Brooklyn Nets: Fourth Quarter Defense Is a Real Thing

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

Nets lead Pacers; 2-0

I - BKN 104; IND 94

II - BKN 124; IND 115

James Harden Leads Flatbush to Sixth Straight Victory with Eleventh Triple-Double as a Member of the Nets

BROOKS CLAIM SHARE OF EASTERN CONFERENCE HIGH GROUND

We've seen this kind of first quarter out of Flatbush before, wherein Indiana jumps out to a 15 point lead.  The Nets chip away and reduce their deficit to three by halftime.  Brooklyn then normalizes and outscores the Pacers 66-54 in the second half, highlighted by a 35-24 finish in the fourth.

And there's the rub ...

This run the Nets presently are on began back on Feb. 10 against these very Indiana Pacers.  Since then, they've won 14 of 15 games.  The last time Brooklyn allowed 30 points in the fourth quarter was on Feb. 15 against Sacramento.  Afterwhich, they've now limited opponents under 30 points (25.0 point average per fourth quarter) for a twelfth straight game.  In this game, the Nets also outrebounded the Pacers by a 50-34 margin. 

In the absence of Kevin Durant (and Blake Griffin), James Harden continues carrying this team on his shoulders.  That's no slight against Kyrie Irving, who is playing very well but also didn't participate in this game.  That said, we all know who is doing what, how, why, and when.  Wednesday night James Harden registered his eleventh triple-double since arriving in Brooklyn.  He scores a game-high 40 points, his most as a Net, to go along with a game-high 15 assists and team-high 10 rebounds.

Meanwhile, the education of Jam Master DeAndre Jordan also continues.  Harden fed him five times en route to a ten-point game in 20 minutes.  DeAndre still needs help, but that's for Sean Marks to decide come trade deadline.

Joe Harris stepped it up, playing a prominent role in the game.  He was 7/11, including 5/7 from behind the arc, for 19 points in 37 minutes.

Tyler Johnson and Jeff Green led the charge off the bench with 15 points each.  Nicolas Claxton was a plus-24 with eleven points, eight rebounds, and two blocks in 23 minutes.

Philadelphia finally lost in overtime against Milwaukee.  Therefore, the Nets and Sixers closeout business tied for first in the conference with identical 28-13 (.683) records.