Brooklyn Nets Face Elimination and Uncertainty

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

GAME FOUR
Boston Celtics

vs.

Brooklyn Nets

FROM

Flatbush Avenue

Nets Continue Battling Themselves

We've seen this before ... this is nothing new; there's no need for an overly technical breakdown of the situation.  

All can be boiled down to ball possession: it's been a season-long issue that stems back to last year.

In game three, the Nets and Celtics achieved the same points from behind the arc and free throw line.  Both even shot 50% from the field.  Rebounds and assists were also reasonably balanced.  But Boston had seven more possessions than Brooklyn and squeezed out a six-point margin of victory.  

In most games, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving outscore this discrepancy.  Sure, the Nets had six players score in double-digits.  But when KD and Kyrie are not on their game, this happens.  Durant was limited to just 11 FG attempts, and Kyrie was 0/7 from behind the arc; both scored just 16 points.  Instead, Bruce Brown led the Nets with 26 points and eight rebounds, while Patty Mills' and Nic Claxton's efforts off the bench went for naught.

Meanwhile, Jayson Tatum led the floor with 29 FG attempts and 39 points, and Jaylen Brown followed with 23 points.

Flatbush is now down three games to none for so many reasons and more than several people to blame. 

Game four is Monday night at the Flatbush Avenue gym.

Go down fighting, will ya ...

Brooklyn Nets: Nothing Short of a Team Effort Will Do

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

GAME THREE

Boston Celtics

vs.

Brooklyn Nets

FROM

FLATBUSH AVENUE

Extract the Positives from Games One and Two and Mold Them Together Into a Victory in Game Three

The Nets could not answer when Boston's defense stepped it up in the fourth quarter.

Or, they failed to finish; meltdown; pick your poison.  

This much is true: Boston fought back and won in each game.

Flatbush took a ten-point lead into the half and, entering the fourth quarter, was still ahead by five.  But they scored just four points in the opening five minutes of the final session.  Kyrie Irving scored just two points in the fourth quarter, and Kevin Durant scored six points, all from the line.  

Meanwhile, Jaylen Brown poured in ten fourth-quarter points in three minutes, starting at the nine-minute mark.  Brooklyn got outscored by 17 points in the second half.  In the fourth quarter, they were outscored by twelve.  

Boston made Durant earn his 27 points the hard way.  Kevin was just 4/17 from the field and 18/20 from the line.  

The Nets got the requisite contributions from Seth Curry and Bruce Brown, and Goran Dragic posted a second consecutive solid effort, but it all went for naught as Kyrie Irving was 4/13 from the field and 2/2 from the line for a mere ten points.

The Celtics scored 115 points in game one and 114 points in game two, whereas the Nets' scoring outside of Dragic has been erratic.

They return to Flatbush Avenue on Saturday down two games in the series.  More importantly, it's time they finally come together as one at Barclays Center.  The Nets need the Nic Claxton of game one and the Bruce Brown and Seth Curry of game two working with Goran Dragic, who has performed with required consistency.

Defend this house!

Does Steve Nash try and negotiate that, or does he let them figure it out on their own?

What a terrible question to be asking this time of year.

Brooklyn Nets: Boston Bummer

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

GAME ONE

NETS        114

CELTICS   115

FINAL

Isolated in Beantown

That was a brutal way to go down.  

What a brilliant counter-spin move and layup by Jayson Tatum, though.

The idea is to steal a game at Boston.  That almost happened, but it didn't, so the Nets are down one.  But, as they say, it's not a series until the home team loses.  Let's see what happens Wednesday.

The Nets had just twenty overall assists, led by Kyrie Irving and Seth Curry with six each.  Next on the list is Kevin Durant, with three.  That simply will not do.  

Said another way isolation ball is not working.  Kyrie and KD aren't even trying to dish off.  Moreover, I saw no motion from the other participants.  Only three Nets players finished with double-digit FG attempts.  Kevin Durant led the team with 24 shot attempts, and Kyrie Irving followed with twenty.  Otherwise, Goran Dragic was a distant third with eleven attempts.

Kyrie Irving carried the entire team because Boston stuck to Kevin Durant like flypaper.  Durant was limited to 9/24 (37.5%) from the field and just five attempts from the line for 23 points to go along with a team-high eight turnovers.

Now, imagine Goran Dragic not scoring 14 points in 26 minutes ...

Hope like hell he does it again!

Nic Claxton showed up.  But I can't say that about the rest.  Is it their own fault, KD and Kyrie's fault, Boston's fault, coaching, none of the above, or a little of everything?

Boston outrebounded Flatbush by 14, had eleven more possessions, and outscored the Nets in the paint by 24 points.  And yet, the Nets only lost by one.

Kevin Durant is sure to play better, and Kyrie will be there.  But Flatbush still needs someone to step it up.  Boston can let Kyrie score 60 points if they continue shutting down Durant.  Excellent game by Dragic and Claxton.  But it's not enough.  Boston had four players with at least 20 points.  

Bruce Brown played the third-most minutes (37) behind KD and Kyrie but only attempted three FG all game with nary a trip to the line.  He connected on his lone three-point attempt.  Perhaps KD and Kyrie need to trust in him more.  It's not like they have a choice.

Brooklyn Nets: Flatbush to Beantown

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

The Brooklyn Nets are coming!  The Nets are coming!

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION

ROUND ONE

BROOKLYN NETS

vs.

BOSTON CELTICS

Ben Simmons is a non-issue.  

But Goran Dragic, Patty Mills, and Seth Curry's respective performance is.  The same goes for Andre Drummond, Nic Claxton, and Bruce Brown, who stands to be the most essential contributor not named Kyrie or Kevin.  

Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant have undertaken the responsibilities of facilitating and distribution.  Irving is still dishing out his regular 6.6 assists per game.  However, Kevin Durant averaged 6.4 assists for the season but averaged 7.8 assists over the final ten games.  Six times during the regular season, KD posted double-digit assists.  Four of those occurred over the last thirteen games.  He then dished off eleven times in the play-in game against Cleveland.  

Irving and Durant will create their own shots and get their points.  Durant dropped 55 points against Atlanta earlier this month and scored 37 points the last time Flatbush faced Boston.  Kyrie averaged 30.8 points over his final thirteen games, highlighted by his 60-point night against Orlando and three other games of at least 40 points, and posted a game-high 34 points against the Cavs.

Thus, the onus is on Dragic, Mills, Curry, Drummond, Claxton, and Brown to compete, defend, and convert.  Let me say that again: they need defensive stops and conversion points at the other end.  Flatbush routinely permits the opposition with more attempts per game.  So they need to contest Jayson Tatum throughout and bring Boston's overall shooting percentage down.  I'd even consider giving LaMarcus Aldridge some minutes for some requisite personal fouls.  

The Nets can't have Kyrie and Kevin accounting for upwards of and beyond 70 points and still come up short.  It's happened before.

Therein lies Brooklyn's ability or inability to advance through the conference playoffs.

Brooklyn Nets: Flatbush to the Finals Redo

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

PLAY-IN TOURNEY

TUESDAY

Cleveland Cavaliers

vs.

BROOKLYN NETS

Flatbush Avenue

The Sean Marks Plan: Take Two

There were preexisting reasons why, as a fan, I didn't like James Harden.  However, I reconsidered my position after his arrival.  All credit to him, as Harden's performance last season convinced me otherwise.  

But with Sean Marks' vision within sight heading into the 2020-2021 playoffs, the general manager's plan got derailed first when James Harden's lack of conditioning (as part of his instigated exit from Houston) caught up with him, and down the stretch, his hamstring gave out, and secondly, when Milwaukee Buck Giannis Antetokounmpo undercut Kyrie Irving resulting in a playoff-ending ankle sprain.  I believe the latter more than Harden's hammy cost Brooklyn a championship.  That's how I saw it then and remains how I view it today.

Meanwhile, the Covid pandemic has remained troublesome for all and even more so for others.  Even then, people have a right to decide upon their own well-being methods and personal health.  It's a touchy topic and, in some cases, a divisive element in daily life, even pitting family members against family members.

James Harden simply wasn't down with Brooklyn's situation, i.e., Kyrie Irving, not to mention being in disagreement with Kevin Durant over what to do about it.  Everyone was willing to wait out the process and politics except him.

What pisses me off is the acquisition of James Harden cost the Nets my all-time favorite Brooklyn player, Jarrett Allen.  I'm still upset by that, even more so now, considering how Harden bailed on Flatbush.  Moreover, the Nets will now face Allen and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first game of the NBA's play-in tourney.

Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are finally on the floor together and free from restrictions.  Coach Nash clearly needs contributions from everybody, sometimes the extraordinary variety.  The new NBA Play-In format is a minefield of trouble.  But make no mistake, it's up to the two Brooklyn Buddies to get this shit done!

Brooklyn Nets Tenth Season On Flatbush Avenue Begins

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

YEAR TEN

Year Nine ended with the franchise's highest ever NBA winning percentage.  Otherwise, the Long Island Nets sandwiched a franchise-best .690 win percentage in between two ABA championships.

There are several obvious reasons why I believe today the Nets are not defending NBA champions.  I suspect James Harden's early-season conditioning at Houston caught up to him after seizing the point position in Brooklyn.  I still believe Kyrie Irving (sprained ankle) was undercut during the conference semifinals by Giannis Antetokounmpo and because Kevin Durant has big feet.

That last part was said by Kevin Durant in jest, but the upcoming 2021-2022 season is no joking matter.  As the doors swing open for Barclays Center's tenth NBA season, Sean Marks has a small window of opportunity.  Kevin Durant recently signed a four-year extension.  But James Harden had until Monday, October 18, 2021, to pick up the option on his contract and (for a known amount) extend his time on Flatbush Avenue through the 2023-2024 season.  News of his decision is pending.  Harden otherwise becomes a free agent at the end of this season, although he already expressed a desire to stay in Brooklyn.

Speaking of decisions, let me be clear: my opinion about Kyrie Irving doesn't matter.  Whatever Sean Marks says and does is where I stand.  In strict basketball terms, I'm only interested in uniformed players.  I'll embrace his presence if and when he returns to the floor.  Otherwise, ya can't begrudge people for their personal beliefs.  

I'm more interested in who or how many it takes to fill the void.  Sean Marks imported a lot of new faces.  But my attention remains frustratingly fixated on one person in particular.  Without going through the whole rigmarole, I'll pick up with last season's playoffs against the Milwaukee Bucks:

1. After just 0:43 seconds into Game One, the Nets lost James Harden.  With Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving still on the floor, Joe Harris stepped up with 19 points and a +6 in 34:18 minutes.
2. James Harden is out in Game Two.  With Durant and Kyrie on the floor, Joe Harris added 13 points and +25 in 30:20 minutes.
3. Harden likewise misses Game Three.  But Joe Harris scored just 3 points with a -11 in 36:38 minutes.
4. After spending just 17:17 minutes on the floor, the Nets lose Kyrie Irving in Game Four to an ankle injury - out for the series.  With Harden and Irving both out, Joe Harris scored 8 points with a -17 in 38:04 minutes.
5. A compromised James Harden returns in Game Five and continues playing out the series.  Joe Harris contributed a mere 5 points with a +3 in 37:02 minutes.
6. In Game Six, Joe Harris scored 9 points with a -25 in 36:27 minutes.
7. In the decisive Game Seven, Joe Harris scored ten points with a -1 in 46:55 minutes.

... and this is my problem.  Over the final five games when the Nets needed Joe Harris to step up most, he averaged just 7 points and a -10 in 39:12 minutes.  I'm not entertaining a particular shot he may have made or his celebrated shooting percentage from three.  With James Harden or Kyrie Irving out of action, sometimes both at the same time, Joe Cool went ice cold.  Now, 30-years old, entering his sixth season with the Nets, he is essentially faced with the same situation and circumstances ...

... except for the off-season and those vying for his playing time.

In July, Sean Marks, with the 27th overall selection in the 2021 draft, selected guard Cam Thomas out of LSU.   Marks signed free agent Patty Mills and DeAndre' Bembry in August.  Mills won a championship with the 2014 San Antonio Spurs and has averaged 10.0 points in 23.1 minutes, playing primarily off Gregg Popovich's bench for the last six seasons.  Sean Marks also traded Landry Shamet to the Phoenix Suns for 26-year old point guard Jevon Carter and center Day'Ron Sharpe.

LaMarcus Aldridge played in just five games upon last season's acquisition.  He last participated in a regular-season game on April 10 and soon after was diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat forcing him into retirement.  If the 36-year old is indeed feeling up to the task, he can be a tremendous asset on defense.  LaMarcus played in three of four preseason games, and in the finale against Minnesota, scored 16 points in 24 minutes off the bench.  He was 4/8 from the field and a perfect 8/8 from the line.  Newcomers and fellow 36-year old Paul Millsap, James Johnson, and returnees Nicolas Claxton and Blake Griffin together should ably handle the four and five spots.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Bruce Brown.  He, above and beyond every complimentary player discussed here, can perhaps best recover potential points lost in Kyrie Irving's absence.  In his first season upon his acquisition from Detroit, Brown averaged 8.8 points in 22.3 minutes through 65 of Brooklyn's 72 games.  

But that doesn't nearly tell the whole story.  Brown scored 20-plus points three times with a season-high 29 points in February against Sacramento and scored double-digit points 24 other times.  Bruce Brown finished the season very strong.  Thirteen of 27 total double-digit performances came in his first 40 games, whereas 14 came in his last 25 regular-season games.  Meanwhile, five of his six double-double efforts occurred in his last eleven regular-season games.  Hopefully, there's more of that to come.

With Kevin Durant and James Harden leading the way, this team absolutely can bring an NBA championship to Flatbush.

So, here we go ... let's do this.  Hopefully, year ten will be the best season of all.

Go, Brooklyn.

Brooklyn Nets: Adversity Has Entered The Building

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION

PLAYOFFS: ROUND TWO

Brooklyn vs. Milwaukee tied; 2-2

I - BKN 115; MIL 107

II - BKN 125; MIL 86

III - MIL 86; BKN 83

IV - MIL 107; BKN 96

And Then There Was One ...

The cat is out of the bag ... NBA refs hate Brooklyn too.

What Giannis Antetokounmpo did to Kyrie Irving should have been called a foul.  That the NBA has still not yet issued him a belated technical or fine is ponderous to me.  I happen to believe Giannis knew exactly what he was doing, exactly where he was stepping.  He wasn't contesting anything.  Giannis drifted in from the left side into the very space from where Kyrie Irving elevated.  Giannis took away Kyrie's league-regulated space to land.  

Be that as it may, Kyrie Irving leaves the floor midway through the second quarter with a sprained ankle and does not return.  The Nets have since announced both Kyrie and Jame Harden will not play in game five.

Outside of the opening seconds of game one, the Bucks are yet to face the Big Three, and it is now doubtful they will before this series is over.  Kyrie Irving did not play in the first regular-season meeting against Milwaukee, and James Harden did not play in the last two regular-season games against the Bucks.

And that's why I wanna know ...

Where is Joe Harris?!

Is anyone taking attendance?  Because I haven't seen him in two games.

His stellar shooting percentage from behind the arc be damned!  I've been saying this all season, and here I go again.  The Nets do not need Joe Harris eclipsing 20 points when James Harden, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Durant are all available together.  They need him most when one or two of the big three are missing.  In that respect, he's been far from reliable.

Away from Barclays Center, Joe Harris scored just three points in game three and again came in under double-digits with eight.  In two games at Flatbush, Joe Harris was 12/23 (52.1%) with 32 points.  But in two games at Milwaukee, Joe is just 4/19 (21.0%) for eleven points.  

That simply will not do.

 

Brooklyn Nets: Kings County Lacks Midas Touch in Game Three

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
PLAYOFFS: ROUND TWO

Nets lead Bucks; 2-1

I - BKN 115; MIL 107

II - BKN 125; MIL 86

III - MIL 86; BKN 83

Cold To The Touch

The only thing unfamiliar about Thursday's game was the outcome.  

Many times during the regular season, we saw the Nets get off to poor starts in the first quarter, only to surge and overcome throughout the second and third quarters.  Then spar back and forth in the fourth quarter, and even get outscored from time to time, yet still come away with a victory, not every time, but most of the time.  We saw it again in game one against the Celtics.  

Game three at Milwaukee was no different.  They got blown out in the first, regrouped, and trailed by just two points after three quarters only to get outscored in the fourth.  Brooklyn came up three points short.  Look no further than the first quarter in which they tallied just eleven points and trailed by twenty.  The Nets fought back and, at one point, even led by three but simply couldn't sustain.  

Poor shooting is partly to blame.  Both teams suffered through their worst percentages from the field.  After shooting 46.9% in game one, and 52.1% from the field in game two, Flatbush shot just 36.2% in game three.  Milwaukee was 44.6% in game one and 44.0% in game two, then shot 37.8% on Thursday.

I maintain a rule of thumb: once is an event; twice is a coincidence; three times is a trend.  Flatbush was held to their fewest point total of the regular season and playoffs.  For the moment, that makes Thursday's 83 point effort an aberration unless the next few games prove otherwise.  Despite this season-low output, the Nets are still averaging 107.6 points through three games.  That's the Brooklyn trend.  

Milwaukee, on the other hand, has now been held under 90 points in consecutive games.  For the moment, that still qualifies as a coincidence.  However, they are trending just 92 points per game.  The Nets' defensive effort is speaking for itself, as the Bucks during the regular season averaged 120.1 points per game, third-best in the Association.  On Thursday, Khris Middleton became just the second Buck to exceed 20 points.  In fact, he scored a game-high 35 points.  Otherwise, the only other player to breach 20 points has been Giannis Antetokounmpo, with 34 points in game one and 33 points on Thursday.

The Bucks, despite shooting 63.2%, were plus-five from the free-throw line and plus-six in rebounds.

Flatbush was plus-three in assists (without James Harden).  Brooklyn's minus-six in the paint is less than I anticipated heading to Milwaukee.

Both coaches employed a tight eight-man rotation.  Brooklyn's bench outscored that of Milwaukee by a (gasp..) 7-6 margin.

Kevin Durant, in theory, should not be leading the Nets in assists.  The ponderous thing is that he and Jrue Holiday tied for a game-high with five.  No one else on the Nets had more than three.  It was that kind of game, and herein lies my first point of contention.

Kyrie Irving was 9/22 (40.9%) from the field, including 2/8 from behind the arc.  He scored 22 points but finished with just one assist and only two attempts from the line.  Kyrie Irving the daredevil and sniper, and when he wants to be, there is facilitator Kyrie Irving.  In the absence of James Harden, perhaps a bit more help with distribution is in order.  Otherwise, I'm not quite sure who was wearing his jersey Thursday night. 

But there's another big reason why Kyrie only registered one assist ...

Joe Harris was 1/11, including 1/7 from behind the arc for three points and a team-low minus-eleven in 37 minutes.  I've stated my opinion numerous times regarding this very matter.  If you follow my Trolley, then you know where I stand.  Harris was 7/11 for 19 points in game one and 5/12 for 13 points in game two, both in the comfort of Barclays Center.  This is one bad game or a textbook downward spiral.

Onward to game four!

Brooklyn Nets: Like a Buck in the Headlights

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION

PLAYOFFS: ROUND TWO

Nets lead Bucks; 2-0

I - BKN 115; MIL 107

II - BKN 125; MIL 86

GAME THREE

BROOKLYN NETS
vs.

MILWAUKEE BUCKS

James Harden Warned Us Scary Days Lay Ahead

James Harden had a front-row view.  He watched, took sips from his drink, looked up at the scoreboard, then looked at Kevin Durant, looked around at the crowd, again raised his drink, and repeat.  We know Harden previously played with Kevin Durant.  But there were times during Monday's game when even he looked in disbelief.  If you recall, Harden was the one who said things were gonna get scary around here.

Even after dismantling the Celtics in five, how can you not be somewhat taken aback by Brooklyn's two-game utter dominance over Milwaukee at Barclays Center.  Tightly contested affairs, yes; completely one-sided games, not so much.  No one anticipated this.

We are fast approaching the second anniversary of Kevin Durant's Achillies injury sustained during the 2019 NBA Finals.  But whereas he appears fully recovered, Giannis Antetokounmpo's ankles must be killing him today ... 

Kevin Durant scored 21 first-half points in 21 minutes, and Brooklyn went into the locker room with a 24-point lead.  Durant added another twelve points in the third quarter and sat out the fourth.  He still finished the night with a game-high 32 points while the Nets won by an uncommon 39 point margin. Both Durant and Kyrie Irving put in at least 20 first-half minutes.  Kyrie went into the half with nine points but with five assists.  And that was the plan, build a big lead and manage the minutes on the back end.  Like Durant, Kyrie Irving was out of the game with nine minutes still left in regulation, and the Nets staked to a 30-point lead.

Kyrie Irving was second on the floor with 22 points in 34 minutes.  In Harden's absence, he and Durant tied for game-high with six assists apiece.  In fact, the Nets had 27 assists while the Bucks finish with just 14 assists.

The Bucks again got the better of Flatbush in the paint by a 52-38 difference, but there was just no keeping pace with Brooklyn's 50.0% from behind the arc.  The Nets had eight steals and forced 16 turnovers; they put up ten more shots than Milwaukee.  Brooklyn put those extra attempts to good use, outscoring Milwaukee 63-24 from long range.

I'm happy to speak of a well-played complimentary effort put in by Joe Harris, connecting on 3/7 from three with 13 points in 30 minutes.  Getting the start, Bruce Brown also contributed 13 points in 26 minutes.

By far, the person having the most fun in the first half was Blake Griffin.  His putback slam gave Flatbush a 10-7 lead.  He later squared up for a big three giving the Nets a 43-21 lead, and another monster dunk put the Nets ahead by a 52-31 margin.

Flatbush wins the battle of the benches, outscoring Milwaukee 40-26; Mike James led the bench with ten points in 24 minutes while posting a game-high plus-30; Nicolas Claxton was a factor on defense with a block, steal, and four rebounds in 14 impact minutes.

For a team that averaged 120.1 points per game (third in NBA) during the regular season, playing against a Nets team that averaged 114.1 points allowed during the regular season, the Bucks were held by Brooklyn to just 86 points (and 107 points in game one).  They've been far from accurate.  But that still doesn't take away from the fact not one Buck eclipsed 20 points in game two.  Giannis led the Bucks with just 18 points on 8/15 from the field but did secure a game-high eleven rebounds.  However, Jrue Holiday was limited to just 13 points.  Kris Middleton was second on the Bucks with 17 points, and Brook Lopez finished with ten points.

In two games at Barclays Center, the Nets outscored Milwaukee by a scary 240-193 differential.

I do not anticipate the Bucks staying around 44% from the field.  Brooklyn got outscored in the paint by 24 points in game one and 14 points in game two.  I expect the Bucks to intensify their attack within the paint and second-chance opportunities.  Brook Lopez can and will be securing more rebounds, preferably on the offensive glass if you're Milwaukee.

Who on the Nets will contest this?  Can Claxton and Blake Griffin stay the course?

You know what they say; it's not a series until the home team loses.

Brooklyn Nets Win Game One For The Beard

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION

PLAYOFFS: ROUND TWO

GAME ONE

Bucks   107

Nets      115

FINAL

The Flatbush Villans Take Game One

I believe Steve Nash as much, and any player deserves his fair share of credit for reengineering the game plan in Saturday's series opener against Milwaukee.  In under a New York minute, James Harden was out of the game and walking back towards the locker room.  He did not return.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 19 points in the first half and finished with a game-high 34 points in 35 minutes.  The Nets were also getting exploited in the paint.  But Kyrie Irving answered Giannis with 20 points in the first half and finished with 25 points.  But if you think that's a nine-point disparity between the two players, you're wrong.  That's a reflection of halftime adjustments.  Kyrie Irving finished with a game-high eight assists, and Blake Griffin, Joe Harris, and Mike James were direct beneficiaries.  

Griffin was a whirlwind, doing a little of everything.  He shot 7/13 from the field, including 4/8 from behind the arc for 18 vital points.  Blake's hustle, his game-high 14 rebounds, three assists, and two steals were nothing less than commendable.  In James Harden's absence, Joe Harris goes 7/11 from the field, including 5/9 from behind the arc for 19 points.  Mike James played a huge role with twelve points, seven rebounds, and three assists with a plus-twelve in 30 minutes off the bench.

   

Kevin Durant played a game-high 40 minutes, leading the Nets with 29 points and ten rebounds.

Brooklyn got destroyed in the paint by a 72-48 margin and got outrebounded by eleven.  However, Flatbush outscored the Bucks 45-18 from behind the arc.  Without Harden, the Nets were still able to register four more assists than Milwaukee.  The Nets also had more steals, more blocks, and turned the ball over less.

Even though Milwaukee put up 32 points in the first quarter, the Nets only trailed by two.  The Bucks would fail to register 30 points in any of the ensuing three quarters.  Meanwhile, Brooklyn exceeded 30 points in three of the four sessions en route to an eight-point margin of victory.  Milwaukee starters account for 90 points, the bench adds 17 points.  Brooklyn's starting FOUR (minus James Harden) drops 91 points, while the bench, led by Mike James, contributes 24 points.

Through four games now, the Bucks are still yet to face Brooklyn's Big Three.  James Harden's status is still as yet undetermined.

• ICYMI - Why Joe Harris is so vital to Brooklyn's success: The X Factor

Brooklyn Nets: The X File

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Eastern Conference Semifinals

Milwaukee Bucks

vs.

Brooklyn Nets

Joe Harris Is The X Factor

If you ride the Trolley, you know I've been somewhat ragging on Joe Harris this season.  

With Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden all together on the floor, I expected some of Joe Harris's career stats to slightly recede, and they did, but not for the reasons I anticipated.  

Before the James Harden acquisition, I was still expecting Joe Harris to take another step forward and again reset career highs in several categories.  If teams were overly concerned with guarding Durant and Irving, it seemed logical (to me) to think the game would have opened up for Harris.  But after four seasons of incremental, even methodical year-over-year improvement, Harris' attempts per game, rebounds, and points per game this season indeed ticked downward.  Lest we forget, after the addition of James Harden, the Big Three played less than ten games together.  Which is to say Joe Harris had every opportunity to ante up.  

Look, I know he's a hawkeye from behind the arc; his three-point shooting percentage speaks for itself. But I didn't necessarily need Joe Harris scoring 25 points this season when the Big Three were on the court together.  I wanted him scoring that many when one or two of the Three were missing from the lineup.  To that end, Joe's track record is spotty.  

Secondly, Joe Harris rarely follows up one 20-point game with a second straight 20-point game.  Harris scored 25 points in game two, then followed that up with eight points in 35 minutes during Brooklyn's only loss to the Celtics.  He was a little too absent for my tastes in game one, in which he went 3/8 from the field and 2/5 from behind the arc for ten points and three rebounds in 37 minutes.  But he was well involved in games five and six and played good all-around games.  He led the Nets in game five with a plus-17 and posted 14 points, four rebounds, and three assists.  Joe then scored ten points in game six and was second to James Harden with six assists.

• ICYMI  Brooklyn Nets: With A Flick Of The Switch

In their first regular-season match-up back on Jan 8, the Nets defeated the Bucks 125-123 at Barclays Center.  Kyrie Irving did not play.  Joe Harris picked up the slack with 20 points in 37 minutes.  We know Harden to be more of a facilitator than Kyrie.  Playing with Harden, Joe Harris scores more; with Irving, he usually scores less.  The Bucks won the next two games played back-to-back in early May.  James Harden did not play in the May 2 game.  Joe Harris shot 1/5 from behind the arc and finished the game with just five points in 35 minutes.  Jame Harden likewise missed the May 4 game.  Harris, this time finished 4/8 from behind the arc for twelve points.

Cycling back, game two against the Celtics could very well have been an aberration.  That's unfair of me to say, I know.  But the Big Three will not win a title by themselves.  They still need the complimentary players to pull their respective weight.  

I could have saved you from reading all this by simply saying Joe Harris cannot disappear against the Milwaukee Bucks like he did in the 2018-2019 playoffs against the Sixers.  My point is if Joe Harris can give the Nets more consistent performances similar to that of game six, Flatbush becomes near impossible to defeat, or not.  The Association's history is littered with the fourth man playing big in huge moments.  I want to see Joe Harris break away from being an unknown variable and add his name to that narrative.

Joe Harris is the X-factor.

Brooklyn Nets Take 2-0 Lead to Boston

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION

PLAYOFFS: ROUND ONE

Nets lead Celtics; 2-0

I - BKN 104; BOS 93

II - BKN 130; BOS 108

GAME THREE
Brooklyn Nets

vs.

Boston Celtics

FROM

Causeway Street Gym

It's The Joe Harris Show 

That's six straight quarters that more closely resemble what most of us had in mind.  I suppose the first two quarters of Game One were just a warm-up.

I find it fascinating that 29 different players touched the ball Tuesday night, and not one of them was named DeAndre Jordan.  Otherwise, the Nets starting five outscored Boston's starting five, 97-76, a margin of 21 points.  The flip side of that is Brooklyn's bench only outscored the Celtics bench by one point.

No Celtic achieved 20 points; Marcus Smart came close with a team-high 19 points and six assists in a likewise team-high 32 minutes.  On the other hand, Flatbush had three players post at least 20 points: Kevin Durant led the team with 26 points and tied with Bruce Brown on a team-high eight rebounds.  James Harden came in at 20 points and a game-high seven assists. 

And look who led the game in shot attempts!  Mister Joe Harris was 9/14 from the field, including a Nets playoff record 7/10 from behind the arc for 25 points to go along with a team-high plus-25 in 29 minutes. Flatbush wins by 22 points, and Harris is essentially the difference.

Then there is Kyrie Irving, who, except for 15 points, puts in a near-identical performance as James Harden, with six rebounds and six assists and a plus-19 in 28 minutes.  Perhaps in this game, he and James Harden were simply following Joe Harris' lead.  Otherwise, the more divergent Harden's assist totals and Kyrie's point totals become, the more it facilitates Nets' success.  And even though he previously played in Boston since leaving the Celtics, the crowd will most likely treat this like it was his first time back because that's what fans do.

Blake Griffin scored 11 points in 20 minutes, and Landry Shamet led the bench effort with ten points in 25 minutes.

The Nets were plus-three in rebounding and plus-eight in assists.

On to Boston ...

Brooklyn Nets Finish Strong In Opening Victory Over Boston Celtics

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION

PLAYOFFS

ROUND ONE

SATURDAY
BOSTON CELTICS  93

BROOKLYN NETS  104

FINAL

Here we go!

The spotlight is squarely on Nets general manager Sean Marks.  His construction of this so-called super team comes with weighted expectations.  A championship is in order.  Anything less runs the risk of being labeled a failure.  

But nothing ventured, nothing gained, and Sean Marks should be applauded for putting himself out there and having the chutzpah for executing such bold and controversial maneuverings.  This is about his vision, and to date, he's proven to have the eyes on an eagle.  Marks has repeatedly plucked talented complementary players from seemingly private stock.  This is about rebuilding the Nets despite former general manager Billy King gift-wrapping so many high-round drafts picks to the Celtics in exchange for Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett.  This has everything to do with D'Angelo Russell, and Caris LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Jarrett Allen, and even Kenny Atkinson.

Whatever we make of this, payback against the Celtics for all those years of draft picks, or even Kyrie Irving versus his former team, or the fact that the Big Three have still played less than ten games together, this all ultimately goes back to Sean Marks.  His brilliance will either be confirmed or denied.

🏀

The first half of game one is a discombobulated hodge-podge of disjointed isolation and otherwise erratic offensive interplay.

If you were suffering a conniption in the first quarter or found yourself in a second-quarter stupor, then you haven't been watching this season.  

Big Three or not, Brooklyn's slow and sluggish first quarter start had a very familiar look, which should have caught no one off-guard.  Ponderous, maybe, because, after all, this was game one of the playoffs.  But we've seen this before: poor start, strong finish.

They played poorly, but if Boston's early performance qualifies as a best effort, well, then Brooklyn was still keeping within striking distance despite stumbling and fumbling out of the gate.

The Nets were down 13-8 until Kevin Durant dunked, making it 13-10 Celtics.  But Boston did lead 15-10 at the halfway mark.  In the first, the Nets go ice cold in the closing minutes, missing their initials, second and third attempts.  The possessions and misses keep coming.  At one point, Flatbush was 1 for 13 from behind the arc.  Boston ends up closing out the quarter hitting a long-distance buzzer-beater, giving them a 21-16 lead.

Flatbush still lacks accuracy midway through the second quarter.  They end the first half trailing by a 53-47 difference.

But then comes the third quarter.  The Nets tighten things up and finally take their first lead, but only for a brief moment as the Celtics take it right back.  However, by this time, Brooklyn is poised to make a move and mount a 65-59 lead midway through the third.

Halfway through the fourth quarter, Kevin Durant makes a steal and slams it home at the other end for his 32nd and 33rd points of the night.

Boston is fouled with the Nets leading by eleven and 1:40 left in the game and goes to the line.  But by this time, the Celtics know they're out of time and out of luck.  

Brooklyn wins 104-93, an eleven-point margin of victory.  Despite struggling in the first, the Nets stabilize in the second, recover in the third, and pull away in the fourth.  They've done that numerous times this season.

Did the Nets prove the pundits wrong and play representative defense?  They certainly made a few key stops.  Let us not understate that despite getting off to a quick start, the Celtics end the game with just 93 points.  That's partly due to the absence of Jason Tatum, who seemed to disappear in the second half.  Ask yourself why.  Joe Harris led the team with a +22, Kyrie Irving was next with a +16, and the bench netted a +6 despite Landry Shamet's -14 in 14 minutes.  But it's still worth mentioning this marks Boston's lowest point total against the Nets this season in the three regular-season games and now one in the playoffs.

• Dec 25, 1920 - Boston 95 points.
• Mar. 11, 2021 - Boston 109 points.
• Apr. 23, 2021 - Boston 104 points.
• May 22, 2021 - Boston 93 points.

Jason Tatum led the Celts with 22 points in a game-high 41 minutes, but as noted, failed to factor in over thirty minutes to finish the game.  The Nets outrebounded the Celts by ten, and after a dismal cold start, they recover to shoot 41.7% from the field over the same number of possessions.  Boston outscored Brooklyn by nine on points off turnovers and six points on the fast break, but shooting  36.7% failed to keep up.  Brooklyn was plus-six from the line and plus four in the paint.  Marcus Smart was next in for the Celtics with 17 points in 40 minutes.  Boston got 25 points from their bench.

No Brooklyn Net played upwards of 40 minutes.  Their bench contributed eleven points.  However, the starting lineup featured three players posting over 20 points for the game.  Kevin Durant led the Nets with 39 minutes and led all scorers with 32 points and a game-high twelve rebounds.  He was just 1/8 from behind the arc but 11/12 from the line.  Kyrie Irving took over this game for a stretch in the third. He was 11/20 from the field and 5/5 from the line for 29 points.  James Harden added 21 points with nine rebounds and a game-high eight assists.  All of which pretty much meets most pregame expectations.

Joe Harris adds ten points in 37 minutes.  He slotted in well with the fourth most shot attempts but lacked accuracy shooting 4/11 from the field.  

There was much curiosity and speculation about who Steve Nash would and should have included in the starting lineup.  Some pundits thought Harris should come off the bench.  But he took his normal spot in the rotation, joined by Blake Griffin, who finished with no field goal attempts and just one basket from the line in 20 minutes.  To that end, Jeff Green played 27 minutes off the bench.

 

Brooklyn Nets: Final Rehearsal Before the Big Dance

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

REGULAR SEASON FINALE

May 16, 2021

SUNDAY

Cleveland Cavaliers

vs.

Brooklyn Nets

FROM

Flatbush Avenue

A nice team effort against the Chicago Bulls.  Despite the big three returning to the floor, the Nets are now without Joe Harris.  As such, Steve Nash provided steady employment for five players off the bench, then in the last few minutes tasked Alize Johnson, Reggie Perry, and Timothe Luwawau-Cabarrot with closing out the game.

The bench accounted for 48 points or 45.7% of Brooklyn's scoring.  Durant, Harden, and Kyrie account for 37.1% of the scoring.  Blake Griffin's only two points (in 20 minutes) came from the line.  Otherwise, he was 0/6 from the floor.  However, Bruce Brown was +8, with 16 points off the team's third-most attempts, and secured a team-high 12 rebounds.

THE BIG THREE  REUNITED

First off, they are now 6-2 when playing together.  When the triumvirate is on the floor, the Nets average about 124 points per game.  But when two of the three are missing, the Nets average, what did YES-TV say ... 107 points per game?  Don't quote me; that's somewhere in the ballpark, but we all understand the gist.

Saturday vs. Chicago:

• The returning James Harden only posts 5 points, 5 rebounds but distributed a game-high seven assists, with a +5, in 25 minutes.  He was only 2/4 from the field and 0/2 from the line, but make no mistake, the facilitator is back.  If nothing else, it's worth reiterating he led the floor in assists.  He's clearly and carefully being worked back into the fold.

• Kevin Durant's line reads 12 points, 9 rebounds, six assists, +10, in 30 minutes.  He put up the most attempts but finished shooting just 4/17 from the field, including 1/6 from behind the arc and 3/4 from the line.

• Kyrie Irving, like Durant, played a team-high 30 minutes.  He put up the second-most attempts, shooting 9/16 from the field, including 3/7 from behind the arc and 1/1 from the line for a team-high 22 points.  In fact, he was the only Net to exceed 20 points.  However, he registered not a single assist, and at some point, I fret that may become a detriment to the team.  In the absence of Harden or KD, or even both, how many times have we watched Kyrie pile up points, and the Nets still lose?

They have one more regular-season tune-up before the playoffs.  Or should I say this upcoming game will serve as their most important practice session of the entire season?

 

Brooklyn Nets: Flatbush Punches Ticket to Playoffs

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

TUESDAY

Nets    118

Raptors 103

FINAL

Step One: Flatbush Clinches Spot in Post-Season Tourney

Sure, the Raptors have their issues, but they're the only Eastern Conference team outside the top six with a positive point differential.  But when you have eight more possessions and only shoot 39.6% from the field against the Nets, odds are you're gonna lose.  All other things being relatively equal, Flatbush was only somewhat more accurate than the Florida Raptors, which still amazingly manifests in a 13 point win.

James Harden is still out, and DeAndre Jordan was a Coach's Decision.  Otherwise, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Blake Griffin were present and accounted for.  However, this night, the supporting cast put the team on their backs and effectively carried them.  Coach Nash stuck with a tight eight-man rotation.  No player received fewer than 20 minutes.

Tyler Johnson scored ten points with three assists and three rebounds in a bench-high 27 minutes.  Playing in only his third game with Brooklyn, Mike James distributed a game-high eight assists with ten points in 21 minutes, and Blake Griffin scored a bench-high 17 points with six rebounds and two steals in 22 minutes.

While Florida's Kyle Lowry led the floor with 24 points in 37 minutes, Jeff Green led the Nets starters with 22 points and eight rebounds in 37 minutes.  Good to see Joe Harris taking the team's second-most attempts.  Harris stepped it up with 16 points and was second to Mike James with six assists, and Landry Shamet added 14 points with a plus-12 for the game.

Kevin Durant made limited attempts, shooting just 5/7 from the field, including 3/4 from three and 4/4 from the line for 17 points in 33 minutes.  Meanwhile, Kyrie Irving was a dismal 3/13 from the field, including just 1/5 from behind the arc as part of a nine-point night with four assists in 39 minutes.

Brooklyn Nets: Blocking Out The Suns

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

Nets defeat Suns; 2-0

I - BKN 128; PHX 124

II - BKN 128; PHX 119

Another Great Performance by Kevin Durant, But Was Keeping Him In That Late Necessary?

No team has any business taking the Phoenix Suns lightly.  Despite Sunday's loss at Flatbush, Chris Paul and the Suns still remain tied for second place in the Western Conference standings.  

At one point in this game, the Suns lead Brooklyn by 13 points but only take a two-point advantage into the half.  As is their habit, the Nets pour it on during the final 24 minutes, outscoring Phoenix in the second half by a 69-58 spread en route to a nine-point margin of victory.

The Nets open the fourth quarter staked to a seven-point lead.  With 8:36 left, Blake Griffin ups the lead to twelve.  Kevin Durant's two free throws at 7:50 further extend the lead to 14 points.  Then at 7:25, Durant stakes Flatbush to a game-high 16 point lead.  By 5:28, Blake Griffin still keeps the Nets up by 13 points.  But Joe Harris steps in to give the Nets a 15 point lead with 4:39 left to go.

By this point, I'm wondering why Kevin Durant is still on the floor.  In fact, he plays right through the final buzzer.  I'm not saying you send in the B-Squad when up by 15 points with less than five minutes to go, but the question remains ...

The Nets were still leading by 16 points with less than 2:30 left to go.  Did KD really need to be on the floor, say, in the final three and two minutes?

With Durant on the floor, from the five through one-minute marks, the Suns outscored the Nets 10-7 in four minutes, during which Durant accounted for two points.  But Phoenix was still trailing by nine with just a minute left.  At the 0:31 mark, Durant scores on a drive through the lane, and one.

Durant finished 12/21 from the field and 7/8 from the line for 33 points in 28 questionably managed minutes off the bench.  

Kyrie Irving was 10/19 from the field, including 5/7 from behind the arc and a perfect 9/9 from the line for a team-high 34 points and a game-high twelve assists in 35 minutes.  DeAndre Jordan secured a team-high twelve rebounds with six points in 21 minutes.  Jeff Green and Joe Harris quietly score ten points each.  Blake Griffin is somewhat louder with 16 points in 27 minutes off the bench.

Brooklyn owns the top spot in the Eastern Conference by 1.5 games over the idle Philadelphia Sixers.  They're the first Eastern Conference team to reach 40 victories, and their 25 home wins are most in the conference and second-most in the NBA behind the Utah Jazz.  They also own the second-highest point differential in the conference behind the Milwaukee Bucks.

Brooklyn Nets: Spotlight Suddenly Fixed on Kyrie Irving

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

WEDNESDAY

Nets    103

Raptors 114

FINAL

All Together, Or Not ...

One look at the starting four alongside Kyrie Irving makes it difficult to begrudge him over Wednesday's loss against Toronto.  Kyrie said it himself: Harden is the point guard, and he is the shooting guard.  Their respective talents actually make it a natural fit.  Harden is the ball handler and the facilitator; Kyrie is the shooter, penetrator, and scoreboard detonator.  

There have been a few occasions this season without KD or Kyrie on the floor wherein Harden demonstrated his ability to incorporate more of his teammates en route to victory.  Case in point, Harden squeezes the most out of DeAndre Jordan.  Not that he hasn't before, but Kyrie Irving not so much as he is usually too busy creating his own shots.  The respective season averages in assists between Harden and Irving partly bears this out.  DeAndre Jordan finished with seven points on four attempts but secured a game-high 14 rebounds in 29 minutes off the bench.  Harden looks for Jordan four times in one quarter.

With easily the game's most attempts, Kyrie Irving was 10/21 from the field, including just 2/5 from behind the arc, and once again a perfect 6/6 from the line for a game-high 28 points.  He secured eleven rebounds, but with 21 attempts being a priority, his radar blipped for just eight assists.  In his defense, Kyrie is averaging 6.1 assists for the season, so there's that.

Landry Shamet was second with 17 attempts from the field, and his inaccuracy (3/17 from the field and 2/12 from behind the arc) was certainly a contributing factor in this loss.  But he was second on the team with only four assists in 36 minutes.  That's a mere twelve assists together from Irving and Shamet when James Harden alone is averaging eleven assists as a member of the Nets.  Flatbush had 19 assists all game, and no one other than Kyrie and Landry had more than two.

Otherwise, Joe Harris followed up a big game against the Pelicans by descending back down to fourth on the team in shot attempts.  He was 5/10 from the field, including a more accurate 4/5 from behind the arc for 14 points in 34 minutes.  Bruce Brown was second on the team with 21 points and a game-high 14 rebounds in 30 minutes off the bench.

Lack of ball distribution wasn't the Nets' only problem.  Toronto was plus-14 in fastbreak points and plus-15 from behind the arc.

Brooklyn jumped out to a 36-23 lead after one but was outscored 69-45 through the second and third quarters, then in the fourth quarter dueled to a 22-22 stalemate and an eleven-point loss against the Raptors.

LAST EIGHT GAMES:

• W ~ L ~ W ~ L ~ W ~ L ~ W ~ L

Thirteen games remain before the postseason begins.  Win or lose, they're now at a point where their present condition becomes increasingly more problematic with each passing day.

Brooklyn Nets: Kyrie Irving Pushes Flatbush Past Pelicans

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

James Harden Out Until Further Notice;

Less Than a Month Remains in Regular Season

TUESDAY

Nets     134

Pelicans 129

FINAL

Joe Harris Picks Up The Slack Against Pelicans

Hello, Joe Harris, and thank you very kindly for showing up!

Playing minus Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Nicolas Claxton, Joe Harris is second in shot attempts behind Kyrie Irving.  He shoots 10/16 from the field, including 3/6 from behind the arc and 1/2 from the line for 24 points in 34 minutes.  

That's what I'm talking about, and with James Harden due to miss even more time, the Nets need more of this from Joe Harris.  He and Kyrie keep their hands on the ball in the closing moments to close out a five-point victory over the gamely New Orleans Pelicans.  Harris and Irving join for 18 points in the closing minutes.  Harris scores five of his 24 points, and Irving scores 13 of his team-high 32 points in the game's final five minutes.

Kyrie Irving and Landry Shamet joined together for 16 assists; both tied with a game-high eight apiece.  Shamet was third on the team with 18 points but posted a team-high plus-16 in 33 minutes.  Jeff Green added 15 points and nine rebounds in 33 minutes.  But without James Harden feeding him the ball, DeAndre Jordan finished with eight points and six rebounds.  His 21 minutes was the fewest among the starters.

Bruce Brown played in big role with eleven points and a game-high eleven rebound, along with a plus-12 in 26 minutes off the bench.  Blake Griffin led the bench scorers with 16 points and eight rebounds in 28 minutes.  

In all, the Nets had seven players score in double-digits.  They turned a two-point deficit at the half into a five-point victory with 41 points in the fourth quarter and 77 points in the second half. 

According to the Nets, James Harden suffered a setback in his recovery from a hamstring injury, and as Coach Nash put it, he is back to square one.  As we know, Kevin Durant is also still not 100% recovered from his own leg injury.  The Nets have 14 regular-season games left to figure out how to get Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving on the floor together in time for the playoffs.  The three have played just seven games together.

Brooklyn Nets: Taking Their Deficiencies to South Beach

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

SUNDAY

Nets 107

Heat 109

FINAL

Miami's Bam Adebayo Redecorates Brooklyn's Interior

There are several reasons, in my opinion, why Brooklyn wilted against the Heat Sunday afternoon at Miami.  However, I have one particular reason in mind.

First, a summation of all the other variables I believe factored into this meltdown in the Florida sun:

• Kevin Durant obviously leads the list due to incurring a thigh contusion after just four minutes of play.

• Kyrie Irving at least facilitated a game-high nine assists but didn't necessarily generate the kind of team involvement needed to compensate for the absence of Durant and Harden.  Nor is it the first time.  He finished just 6/19 from the field, including 2/7 from behind the arc en route to 20 points in 38 minutes.

• Although Joe Harris hustles around without the ball, he too struggled from long-range shooting 2/7 and 5/12 overall for another pedestrian twelve-point game.  Thus, he did not follow up his previous effort against Charlotte with consistent results and failed to join again with Landry Shamet in taking charge of a fluid situation.

• Coming off a 20 point night in just 21 minutes against Charlotte, Landry Shamet again stepped up his game in the absence of Durant to score a season and career-high 30 points in 38 minutes off the bench.  With 4:34 left in the fourth, his three-pointer gives Flatbush a four-point lead.  But that would be his last attempt of the game.  Coach Nash fails to draw up plays for the team's hottest shooter through the game's final minutes and closing moments.  Now consider the Nets missed on their last five shot attempts down the stretch.

Alas, my main issue was Coach Nash's refusal to switch up defenders guarding Bam Adebayo.  Lest we forget, DeAndre Jordan did not play; coach's decision.  The Heat finished the game on an 8-0 run.  Adebayo trashed the Nets inside, scoring nine of his 21 points during the game's final ten minutes.  Jeff Green and others were helpless against him.  As such, Adebayo, on Miami's final possession, squared up with the time clock expiring and drained the game-winning shot. 

Brooklyn Nets: Unlikely Dynamic Duo To The Rescue

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

FRIDAY

Hornets    115

Nets         130

FINAL

Joe Harris and Landry Shamet Join Forces Against Hornets

And herein lies one of my issues: Joe Harris plays a leading role against a good Hornets team with both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving on the floor.  As is presently the case with James Harden being out, the Nets need Friday's type of performance when any of the aforementioned big three are not on the court.  That being said, Joe Harris tied for the team lead in attempts and finished with a team-high 26 points in 29 minutes.  He was 8/12 from the field, including a decisive 6/9 from behind the arc.  

After proactively sitting out Wednesday to maintain a barking hamstring, Kevin Durant returned to score 25 points in an extended 30 minutes.  He also played the role of facilitator with a game-high eleven assists.  Kyrie Irving had seven assists but struggled to score twelve points in a team-high 33 minutes.

With the sudden retirement of LaMarcus Aldridge, the onus in the middle is reset upon DeAndre Jordan and young Nicolas Claxton.  Game-wise, a minus-14 by Jordan and a plus-14 by Claxton cancel each other out; individually speaking is another topic.  Jordan finished with eight points and five rebounds.  His 17 minutes were the fewest of Steve Nash's five starters.  Meanwhile, Nicolas Claxton was scoreless, attempting just one shot from the field, but secured nine rebounds in 23 minutes off the bench.

Landry Shamet played a big role in Friday's win, shooting 7/14 from the field, including 6/11 from behind the arc for 20 points and a team-high plus-25 in 21 minutes also off the bench.  Led by Shamet and Joe Harris, who joined for 12/20 from long range, the Nets posted plus-27 points from behind the arc.  

Flatbush was also plus-nine in assists, but their plus-eleven in fastbreak points were canceled out by Charlotte's plus-seven in points off turnovers.

Brooklyn could not gain ground on first-place Philadelphia who narrowly defeated the Clippers to retain their one-game conference advantage over the Nets with 16 games left in the regular season.