W2W4: Brooklyn Nets vs. New York Knicks; April 2nd, 2014

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Wednesday, April 2^nd, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs. New York Knicks

Pre-Game News and Notes

The New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets will be facing off in a big game Wednesday night, as the Knick are fighting to get into the playoffs and the Nets are looking to move up in the standings. The Knicks are coming off their most successful west coast trip since 1999-2000 and will look to ride that momentum tonight against their cross-town rivals. For the Nets, they played last night and handled the Houston Rockets rather easily. Here are some things to look for tonight in the Battle of the Boroughs.

-Player News and Notes

The Knicks are staring at a big problem tonight, as Tim Hardaway Jr. is questionable with an ankle injury. Hardaway Jr. injured the ankle in the waning moments of the Knicks win Monday night over the Utah Jazz. If he is unable to go, Iman Shumpert will be in line for an increase in minutes and big role in the game plan. Amar’e Stoudemire should be back in the lineup for the Knicks tonight after sitting out Monday with a planned day of rest.

For the Nets, they will still be without Kevin Garnett. Garnett is not expected to make a return to the lineup until next week at the earliest. Andrei Kirilenko was not able to play last night for the Nets and his status is up in the air for the game tonight. Same goes for Marcus Thornton, who missed Tuesday’s game with back problems.

-Match-Up Of the Game: Carmelo Anthony vs. Paul Pierce

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty Images

W2W4: Minnesota Timberwolves vs Brooklyn Nets March 30th, 2014

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By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

March 30th, 2014

W2W4: Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Brooklyn Nets

Pre-Game News and Notes

The Brooklyn Nets will be at home on Sunday evening hosting the Minnesota Timberwolves, as the Nets look gain ground on the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division. The Nets are (38-33) on the season, and still trail the Raptors by 2.5 games.

Match-Up of the Game: Kevin Love vs. Paul Pierce

Nets Forward Paul Pierce is going to have his hands full on Sunday night against one of the most dynamic players in the NBA in Kevin Love. Love is having a monster season for the Timberwolves, as the walking double-double is averaging 26.3 points and 12.4 rebounds per game. Pierce is going to have to worry about chasing Love at the three-point line, and then also box him out on the glass. Love isn’t the greatest defender however, so Pierce should be able to succeed on the offensive end of the court.

- Lucky 13

On Sunday the Nets will be looking to be victorious for the 13th straight time at the Barclays Center, as with the home winning streak it has allowed the Nets to have one of the better home records in basketball. The Timberwolves are one game above .500, but on the road they aren’t the same team, as they are just (15-21) this season. A bad road team heading in the Timberwolves heading to the Barclays Center seems like a good recipe for the Nets.

- Clincher

Brooklyn can lock up a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference tonight if they are able to defeat the Timberwolves, and if their rivals the New York Knicks lose to the Golden State Warriors. The Nets will definitely be a playoff team whether they clinch it tonight or not, but with their great play at home they certainly want to either win the Atlantic or hop the Chicago Bulls in the standings.

- Still Out

Once again the Nets will be without Center Kevin Garnett, who will be missing his 16th straight game with back spasms, and Forward Andrei Kirilenko will be out yet again with a sprained ankle, which will be his fourth game missed in a row.

W2W4: Brooklyn Nets vs Charlotte Bobcats March 26th, 2014

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By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

March 26th, 2014

W2W4: Brooklyn Nets vs. Charlotte Bobcats

Pre Game News and Notes

The Brooklyn Nets after two straight overtime games will be heading to Charlotte to play against an Eastern Conference playoff hopeful in the Bobcats. The Nets are just 1.5 games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division, and the Raptors will also be playing on Wednesday against the Celtics.

Match-Up of the Game: Al Jefferson vs. Mason Plumlee

In the last two games the Nets have been roughed up on the inside by opposing team’s big men, and on Wednesday they will be going against one of the best Centers the NBA has in Al Jefferson. Jefferson has come on in his first season with the Bobcats, as he is averaging 21.4 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game. After the games that Samuel Dalembert and Anthony Davis put up the last two games, it seems that the Nets will have their hands full yet again against Jefferson, as it will be a tough night for Plumlee. Plumlee has been doing well filling in for Garnett, as in March he is averaging 7.8 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, but he is undersized and inexperienced to be asked to stop Jefferson.

- Really Banged Up

On the final game of their three-game road trip the Nets are all of a sudden very banged up with injuries, as yet again Kevin Garnett will be out with back spasms, and yet again Andrei Kirilenko will be out with a sprained ankle. In the loss to the Pelicans, Marcus Thornton was forced to leave the game early with a back injury, and didn’t seem overly optimistic that he would be able to play on Wednesday, but is listed as a game-time decision. On top of all the injuries, Deron Williams is also listed as a game-time decision, as he is battling an illness, which if he can’t go the Nets may find themselves very short-handed.

- Season Series

So far this season the Nets are up (2-1) in the season series against the Bobcats, and Wednesday gives the chance for the Nets to win a season series against a possible Eastern Conference playoff team. The Nets have won both games at home against the Bobcats, but in November were defeated in Charlotte 95-91. In that loss it was a very different looking Nets team, but with all the injuries and the uncertainty of Williams playing, the Nets will be in for a tough game against a hungry Bobcats team.

W2W4: Brooklyn Nets vs Washington Wizards March 15th, 2014

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 By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

March 15^th, 2014

W2W4: Brooklyn Nets vs Washington Wizards

The Brooklyn Nets will be heading to Washington to face the Wizards on Saturday night, as the Nets are riding a hot streak after beating the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat this week so far. The Nets are now (34-30) on the season, which is 3.5 games behind the Raptors in the Atlantic Division.

Match-Up of the Game: John Wall vs Deron Williams

Easily the most fun match-up to watch in this game will be the Point Guard one, as it will feature two very good ones in John Wall and Deron Williams. Wall is having a great season for the Wizards, as with his great play he was well deserving of his All-Star Game selection this season. In the two Wizards victories over the Nets this season, Wall has averaged a double-double with 19 points and 10 assists per game to go along with five rebounds and 2.5 steals, as he has been great. Williams is coming off a down game against the Heat, but did hit a clutch shot late, so he will look to carry that big moments momentum into a solid game against the Wizards. This season Wall has outplayed Williams by a considerable amount, as Williams is just averaging 14 points and 6.4 assists per game.

W2W4: Brooklyn Nets vs Miami Heat March 12th, 2014

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By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

March 12th, 2014

W2W4: Brooklyn Nets vs. Miami Heat

The Brooklyn Nets will be heading to Miami for the first time this season to play the two-time defending champions the Heat on Wednesday night. The Nets are one of the two teams in the NBA that have beaten the Heat twice this season along with the Chicago Bulls, but both of those victories came at the Barclays Center.

- Atlantic Watch

After what was a huge win for the Nets on Monday night, beating the Atlantic Division leading Toronto Raptors in a very close game, the Nets will have a tough task of staying within three games of them when Wednesday is all said and done. The Heat are one of the best home teams in basketball, as they own a (25-4) record, and the Nets have struggled on the road all season with a (12-19) record, which is not a good recipe for Brooklyn. If they decide to scoreboard watch a bit in this game they will also see the Raptors playing the Detroit Pistons in what should surely be a home win for Toronto, which could put the Nets back into a four-game deficit with a loss in Miami.

Nets Get Back to Over .500 Against Kings

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By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

March 9^th, 2014

Sacramento Kings vs Brooklyn Nets Post Game Recap

Final Score: Kings 89 Nets 104

The Brooklyn Nets were able to bounce back on Sunday night against the Kings after a tough loss to the Boston Celtics on Friday night. The Nets victory on Sunday put them back over .500 at (31-30), which makes them four games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division.

Player of the Game: Marcus Thornton

The main player involved in the trade between the Nets and Kings before the deadline was Marcus Thornton, and on Sunday night he torched his former team. Thornton scored a team-high 27 points on 11 for 15 shooting, which included him shooting five of eight from three-point range after a tough shooting game in Boston. Thornton also had the highest +/- of any player going +22, as he was instant offense of the bench for Brooklyn.

Nets Defeat Lakers in Collins Debut

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Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

February 23rd, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs. Los Angeles Lakers Post Game Recap

Final Score: Nets 108 Lakers 102

The Brooklyn Nets were able to pickup the victory in Los Angeles on Sunday night, as newly acquired Jason Collins made history becoming the first openly gay player in the four major American sports. The victory moves the Nets to (26-28) on the season, and they are four games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division.

Player of the Game: Deron Williams

Point Guard Deron Williams had easily one of his best games of the season, and his second straight great game since the All-Star break. Williams had a season-high 30 points on nine for 16 shooting and went 11 for 13 from the free throw line. In addition to his best season performance scoring, Williams dished out seven assists, which moved him into fifth place in franchise history. He also had a career-high six steals in what was an overall great game from Williams.

Nets Lose Hard Fought Game Against Warriors

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By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

February 22nd, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs. Golden State Warriors Post Game Recap

Final Score: Nets 86 Warriors 93

The Brooklyn Nets hung tough in Golden State against the Warriors, but couldn’t pull off the road upset against one of the better teams in the Western Conference. The loss moves the Nets to (25-28) on the season, and are now four games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division

Player of the Game: Deron Williams

Offensive production was hard to come by for the Nets against the Warriors, but Deron Williams did look healthy, and played a good game for Brooklyn. Williams scored a team-high 20 points on eight for 16 shooting, while dishing out six assists. Williams was able to outscore Warriors Point Guard Stephen Curry by three points, as Williams did his part to win the match-up, but he didn’t get much help from his fellow teammates in the starting lineup.

W2W4: Brooklyn Nets vs Utah Jazz 2-19

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By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

February 19th, 2014

W2W4: Brooklyn Nets vs. Utah Jazz

The Brooklyn Nets will be in Utah for their first game after the All-Star break, as they continue their circus road-trip, which started off with a loss against the Chicago Bulls last Thursday. Brooklyn will be starting the second half of the season with a (24-27) record, and they are four games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division. 

- Back To Where It Started

Point Guard Deron Williams will be heading back to Utah, the team the drafted him, and also the team that traded him to the then New Jersey Nets. Playing against his former team in Utah, Williams is (0-2). Williams has been banged up so far this season, and his level of play is well down from previous years, so Brooklyn will be hoping that the All-Star break will have helped Williams get a little bit healthy for the second half of the season. Andrei Kirilenko will also be playing the Jazz for the third time in Utah since leaving them after 10 seasons, and like Williams has been unsuccessful trying to get a win in his first two tries.

Nets Defeat Spurs for First Time Since 2010

newsday.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

February 6th, 2014

San Antonio Spurs vs. Brooklyn Nets Post Game Recap

Final Score: Spurs 89 Nets 103

For the first time since 2010, the Brooklyn Nets were able to defeat the San Antonio Spurs, as they took advantage of the banged up Spurs, earning themselves a nice victory at home. The win moves the Nets to (22-25) on the season, which puts them three games back of the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division.

Player of the Game: Alan Anderson

One of the most unlikely people on the Nets to be the player of the game has to be Alan Anderson, but on Thursday night in a game the Nets needed to get against a Spurs team that was without so many of their rotation players, Anderson stepped up. Coming off the bench, Anderson played 30 minutes, while scoring a game-high 22 points on nine for 15 shooting. He really left his mark on the game in between the third and fourth quarters, as he scored 11 straight points for Brooklyn, which helped them secure the win.

W2W4: San Antonio Spurs vs Brooklyn Nets 2-6

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By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

February 6th, 2014

W2W4: San Antonio Spurs vs. Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets will be hosting the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night, as Brooklyn looks to keep the momentum from a win against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Nets will be entering Thursday’s game with a (21-25) record, and are 3.5 games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division.

- Getting Healthy

In the win against the 76ers on Monday the Nets were without three of their normal rotation players, but on Thursday they should be back to full strength. Joe Johnson, Andray Blatche, and Andrei Kirilenko are all expected to be playing, which will be a big boost, as in the win on Monday their bench unit really struggled with the lack of depth. 

Joe Johnson Buzzer-Beater gets Nets victory over Thunder

nydailynews.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

January 2^nd, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs Oklahoma City Thunder Post Game Recap

Final Score: Nets 95 Thunder 93

The Brooklyn Nets were able to pull off their best win of the season thus far on Thursday night in Oklahoma City with a comeback 95-93 victory over Kevin Durant and the Thunder. The win moves the Nets to 11-21 on the season, and are five games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division.

Positives:

- Nets Point Guard Deron Williams had a fantastic game in the Nets best win of the season, as he really carried the Nets for most of the game. Williams finished with a game-high and season-high 29 points on 10 for 17 shooting. Williams really was feeling it from downtown, as he had a season-high six three-pointers on nine attempts, which included a buzzer-beater at the end of the third quarter. If Deron Williams can play close to the way he did on Thursday night against the Thunder the Nets can certainly make a run in what is a wide open Atlantic Division even without Lopez.

- With no Russell Westbrook the Nets did a pretty good job keeping Durant's scoring to a manageable number, as he was held to 24 points. Durant was however very efficient shooting the ball going eight for 13 from the field, but he did have five turnovers, and a -6 +/- on the court. Overall Jason Kidd has to be happy with how his team did against the second best player in the NBA.

- Brooklyn saw some good production off the bench from two of their wing players, as Andrei Kirilenko and Alan Anderson lead the way for the Nets bench. Kirilenko in his second game back from the injury played 15 minutes, which was a little more than expected, but he looked good scoring nine points on three for three shooting, and three for four from the foul line. Anderson was the Nets leading bench scorer with 13 points on three for six shooting, and he also got to the free throw line a lot going seven for nine at the line.

- Joe Johnson was having a very quiet game up until the fourth quarter when like last season he was called upon to deliver a clutch shot with the game tied at 93. Johnson who had ice in his veins so many times last year did it again tonight with the buzzer-beater to shock the heavily favored Thunder as time expired. Johnson finished the game scoring only nine points on four for 11 shooting, and was one for six from three-point range.

Negatives:

- The only negative for the Nets in their best win of the season was the disastrous second quarter, which was the reason for the great come from behind win. Brooklyn was more than doubled in the quarter, as the Thunder scored 33 points to the Nets 15. In the quarter the Nets only had three field goals, as the lopsided quarter could have been even worse for Brooklyn. They however outscore the Thunder in every other quarter, but when a team has a quarter like the Nets did in the second it makes it tough to win, and is certainly a thing the Nets wont want to see moving forward.

Next up for the Nets will be a trip back home for a very winnable game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday January 4^th.