Nets Beat Wizards Without Big 3

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By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

April 15th, 2013

Brooklyn Nets vs. Washington Wizards

Final Score: Nets 106 Wizards 101

The Brooklyn Nets were able to have a comeback win over the Washington Wizards on Monday night, as despite resting the Big 3 along with a few others, Brooklyn’s normal bench players stepped into the starting lineup, and played good games.

Positives:

With the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference already locked up, with no way of moving up or down in the standings, Head Coach P.J. Carlesimo had the luxury of resting some of his core players. Carlesimo sat four normal Starters in Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Reggie Evans, and Brook Lopez. He also gave Keith Bogans, whose been dealing with a sore back, and Jerry Stackhouse the night off.



Getting the start at Center for Brook Lopez, Andray Blatche thrived in the starting role. Blatche finished with 20 points on nine for 21 shooting to go along with 12 rebounds for a nice double-double in 38 minutes of play. Blatche could have had more points, but went just two for seven from the free-throw line, but none the less it was a good game for Blatche.

Kris Humphries, the Nets opening night Starter at Power Forward was back in the role he was accustom to the last few years on the team, and looked like the Humphries that earned the two-year 24 million dollar contract. Humphries finished with a season-high 20 points on nine for 17 shooting in addition to grabbing nine rebounds.

The normal bench warmers for the Nets stepped into some good minutes with the normal bench unit being in the starting lineup, and they thrived. Tornike Shengelia, playing his first game of double-digits minutes since way back in November against the Miami Heat set two career-highs in points and rebounds. Shengelia finished with 11 points on five for 13 shooting, and grabbed 11 rebounds in 25 minutes. Tyshawn Taylor got some good minutes off the bench as well, and played well hitting a clutch shot late in the game. Taylor was the only Guard to come off the bench for Brooklyn, and scored 14 points on five for eight shooting to go along with three assists. Mirza Teletovic matched Taylor’s 14 points with 14 of his own on five for 10 shooting, and he also grabbed five rebounds.

Negatives:

The disappointing season for Gerald Wallace seems to be following him into the playoffs, and with four other starters out Wallace was the only one left in, and didn’t look aggressive at all to work on his shot, which has been bad all season. Wallace scored just two points on one for three shooting, and went zero for three at the free-throw line. The Nets playoff chances may come down to what Wallace can do or not do on the court.

Next up for the Nets will be the final game of the season at the Barclays Center against the Detroit Pistons, and it expected that Carlesimo will be playing his Big 3 at least 20 minutes in the final tune up before the playoffs.