Brooklyn Nets: Flatbush Can't Take The Heat

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

YEAR TEN

WEDNESDAY

Heat  106

NETS   93

FINAL

The Plot Thickens

Loss, win, loss, win, loss ...

Coming off last season's hamstring injury and offseason rehab, James Harden admitted after Wednesday's game against Miami that he is still not playing at 100%, partly explaining his early-season performance.  

It's also clear due in part to rule changes involving "natural basketball motions," Harden is not garnering the type of whistles he's accustomed to.  From 2012 through 2020, Harden averaged 10.4 free throw attempts per game.  He is presently averaging just three attempts per game.  Harden opened the season with four attempts against both Milwaukee and Philadelphia.  But has since only attempted one against Charlotte and three shots each against Washington and Miami.  That's just 15 free throw attempts in five games.  For someone who has averaged 8.7 free throw attempts over his career, this presently marks a career-low dating back to his second season with Oklahoma City.

The Nets, for a fifth consecutive game, were outshot by the competition.  All five Brooklyn opponents have exceeded 90 shots per game.  Miami attempted 96 shots giving the opposition an average of 96.2 per game.  Meanwhile, Flatbush is averaging just 87.6 shots for a discrepancy of 8.6 shots per game.

Kevin Durant notched his third double-double with a game-high 25 points and eleven rebounds in 37 minutes.

Only Durant, Harden, and Joe Harris have started all five games, and for the first time this season, Harris finished top three in team scoring.  With 15 points in 35 minutes, he finished second behind Durant.  Joe put up 15 shots, also second to Durant, ending up 5/11 from beyond the arc.  

• Joe Harris surpassed Jason Kidd to become the franchise leader in converted three-pointers.

Blake Griffin has started four of five games.  He started the first two games alongside Nicolas Claxton.  When he was held out in the first game of back-to-back nights, Claxton and Jevon Carter started against Charlotte.  In consecutive starts now, Coach Nash has gone with Blake Griffin and Bruce Brown.  Against Miami, Brown finished with twelve points, five rebounds, and three steals in 35 minutes.

Flatbush starters outscored Heat starters (72-71) by one point.  The benches, however, proved a mismatch.  Miami's Dewayne Dedmon and Tyler Herro joined for 28 points as the Heat bench outscored Brooklyn's by (35-21) 14 points.  Patty Mills was just 1/9 from the field and 0/6 from three-point range.

Miami also obliterated Brooklyn on the boards.  They secured 17 offensive rebounds, which helped pad their 48-34 point advantage in the paint.  The Nets had virtually no second-chance opportunities, securing just four offensive rebounds.  All told, Miami outrebounded the Nets by a ponderous 62-42 margin.  Coach Nash says the Nets were too hasty in getting back on defense.  But that strikes me as dead air; it's hardly an excuse for just four offensive boards.  Miami secured 45 defensive rebounds against 38 for the Nets.