Nets and Williams Unable to Beat the Jazz

espn.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

March 30th, 2013

Brooklyn Nets vs. Utah Jazz Post Game Recap

Final Score: Nets 107 Jazz 116

The Brooklyn Nets were unable to bounce back from a loss in Denver against the Nuggets on Friday, as they lost on Saturday to Deron Williams’ former team the Utah Jazz 116-107. The loss makes it seems to make it look more and more difficult that the Nets will be able to catch the New York Knicks for the Atlantic Division, as the Knicks have won eight straight games.

Positives:


- Point Guard Deron Williams making his second trip back to Utah played much better than his first trip back to his former home, but it wasn’t enough to get the win for the Nets. As expected Williams was booed most of the night, but he was able to score 21 points on six for 14 shooting, with 11 assists for a nice double-double. One thing that was very interesting was that Williams’ former coach Jerry Sloan was in attendance, many believe that it was Williams that caused Sloan to quit before the Jazz ultimately traded Williams to the Nets.

- Brook Lopez was also effective scoring the basketball for the Nets in the starting lineup against the Jazz’s big frontcourt. Lopez played very well scoring a game-high 27 points on an efficient 11 for 16 shooting, with seven rebounds, and four blocks.

- The Nets did get a very good play out of their bench unit in the loss, as Head Coach P.J. Carlesimo’s rotation seems to be taking shape. C.J. Watson led the way for the Nets scoring off the bench with 20 points on eight for 13 shooting, with five rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Andray Blatche played a good overall game scoring 10 points on five for eight shooting, with four rebounds, and four blocks. Kris Humphries has also seemed to earn his way back into the rotation, as he scored 10 points on four for eight shooting, with four rebounds, and two blocks.

Negatives:

- Jazz Shooting Guard Randy Foye emerged as a Nets killer in this game, as he caught fire and was unconscious from behind the three-point line especially in the third quarter. In the third, where the Jazz outscored the Nets 31-20, Foye went five for six from downtown in the quarter. Overall Foye was able to score a team-high 26 points on nine for 11 shooting, and an outstanding eight for nine from deep.

- Former Nets Derrick Favors, who was the main piece in the Deron Williams trade came off the bench, and played very well against his former team. Favors scored 13 points on six for 10 shooting, with nine rebounds, and three steals in just 23 minutes. Favors wasn’t alone playing well off the bench, as Marvin Williams also played very well, while hitting some ridiculous shots. He was able to score 14 points on seven for nine shooting, with six rebounds. 

The Nets will have a few days off to regroup from their two straight losses before heading to Cleveland to play the Cavaliers on Wednesday.