17 left in the period.  But the Rangers were equally careless.  Dmitry Orlav scored with just 0:39 left in the period making it a 3-1 game.  Mika Zibanejad capped off the scoring with an empty-netter with just over two minutes left in the third for a 4-1 final margin of victory.

Kreider's goal ties him for the team lead with five, with Ryan Strome and Artemi Panarin.  For a time, Coach Quinn joined Mika Zibanejad, Alexis Lafreniere, and Artemi Panarin on the first line together, and it paid off for the teenager who registered only his second goal of the season and his first in February.  Artemi Panarin, with two assists in the game, now has 13 for the season and 18 points through his first 14 games.  The beleaguered Mika Zibanejad scored a goal for the first time since Jan. 19 against the Devils, giving him just four points through 16 games.  Pavel Buchnevich assisted on two goals giving him twelve points, second-most on the team, through 16 games.  Ryan Strome was the third Rangers forward to register two points in the game.  In a slight improvement over recent games, the Rangers centermen accounted for seven shots, a goal, and three points.

Brendan Lemieux saw some time on special teams bringing him up to 11:47 minutes of ice time, two more minutes than last game.  More ice time, please.

In light of Jacob Trouba's injury, there were no Jack Johnson sightings to the fan's delight.  Thankfully K'Andre Miller returned to action.  Adam Fox was called upon for 24:20 minutes.  Brendan Smith held his ground in 18:47 minutes and 26 shifts, and there were no issues with the third pairing of Anthony Bitetto and Libor Hajek.  I know Nils Lundqvist is lurking in the background, and there are even more blueliners on the way after him.

But that's for next year ... 

N.Y. Rangers: Artemi Panarin Lifts Lagging Mates

From the desk: RAISE GRESCHNER WITH THE GREATS

SHOWDOWN AT HIGH NOON

SATURDAY

Rangers

vs.

Capitals

The Rangers were lucky to come away with two points in their first meeting against the Flyers.  Philadelphia's line-up is still being compromised by COVID.  So, there are questions as to what outfit the Rangers really defeated.  But with regards to what transpired on the ice, the Rangers committed one of the cardinal rules of hockey, not once, but twice, and got away with it.

Never yield a goal in the first two minutes or last two minutes of a period.  

They did just that, allowing a goal in the first 0:59 seconds of the game to Nicolas Aube-Kubel.  Colin Blackwell tied the game on a power-play goal at 3:24 of the second period.  Ryan Strome then put the Rangers ahead with an even-strength goal at the 8:21 mark of the third period.  But with just 1:14 left in regulation, Joel Farabee scored his seventh goal of the season, tying the game at two.  After a scoreless overtime, Artemi Panarin, returning from injury, saved the Rangers' ass with a decisive goal in the shootout.

Playing minus Jacob Trouba and K'Andre Miller, the blueliners still limit Philadelphia to 22 shots on goal and 0/5 on the power play.  The Rangers blocked 27 shots in front of Alexandar Georgiev, who stopped all but two shots.  For reasons I won't get into, Ryan Lindgren and Adam Fox walked away with a respective minus-two for the game.

There came the point when Coach Quinn was reprimanding Brendan Lemieux on the bench, if I remember correctly, after a neutral zone blunder.  How about Quinn coaches better and gives Lemiex more ice time!  

Yeah, I went there ...

And thank goodness for Colin Blackwell, who miraculously has seven points in only five games.  Artemi Panarin had eight shots on goal, which equals all five Rangers' centermen shots on goal combined.

N.Y. Mets: David Peterson's Battle To Keep Spot In Rotation Begins Now

From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

PITCHERS & CATCHERS

• Off-Season: Like a Nor'Easter Over Flushing Bay
• Pitchers & Catchers: deGrominator Rising
• Pitchers & Catchers: Pressure on Marcus Stroman to Form One-Two Punch
• Pitchers & Catchers: Difference Between Good And Great Could Be Carlos Carrasco
  
• A Metsian Podcast: Reporting to Camp with Baseball Writer & Analyst Ernest Dove
  

Can David Peterson Pick Up Where He Left Off?

After just 247.2 innings worth of experience at the minor league level, David Peterson made his MLB debut last season.  The Mets 2017 first-round draft pick (20th overall) was called up in late July and finished out the season with ten appearances and nine starts.  He yielded just 36 hits and fanned 40 batters in 49.2 innings pitched but allowed an untidy 4.3 walks per nine innings pitched.  Peterson otherwise posted a 3.44 ERA and 1.208 WHiP, while his slightly elevated 4.52 FIP was offset by a fine .233 BABIP and .202 average against.

He averaged 5.1 innings per start but finished stronger than that.  In his penultimate start of the season, he went six full while striking out ten Atlanta Braves, then in his season finale allowed one run on just four hits over seven full in a victory over Washington.

Not bad for a rookie ... 

David Peterson retains his eligibility by a hair; the rookie cut-off is 50 innings pitched, and he did not spend more than 45 days on the pre-expanded 25-man roster.  With any luck, he circumvents baseball's mysterious sophomore jinx and can pick up where he left off.

His repertoire consists of the new-age traditional fastball/slider/change, which is based on deception and keeping hitters off-balance, of which I'm not a huge fan.  I prefer an accurately placed fastball, location in the zone, and a curveball that falls off the table.  Be that as it may, Peterson's fastball and slider come in at 92.6mph and 92.2mph, respectively, and he offsets that with an 84mph change-up.

Peterson went from a pre-camp rotation surety to suddenly being faced with stiff competition for a spot amongst the starting five.  It's safe to say the latest free-agent acquisition, Taijuan Walker, is certain to occupy the fourth rotation spot.  That leaves a three-way battle for the number five spot between fellow acquisitions Jordan Yamamoto, Joey Lucchesi, and the homegrown David Peterson. 

One factor out of Peterson's control is management's manipulation of options.  Lucchesi has one option remaining, Yamamoto has two, and Peterson, the freshest of the bunch, has three.  All three can expect to see time this season both at Syracuse and Flushing.  The only question is when. 

Jordan Yamamoto projects as a power pitcher but still lacks requisite control.  Instead, the onus is on Joey Lucchesi and David Peterson to distinguish themselves over the next five weeks.  The winner moves on to start the season as the rotation's lone southpaw.

Brooklyn Nets: Joe Harris Passes Another Test

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

THURSDAY

Nets   109

Lakers  98

FINAL

Joe Harris Refusing To Go Away

There was no need to adjust your sets.  The Brooklyn Nets did indeed defeat the defending champions Thursday night in Los Angeles.  However, this was not a potential preview of this year's NBA finals - not with Anthony Davis and Kevin Durant out of action.  

But it was a big game nonetheless.

This game marks just the sixth time this season and the second time in the last five games Flatbush has held their opponent under one hundred points.  LeBron James played up to expectations with a game-high 32 points.  Kyle Kuzma, who took ten fewer shots than James, was next in with 16 points.  Otherwise, the rest of LeBron's mates weren't up to the task.  Montrezl Harrell was the Lakers' next highest contributor with just ten points off the bench.

The Nets had six fewer attempts from the field and were terrible from the line, shooting 15/24 (62.5%), but they made up for it shooting 18/39 (46.2%) from behind the arc.  Joe Harris led the charge in that regard, shooting 6/7 from three range.  Next in was Timothe-Luwawu Cabarrot shooting 5/8 from three.  Timothe enjoyed a much-needed confidence booster.  After averaging just six points and 1.2 assists in 21.4 minutes over his last five games, Timothe bounced back with 15 points and three assists in 27 minutes off the bench.

Anytime the Nets are down, Kevin Durant, or Kyrie Irving, or James Harden, or any combination of the three, I expect Joe Harris to step up his game and play a more primary role.  That's where we are in his Nets career.  I've been keeping the spotlight on Harris because, in previous seasons, teams that wanted him deleted from the equation simply hit enter, and poof, there went Joe Harris.  If you recall, two seasons ago, in the playoffs against Philadelphia, Joe Harris in game one scored 13 points in 30 minutes.  The Sixers then shut him down, limiting him over the final four games to an average of just 7.7 points in 29.7 minutes.  This season, for the most part, a more experienced Harris is better holding his ground.  He was second on the team with 21 points and third in shot attempts against the Lakers.  It's just the second time this season Joe Harris has scored twenty points or more in consecutive games.  In 14 games against the present-day top eight teams in each conference, Joe Harris is averaging 17.5 points in 30.5 minutes per game.  As far as East competitors, Harris has scored 42 points in two games versus Philadelphia, 20 points against Milwaukee, and 19 points against Toronto.   

Further emphasizing the demands I place on Harris, Kyrie Irving led the Nets with 17 attempts but connected on only seven shots for 16 points in 34 minutes.  It's a subtle reminder the Big Three will have off nights.  Meanwhile, James Harden continues his case for MVP with a team-high 23 points and a game-high eleven assists in a team-high 38 minutes.

Flatbush extends their winning streak to five games and improves to 4-0 on this western swing.  After playing four games in six days, the Nets are off till Sunday when they wrap up this already wildly successful road trip against the Clippers.  The last time they met, Brooklyn defeated the Clippers by four at Barclays Center.

A Metsian Podcast: Ringing in Pitchers & Catchers with Baseball Analyst Ernest Dove

From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

with SAM, RICH & MIKE

GUEST

Baseball Writer, Reporter, Analyst

ERNEST DOVE

one hundred-three minutes

Northeast weather remains frightful, but down in Port St. Lucie, it's far more delightful.  For everything you want to know, baseball writer and analyst Ernest Dove joins this evening's show.  In the spirit of Pitchers & Catchers, the starting rotation and bullpen are up for discussion.  Also on the docket are front office maneuverings and/or lack thereof, this year's non-roster invitees, and speculating who breaks north to Flushing and who starts the season at Syracuse, along with other minor league-related issues. 

#LGM

N.Y. Mets: Difference Between Good and Great Could Be Carlos Carrasco

From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

MORE SNOW ON TAP FOR NYC

PITCHERS & CATCHERS

• Off-Season: Like a Nor'Easter Over Flushing Bay
• Pitchers & Catchers: deGrominator Rising
• Pitchers & Catchers: Pressure on Marcus Stroman to Form One-Two Punch
  

On the Resilient Carlos Carrasco

In 2011, Carlos Carrasco underwent Tommy John surgery.  After missing all of 2012, he returned in April 2013 to pitch fifteen games in which he posted a 6.75 ERA, a 1.757 WHiP, a 12.3 H/9 average, and a 5.6 K/9 average over 46.2 innings.  Carrasco returned to form the following season, from 2014 through 2018, he posted a 3.26 ERA with 963 strikeouts through 856 innings pitched.  

Then, in 2019, Carlos was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia (blood-related cancer).  With medication, he has been in remission for over a year now.  Last season at 33-years of age, Carrasco rebounded with a 2.91 ERA and 10.9 K/9 average through twelve starts, and 68.0 innings pitched.  He also recorded his lowest BABIP since 2016, and his .219 average against was the second-lowest of his career.  Despite his condition, Carlos has maintained a steady fastball throughout, clocking in at 94.8mph while averaging a 10.7 K/9 average over his last four seasons.  

Carrasco appears craftier than ever.  The only outstanding concern about Carlos is his stamina.  Last season he averaged 5.2 innings per start - no issue there.  However, Carlos turns 34-years old in March and is entering what we all hope is his first full season since 2018, the year before his diagnosis.

Along with Marcus Stroman, he, I believe, are the two main keys in the Mets 2021 quest for post-season glory.  Although both have yet to firmly establish themselves in the National League, their respective pitching performances have the potential to either make or break the upcoming season.  It's no stretch to say the Mets can still get by should one or the other falter.  However, they will not survive substandard performances from both.

Brooklyn Nets: James Harden Basks in the Phoenix Sun

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

TUESDAY

Nets   128

Suns   124

FINAL

James Harden Enjoys His Moonlanding Day; The Beard is Officially a Net

No Kevin Durant; no Kyrie Irving; no problem, this time.

But, yeah, James Harden leads the Nets to their largest halftime deficit comeback victory in club history.

From the opening tip, former (bitter) teammates James Harden and Chris Paul lock in a tit-for-tat.  Paul shoots 12/20 from the field, including 4/8 from behind the arc, to lead the Suns with 29 points and seven assists in 35 minutes.  However, Harden wins the battle and the war.  The Beard goes 14/22 from the field, 5/11 from beyond the arc, and a perfect 5/5 from the line for a game-high 38 points to go along with a game-high eleven assists.

The last time Flatbush was forced to play minus Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving was against the Sixers.  Harden scored 26 points and handed out ten assists in that game, but the Nets still lost by 16 points at Philadelphia.  This game was heading down a similar path.  Brooklyn gets outscored by eleven points in the first quarter, then by ten points in the second quarter for a 21-point deficit at the half.  The Suns' lead reached as high as 24 points when Chris Paul nailed a three with 1:33 left in the second quarter.  

Then starts the comeback ...

Fueled by a defensive effort perhaps inspired by a lockerroom ass-chewing on top of the one they received after the Detroit Piston flop, Brooklyn limited the Suns to 25 points in the third while closing the gap to twelve points.  The Nets still trailed 113-108 with five minutes left in the fourth.  After which James Harden took charge of the game.  But whereas Chris Paul placed everything upon himself, James Harden incorporated his mates.  The Beard assisted on a Jeff Green three, and Paul answered.  Harden then assisted on a Joe Harris three, and Chris Paul again answered.  Harden then took his turn sinking a floater, but Paul answered yet again.  On the next possession, Harden fed Jeff Green, who hit another three from the corner at 2:21 to bring the Nets within five.  At the 1:39 mark, Harden's two-pointer makes the score 124-121, Suns.  Jeff Green's layup closes the gap to one point.  Harden then nails a huge three-pointer giving the Nets a two-point lead.  With 11.3 seconds left, Harden's two free throws seal the game.  Chris Paul's last-ditch three-pointer misses the mark as is appropriately rebounded by James Harden.  Flatbush closes out the game on a 12-0 run, turning a one-time 24-point deficit into a four-point victory.

Harden's 38-points are a season-high in regulation time; he scored 44-points in Houston's opening night overtime game against Portland.  It's the seventh time this season he's achieved 30-plus points and his fourth time since joining the Nets.

These are the types of games when Joe Harris needs to step it up.  A catalyst on the defensive end; he did just that.  His three-pointer at 3:55 of the fourth quarter reduced the Suns' lead to four.  Harris finished 8/13 from the field, including 4/9 from behind the arc en route to a 22-point game.  It's the seventh time in thirty games Harris has achieved twenty or more points.  Getting the start, Tyler Johnson shoots an effective 5/8 from behind the arc on his way to a 17-point night with five rebounds in 32 minutes.

An integral part of this victory, Jeff Green was 7/14 from the field and 2/3 from the line for 18-points with a team-high eight rebounds off the bench, and Landry Shamet contributed 13-points in 28 minutes. 

The Nets are now winners of four in a row and are 3-0 on this west coast swing.

• Next Up: the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers.