Nets Narrowly Defeat Raptors in Game 7

nydailynews.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

May 4^th, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs Toronto Raptors Game 7 Recap

Final Score: Nets 104 Raptors 103

In a win or go home Game 7 in a hostile arena in Toronto, the Brooklyn Nets were able to survive the young Raptors for a thrilling Game 7 victory on Sunday. A few missed free throws at the end of the game for the Nets nearly cost them, but a block by Paul Pierce on Kyle Lowry sealed the deal for the Nets, as the advanced to the next round.

Player of the Game: Joe Johnson

Easily the best player for the Nets throughout the entire series was Joe Johnson, and Game 7 was no different. Johnson finished with a team-high 26 points on 11 for 25 shooting, with four rebounds, and four assists. The Raptors threw the kitchen sink at Johnson with multiple defenders guarding him and frequent double-teams, but Johnson made the right pass out almost every time, as he could have a lot of hockey assists.

Positives:

Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett were in different roles in this Game 7 than previous seasons. They both only played 25 minutes, but it was an effective one from both of them. Pierce finished with 10 points on four for 10 shooting, but made the play of the game for the Nets blocking Lowry's shot in the final seconds. Garnett had a very good game, as he was able to notch a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, as it was his first double-double since February 1^st.

Nets Defeat Raptors to Force Game 7

usatoday.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

May 2nd, 2014

Toronto Raptors vs. Brooklyn Nets Game 6 Recap

Final Score: Raptors 83 Nets 97

The Brooklyn Nets were able to bounce back from their Game 5 loss in Toronto with a Game 6 victory in the Barclays Center to keep their season alive, and force another Game 7 in what has been a great First Round in the Playoffs this season.

Player of the Game: Deron Williams

For the Nets their recipe is to win is pretty simple, when Deron Williams’ plays well they win, and luckily in Game 6 for the Nets, he played well. The Nets Point Guard was under a lot of pressure heading into the elimination game, as he responded well with a team-high 23 points on eight for 16 shooting, including four three-pointers. The aggressive Williams also had five rebounds, four assists, and one steal to help lead the Nets to the victory.

Positives:

The very solid performance from Williams also came at the expense of Lowry, who had by far his worst game of the series, which was a great sight for Brooklyn. Lowry, who was coming off a 36-point game in Game 5, was held in check in Game 6. He was only able to score 11 points on a poor four for 16 shooting night from the field, and also turned the ball over four times. If Williams can outplay Lowry like this or even keep it close stats wise in Game 7 the Nets will be in great shape to advance.

Nets Game 5 Comeback Falls Just Short Against Raptors

newyork.cbslocal.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

April 30th, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs. Toronto Raptors Game 5 Recap

Final Score: Nets 113 Raptors 115

In a crucial Game 5 on the road after losing Game 4 at home due to a late game scoring drought, the Nets found themselves down by 26 points at one point on Wednesday night, but fought back. Their miraculous attempt of a comeback however came up a little short, as after a offensive rebound on a missed free throw on purpose by Andray Blatche, he threw a wild pass over Deron Williams head, leading to a backcourt violation and a loss.

Player of the Game: Joe Johnson

As it has been for most of the series, Joe Johnson has been the Nets go to guy, and in an important Game 5 it was no different. Johnson took over the game for the Nets in the second half, as he finished with a team-high 30 points on 13 for 23 shooting, and was the major catalyst in the Nets attempted comeback. Johnson was a ridiculous +22 when on the court in the loss, but his early foul trouble in the first half certainly put the Nets behind the eight-ball.

Positives:

When the Nets went down by 26, Jason Kidd would strike gold with a few bench players, as Mirza Teletovic, Alan Anderson, and Blatche were big parts of the comeback. Teletovic was the Nets best player off the bench, as he finished with 17 points on six for 10 shooting, which included four three-pointers, and seven rebounds. Anderson also played well down the stretch, as he scored 13 points on four for seven shooting, and had two four-point plays in the fourth quarter.

Nets Offense Disappears in Game 4 Loss

nj.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

April 27th, 2014

Toronto Raptors vs. Brooklyn Nets Game 4 Recap

Final Score: Raptors 87 Nets 79

In a must win Game 4 for the young Toronto Raptors on the road, they were able to rise to the challenge and win their first playoff game on the road since 2001. The loss for the Nets evens the series up at two games a piece, and the home-court advantage switches back into the Raptors favor.

Player of the Game: Paul Pierce

In the Game 4 loss for Brooklyn they did receive a strong performance from Paul Pierce, who led the team in scoring. In the low scoring game on Sunday night, Pierce was able to drop 22 points on a great nine of 14 shooting from the field. Pierce added five rebounds and two assists to his final line, but was one of the few Nets to have a good game in the disappointing home loss.

Positives:

Besides Pierce the only other Nets player to turn in a good game was Mirza Teletovic, who had a strong game off the bench. Teletovic was second on the team in scoring with 12 points on five for nine shooting, shockingly none of which came from beyond the arc. Teletovic also added five rebounds, three of which were on the offensive end in a good 17 minutes of play.

Raptors Defeat Nets to Even Series

nba.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

April 22nd, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs. Toronto Raptors Game 2 Recap

Final Score: Nets 95 Raptors 100

The Brooklyn Nets after a big Game 1 win in Toronto fell a little short in Game 2 against the Toronto Raptors. In what was really a must win game for the young Raptors, not wanting to head to Brooklyn down two games in the series, but they avoided that and tied the series at a game a piece with the victory.

Player of the Game: Joe Johnson

Once again for the Nets their best player against the Raptors was Joe Johnson, who led the Nets in scoring in the Game 2 loss. Johnson finished with a team-high 18 points on seven for 13 shooting to go along with three rebounds and two assists. Most of Johnson’s damage came in the third quarter, as he scored 12 points in the Nets best quarter of the game. In the fourth quarter however Johnson did struggle against Landry Fields, in what was a change in the Raptors rotation that we will likely be seeing again in Game 3.

Nets Take Game 1 in Toronto

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

April 19th, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs. Toronto Raptors Game 1 Recap

Final Score: Nets 94 Raptors 87

The Brooklyn Nets were able to head up north of the border to Toronto and take Game 1 against the young Raptors. The experience of the Nets was talked about a lot heading into this game, and with a loud crowd and shot clock issues, it certainly looked like that experience was the difference in the game.

Player of the Game: Joe Johnson

Throughout the game Joe Johnson was the Nets most consistent player on offense from start to finish, and nearly played the whole game, as Jason Kidd only gave him three minutes of rest. Johnson finished with 24 points on eight for 13 shooting, including going a perfect eight for eight from the free throw line. Johnson not only scored well for the Nets, he also led the team in rebounds with eight. He had four assists, and two steals as well to round up a great overall game.

Series Preview: Brooklyn Nets vs Toronto Raptors

nba.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

Eastern Conference Playoffs

Series Preview: Brooklyn Nets vs. Toronto Raptors

The Brooklyn Nets will be heading into the playoffs for the second consecutive season, as after a strong inaugural season in Brooklyn, the Nets loss a tough series to the Chicago Bulls. This postseason they will be looking for their first playoff series win as the Brooklyn Nets against the team they were chasing the whole season in the Atlantic Division, the Toronto Raptors.

Match-Up of the Series: Deron Williams vs. Kyle Lowry

In what has been a great season for the Toronto Raptors, one of the major contributors to that has been Kyle Lowry, who has had an All-Star worthy season. Lowry is one of the more complete all-around Point Guards in the NBA, as this season he is averaging 17.9 points, 7.4 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game. Against the Nets this season Lowry has been very efficient and effective scoring in four games this season, as he is averaging 22 points on 50% shooting from the field. Deron Williams has certainly had a disappointing season for the Nets, as he is averaging just 14.3 points and 6.1 assists per game, but if the Nets are going to do anything in the playoffs they need Williams to step it up and that has to start against Lowry.

- Debut for DeMar

Raptors Shooting Guard DeMar DeRozan is having a season of firsts, as in February he made his first All-Star team, and now after a bunch of losing season will be making his playoff debut after playing the best basketball of his career so far. Nationally, DeRozan may not be a household name like some players, but this season DeRozan is averaging 22.7 points per game, which puts him in the Top 10 in scoring for the NBA this season. DeRozan will be given the chance to shine on the National stage in the postseason, and something big to watch and that could go a long way to deciding the series is whether he rises or falls to the biggest challenge of his NBA career.

- Youth vs. Experience

The experience differential is eye-pooping in the series between these two teams, as in total the Raptors roster has 156 games of playoff experience. In comparison Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce have played in a combined 267 career playoff games. A major concern for the Raptors has to be that their playoff inexperience comes mostly from their starting lineup that has three starters that have never played in a playoff game. TThe two starters that have, Lowry and Amir Johnson have combined to play in 24 playoff games, but neither has started a playoff game.

- Center Dilemma

For most of the season size has bothered the Nets in large part due to the absence of Kevin Garnett, and Jason Kidd using a small lineup with Paul Pierce at the Power Forward position, and although the Nets avoided Joakim Noah and the Chicago Bulls, they will have to deal with Jonas Valanciunas. Valanciunas is playing very well in April, as he is averaging a double-double in eight games with 16.8 points and 11 rebounds per game. Against the Nets this season he has been solid averaging 10.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. A major question going into the playoff is what is the realistic expectation of what Garnett will be able to give the Nets? The amount of minutes Garnett will be playing is unknown and even if it is more than he has been since returning from the back spasms, there hasn’t been a whole of court time to see how effective he will be. If Garnett is ineffective or can’t play much, Kidd does have the luxury of going with Mason Plumlee and Andray Blatche off the bench.

Nets Snap Two-Game Losing Streak Against Magic

sports.yahoo.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

April 13^th, 2014

Orlando Magic vs Brooklyn Nets Post Game Recap

Final Score: Magic 88 Nets 97

The Brooklyn Nets were able to snap their two-game losing streak on Sunday, and also get some revenge on the Orlando Magic from a loss in Orlando recently. The win moves the Nets to (44-36) on the season, as now the Nets will just be scoreboard watching to see if they will be playing either the Toronto Raptors or Chicago Bulls in the first round.

Player of the Game: Mirza Teletovic

Coming off the bench, Teletovic scored a game-high 20 points in the win for Brooklyn, as he shot seven for 12 from the field, which included him going four for seven from beyond the arc. Teletovic also grabbed six rebounds in 29 minutes, as come playoff time Teletovic can be an X-factor for the Nets with his ability to stretch the floor from the Power Forward position.

Positives:

Mason Plumlee had yet another good game for the Nets, as lately Plumlee has been looking really good whether it is coming off the bench or in the starting lineup. In 26 minutes off the bench, Plumlee notched a double-double with 17 points on six for eight shooting, as he went five for eight from the free throw line, while grabbing a game-high 11 rebounds.

Brooklyn's back court of Deron Williams and Joe Johnson both looked sharp on Sunday against Orlando, which is a good sign seeing both of them playing well at the same time heading into what will be a difficult first round match-up. Williams finished with 16 points on five for 10 shooting, which included him going four for seven from deep, with five assists and four steals. For Williams it was his 29^th straight game with at least one steal, which is the longest active streak in the NBA. Johnson finished with 17 points on six for 13 shooting, including going three for seven from beyond the arc. Johnson moved into second place on the franchise's single-season made three pointers list with 160 for the season, Williams is in first place with 169 last season.

Negatives:

In the third quarter the Nets and Paul Pierce suffered a bit of a scare, as it appeared he got yet another stinger after getting hit hard by Kyle O'Quinn. Pierce stayed on the bench instead of going to the locker room but he never returned. Kevin Garnett also had a bit of a scare as he was nearly flipped in the second quarter landing on his back, but he stayed in the game. Garnett however didn’t play particularly well, scoring just three points on one for three shooting from the field with five turnovers.

Next up for the Nets will be their final meeting with the rival New York Knicks on Tuesday night in the Barclay’s Center.

Nets Have Big Letdown in Orlando

sbnation.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

April 9th, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs. Orlando Magic Post Game Recap

Final Score: Nets 111 Magic 115

The Brooklyn Nets coming off a great win against the Miami Heat on Tuesday night laid an egg on Wednesday against the Orlando Magic, losing 115-111. The loss moves the Nets to (43-35) on the season, which leaves them three games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division with four games to play, almost assuring that the Nets will be the fifth seed in the East.

Player of the Game: Joe Johnson

Easily the best player for the Nets in their losing effort on Wednesday was Joe Johnson, who for the second straight game led the Nets in scoring. Johnson finished with a game-high 31 points on 11 for 19 shooting. Johnson also added five assists and four rebounds to go along with his big scoring night, but it wasn’t enough to help the Nets get the win with three rotation players sitting, as with a chance to tie the game he had his three-point attempt blocked by Kyle O’Quinn.

Positives:

In his second game back from the back spasms that cost him to miss 19 straight games, Kevin Garnett was very good in his 17 minutes of play. Garnett scored only five points on two for two shooting, but grabbed eight rebounds, and had six assists. A productive Garnett can be a huge weapon for the Nets come playoff time in what will be a difficult first round match-up.

After a huge game-winning block on LeBron James, Mason Plumlee was moved back to the bench with the return of Garnett, but Plumlee played extremely well coming in for Garnett. Plumlee finished with 16 points off the bench on seven for eight shooting to go along with five rebounds, but Plumlee did foul out in the fourth quarter.

Negatives:

Deron Williams really struggled on Wednesday coming off a poor game scoring against the Heat where he scored just eight points. Against Orlando, Williams scored 11 points on a horrendous three for 14 shooting day, which included going one for six from behind the three-point arc.

For the Magic off the bench a major factor in their second quarter domination was E’Twaun Moore. Moore scored 14 straight points in the second quarter, and finished with 17 points on a perfect six for six shooting day from the field, which included him going five for five from three-point range.

The Nets were far from 100% in this game, as Shaun Livingston was given the day off, Andray Blatche missed his second straight game with an illness, and Paul Pierce despite being five points shy of 25,000 sat out with a hip pointer.

Next up for the Nets will be a trip back to the Barclays Center where they have won 15 straight, and will look to make it 16 straight on Friday against the Hawks.

Nets Hold on to Victory in Philadelphia

espn.go.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

April 5^th, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs Philadelphia 76ers Post Game Recap

Final Score: Nets 105 76ers 101

The Brooklyn Nets were able to win the second half of a back to back against the horrible Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night, and with the win moved the Nets to (42-34) on the season. The victory keeps the Nets 2.5 games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division with six games left on the schedule.

Player of the Game: Deron Williams

In the win on Saturday, it was Deron Williams who helped lead the Nets to the road victory against the woeful 76ers. Williams scored a team-high 19 points on six for 11 shooting with nine assists and four rebounds. Williams also tied a Nets franchise record, as he was able to swipe a steal in his 26^th consecutive game. In the fourth quarter with the lead falling apart, Williams had a big four-point play to help the Nets hold on to the win.

Positives:

On Saturday night the biggest positive for the Nets was the return of their Center Kevin Garnett, who had been out with back spasms for the previous 19 games. In his return, Garnett played very good against the 76ers, which was probably the best opponent for anyone to get rid of rust against. He finished with 10 points on five for six shooting with four rebounds, one steal, and one block in 13 minutes. With his 10 points, Garnett also passed Alex English for 14^th place on the NBA's all-time scoring list. Biggest thing for the Nets and Garnett moving forward will be how many minutes the medical staff thinks he can play for the rest of the regular season, and eventually the playoffs.

Due to the return of Garnett, it moved Mason Plumlee back to the bench, but Plumlee still saw a good amount of court time, and played well in his new role. Plumlee finished with 16 points on eight for 10 shooting, to go along with seven rebounds in 23 minutes. The combination of Garnett and Plumlee makes the Nets Center situation look a lot better heading into the playoff then it did with just Plumlee as the starter.

Scoring wise the Nets were pretty well balanced with six players in double-digits, as besides Williams Garnett and Plumlee, Paul Pierce, Joe Johnson and Andray Blatche also had 10 or more points. Pierce finished with 11 points on five for 10 shooting in addition to his five rebounds and four assists. Johnson added 12 points on four for nine shooting, and Blatche scored 10 on four for eight shooting in just 11 minutes.

Negatives:

the second half wasn’t very good for Brooklyn after they heading into halftime with a 15-point lead, as the 76ers outscored them in the third quarter by three points, and the in the fourth by eight points. Jason Kidd decided to never bring Garnett, Pierce or Johnson back into the game, which was a questionable decision with the 76ers mounting a comeback, but Williams and the bench got it done to hold on to the win.

W2W4: Detroit Pistons vs Brooklyn Nets April 4th, 2014

barclayscenter.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

April 4th, 2014

W2W4: Detroit Pistons vs. Brooklyn Nets

Pre-Game News and Notes

The Brooklyn Nets will be back at the Barclays Center looking to bounce back from an embarrassing loss on Wednesday night in Madison Square Garden against the Knicks. Brooklyn is currently 2.5 games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division, and will be looking for some help on Friday from the Pacers, who will be in Toronto.

Match-Up of the Game: Brandon Jennings vs. Deron Williams

The match-up of the game for the Brooklyn Nets has to be at the Point Guard position, as the Nets small lineup will no doubt have their hands full with the monster front court of the Pistons; it puts pressure on Williams to have to outplaying Jennings, and control tempo. In the three games that Jennings has played against Brooklyn this season, despite a poor shooting percentage his stats are pretty good. In the three wins the Pistons have this season against the Nets; Jennings is averaging 16 points, 7.7 assists, and five rebounds per game. Williams has missed one of the losses to the Pistons, but in two games his assist numbers are down at just 4.5 per game, but he is averaging 16 points which is a bit above his season average.

- Rebound

In the Nets three losses to the Pistons this season it has been the frontcourt of the Pistons that have really hurt Brooklyn, as they have been able to dominate the painted area. In the three games, the Pistons are out-rebounding the Nets by 10.3 per game, and out-scoring them in the paint by and average of 23.3 points, which is ridiculous. Andre Drummond has been the main problem for the Nets, as in the last two games the up and coming young Center is averaging 19 points and 17.5 rebounds per game. Kevin Garnett will be missing his 19th straight game so Plumlee will once again be asked to shoulder the load at the Center position.


- Series Sweep

Detroit will be looking for an impressive season series sweep against the Nets, after what has been a disappointing season for a team that had to think with all its off-season moves and a weak Eastern Conference that they would be in the playoffs. Pulling off the sweep will be no easy task however with the Nets at home being backed by a 14-game home winning streak. If the Pistons can pull of the sweep it will be the first time since the 2007-08 season that they did, as that year they won all three games against the then New Jersey Nets.

Nets Win 12th Straight at Home

philly.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

March 28th, 2014

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Brooklyn Nets Post Game Recap

Final Score: Cavaliers 97 Nets 108

The Brooklyn Nets were able to return home to the Barclays Center after an extremely tough road-trip that the Nets had to play three overtime games. On Friday they were able to avoid a fourth straight overtime game, and extended their winning streak at home to 12 games with the victory against the Cavaliers. The win moves the Nets to (39-33) on the season, and keeps them 2.5 games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division, as the Raptors defeated the Celtics on Friday as well.

Player of the Game: Paul Pierce

Paul Pierce was the Nets best scorer on Friday in the win, as he only had to play 20 minutes, but had a huge impact on the game. In his limited time Pierce led all scorers with a game-high 22 points on five for six shooting from the three-point line, and going a perfect seven for seven from the free throw line. Pierce scored 17 of the 22 points in the first quarter, and all of Pierce’s points came in the first half. He also was able to extend his 100 three-pointers made in a season to 14 straight seasons a remarkable feat for Pierce.

Positives:

Brooklyn’s starting lineup did a pretty good job along with Pierce having a great game in the easy win. Joe Johnson was also very efficient shooting the basketball, as he went six of eight from the field, which included him going two for three from three-point range to extend his streak of a game with a three-pointer made to 20 straight, in route to him scoring 14 points. Deron Williams played well too, as in 26 minutes he scored 13 points on five for 10 shooting to go along with five assists, two rebounds, and two steals.

Shaun Livingston was the do it all guy for Brooklyn on Friday, as he led the team with 34 minutes and also had the highest +/- of any player going +28. Livingston finished with just eight points, but was efficient going four for five from the field, and like in a lot of games this season it was more than just scoring for Livingston. Along with the eight points, Livingston added eight rebounds, six assists, and three steals.

In the battle of the bench’s, Brooklyn had the advantage going into the game, and it showed on the court. The Cavaliers bench only combined for 18 points compared to the 48 points for the Nets. Alan Anderson was the leading scorer for the Nets off the bench, as he scored 13 points on six for 10 shooting. Andray Blatche was also in double figures, as he scored 10 points on four for five shooting.

On the road-trip the Nets really struggle to defend opposing team’s frontcourts and rebound, but on Friday the Nets did a much better on the glass, as they out-rebounded the Cavaliers 41-35. Mirza Teletovic was the Nets best player on the glass, as he grabbed 10 rebounds in 28 minutes. Mason Plumlee also did pretty well rebounding, grabbing seven in 20 minutes.

Next up for the Nets will be a home game on Sunday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

W2W4: Cleveland Cavaliers vs Brooklyn Nets March 28th, 2014

ourbksocial.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

March 28th, 2014

W2W4: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Brooklyn Nets

Pre-Game News and Notes

After a very difficulty three-game road trip for the Nets that included three overtime games, they will be back at the Barclays Center for a Friday night showdown with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Heading into Friday the Nets are 2.5 games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division, and the Raptors will also be in action Friday playing at home against the Celtics.

Match-Up of the Game: Jarrett Jack vs. Deron Williams

The Cavaliers have been without their best player in Kyrie Irving, but Jarrett Jack has picked his game up in his absence. In the last three games Jack is averaging just over 20 points per game, as Williams will have his hands full at the Point Guard position even without the All-Star Irving. In the last two game Williams has been very good on his own in two overtime losses, as against the Pelicans he scored 23 and then against the Bobcats he scored 29 points. Both players are talented and playing well in their last few games, so it should be fun to watch Jack and Williams’ battle on Friday.

- Playing Spoiler

In the Cavaliers mild three-game winning streak they have been able to play a bit of spoiler lately. The first game of their winning streak came in a huge come from behind win against the New York Knicks, who are trying to get the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. The second win was even more impressive as they were able to take down the Raptors, who the Nets have been chasing for months. The Nets have been red hot in the Barclays Center, but it wouldn’t be wise to overlook the Cavaliers.


- Defending the Big Men

Without Kevin Garnett the defending opposing team’s frontcourts have been a disaster for the Nets and their small lineups. On Friday the Cavaliers have two pretty good ones they’ll be using in Spencer Hawes and Anderson Varejao. Hawes and Varejao are two very different players, but both can hurt the Nets in different ways. Hawes is the more offensive minded Center, as he can really stretch out a defense with his ability to hit three-pointers. Varejao on the other hand is more of a blue collar player that will be fighting for every rebound, which maybe more troublesome for the Nets, as they struggle badly to rebound the basketball. Skill wise Hawes and Varejao aren’t near Anthony Davis or Al Jefferson who the Nets have played recently, but both of them excel in certain departments, which could hurt the Nets in the frontcourt.

Nets Road-Trip Concludes with Overtime Loss to Bobcats

sportsspyder.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

March 27th, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs. Charlotte Bobcats Post Game Recap

Final Score: Nets 111 Bobcats 116

For the third straight game on their road-trip the Nets played an overtime game, but like Monday against the Pelicans the Nets came up short in the extra session. The loss moves the Nets (37-33) on the season, which is 2.5 games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division.

Player of the Game: Deron Williams

The availability of Deron Williams was questionable heading into Wednesday’s game, as Williams was feeling under the weather, but Williams was able to play very well in the overtime loss. Williams was able to score a team-high 29 points on 11 for 21 shooting, which included him going five of 11 from three point range. 18 of Williams’ 29 points came in the first quarter that the Nets were able to win 28-24. Williams was also able to extend his steal streak to 20 games with one steal to go along with seven assists and four rebounds.

Positives:

Brooklyn’s bench was able to give them some good production without one of their main guns in Marcus Thornton, who was out with a back injury. Mirza Teletovic was able to pick up the scoring the Nets were missing without Thornton, as Teletovic scored 22 points off the bench on six of 12 from three-point range to go along with his four free throws, as Teletovic didn’t register an attempted shot inside the three-point line. Alan Anderson was also in double figures, as he notched 10 points on three of eight shooting.

Joe Johnson was able to help Williams with the scoring load in the starting lineup, but it was only those two in double figures. Johnson finished with 18 points on seven for 16 shooting with five rebounds and three assists. Johnson went four of seven from three-point range, as the Nets as a team were firing away going 17 for 37 from deep, and in the last two games have attempted a franchise record 77 three-point attempts.

Negatives:

As expected the Nets had no answer at all for Bobcats Center Al Jefferson, who put together a monster game. Jefferson finished with a game-high 35 points on 15 for 27 shooting to go along with 15 rebounds, as for the third straight game the Nets have given up a big double-double to an opposing teams big man. The need for Kevin Garnett to get healthy is becoming more and more apparent.

Jefferson wasn’t the only player to hurt the Nets, as they got some good guard play from Kemba Walker and Chris Douglas-Roberts. Walker scored 20 points on eight for 21 shooting to go along with 12 assists, five rebounds, and one steal in 45 minutes. Former Net, Douglas-Roberts provided a boost off the Bobcats bench with 16 points on six for 14 shooting with five rebounds.

Next up for the Nets will be a home game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, as the Nets will look to keep their great play at the Barclays Center going.

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

nba.com

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.

Poor Third Quarter Leads to Nets Loss in New Orleans

sportsspyder.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

March 24th, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs. New Orleans Pelicans Post Game Recap

Final Score: Nets 104 Pelicans 109

The Brooklyn Nets coming off an overtime victory against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday found themselves in the same situation on Monday night against the New Orleans Pelicans, but this time they were unable to pull off a second straight overtime win in as many days. The loss moves the Net to (37-32) on the season, which is two games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division.

Player of the Game: Deron Williams

Coming off a relatively quiet night on Sunday, Deron Williams was very good against the Pelicans on Monday evening. Williams scored 23 points on eight for 17 shooting with eight rebounds and five assists in what was an all around good game. Williams was able to get one steal, which makes it 19 straight games that Williams has got a steal, the longest streak of any player in the NBA.

Positives:

Paul Pierce was the Nets leading scorer on Monday night, as Pierce had 24 points on seven for 16 shooting. Pierce was firing away from three-point range, as he took 11 shots from behind the arc, and hit four of them. In the third quarter he did appear to do something to his right shoulder again, which is the one that has been giving him issues the last few weeks, so that will be something to keep an eye on.

Off the bench for Brooklyn they were able to get some good production from their big men in Mirza Teletovic and Andray Blatche. Teletovic scored nine points on three for seven shooting and Blatche scored 12 points on three for eight shooting with five rebounds.

Negatives:

After a big night for Samuel Dalembert on Sunday night it had to be expected that Anthony Davis would put up a monster game, and he didn’t disappoint. Davis finished with 24 points on nine for 17 shooting to go along with 14 rebounds and three blocks. The size and skill of Davis was just simply too much for the small Nets lineup to handle on Monday.

Davis wasn’t the only one to have a big game against Brooklyn, as Tyreke Evans came out of nowhere with his best game of the season. Evans scored a game-high 33 points on 13 for 19 shooting. Evans did more than just score, as he had 10 rebounds, seven assists, and three steals. The only downside to a terrific night from Evans was the fact that he did turn the ball over seven times.

Next up for the Nets will be another road game, as they will be heading to Charlotte to play Al Jefferson and the Bobcats.

W2W4: Boston Celtics vs Brooklyn Nets March 21st, 2014

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By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

March 21st, 2014

W2W4: Boston Celtics vs. Brooklyn Nets

Pre-Game News and Notes

The Brooklyn Nets will be at home on Friday night hosting the Boston Celtics, as the Nets will be looking for their 11th straight win in the Barclays Center. The Nets are currently 2.5 games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division with the Raptors hosting the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Match-Up of the Game: Rajon Rondo vs. Deron Williams

On Friday night in the Barclays Center their will be a great match-up at the Point Guard position, as Rajon Rondo will be facing off against Deron Williams. Rondo is coming off a very good game against the Miami Heat, as the Celtics were able to pull off the upset at home against the defending champs. In Wednesday’s win, Rondo almost had a triple-double, with 15 assists, 10 rebounds, and nine points. In two games this season against the Nets, Rondo has played well averaging 16.5 points, 8.5 assists, and 7.5 rebounds per game. Rondo will however have his hands full, as Deron Williams has been on fire in his last two games combining for 53 points on 19 for 28 shooting against the Phoenix Suns and Charlotte Bobcats.

- Looking for Revenge

Earlier in the month the Nets were in Boston, which turned into a nightmare for the Nets, as they were held to just 84 points on March 7th. What killed the Nets earlier in March was the horrendous three-point shooting, as they went just four for 30 from deep. The backcourt of Williams and Joe Johnson played well, but there wasn’t much help from anyone else, as Paul Pierce has yet to play a good game this season against his former team.

- New Uniforms

Tonight will be the debut of the new Brooklyn blue jerseys, as the short-sleeved blue and grey jerseys look pretty sharp paying tribute to the old Brooklyn Dodgers. Many thought that Brooklyn would have these as the normal team colors, but they obviously decided to go with the black and white, but it is nice to see these as an alternative jersey.

W2W4: Phoenix Suns vs Brooklyn Nets March 17th, 2014

barclayscenter.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

March 17th, 2014

W2W4: Phoenix Suns vs. Brooklyn Nets

Pre Game News and Notes

The Brooklyn Nets will be back home after a tough loss to the Wizards in Washington on Saturday night, as on Monday they will be hosting one of the biggest surprises in the NBA in the Phoenix Suns, who are coming off a win against the Toronto Raptors on Sunday. The Nets head into Monday’s game with a (33-31) record, which is 3.5 games behind the Raptors in the Atlantic Division.

Match-Up of the Game: Goran Dragic vs. Deron Williams

The Suns were supposed to be NBA’s worst teams this year, but with the great play from their Point Guard Goran Dragic, they are looking like a possible playoff team. Dragic is coming into Monday’s game averaging 20.5 points, 6.1 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game. For Deron Williams he will have his hands full with Dragic, as Williams has struggled a lot in the last two games besides one clutch shot in Miami. In the loss to the Wizards, who have a great Point Guard in John Wall, Williams shot just four of 14 from the field.

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.

Pierce and Nets Shock the Heat in Miami

miamiherald.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

March 12, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs. Miami Heat Post Game Recap

Final Score: Nets 96 Heat 95

The Brooklyn Nets were able to head down to Miami and beat the Heat for the third time this season despite being heavy underdogs on the road. The victory makes the Nets the only team to beat the Heat three times this season, and is the first win for the franchise in Miami since its New Jersey days in 2008. With the win the Nets are able to stay three games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division with their (33-30) record.

Player of the Game: Paul Pierce

Nets Forward Paul Pierce was fantastic in the win on Wednesday, as for the most part he carried the Nets, and he especially carried them in the Nets 31-point third quarter with 17 points. Pierce finished with a game-high 29 points on nine for 12 shooting, which included going five for seven from three-point range, and six of seven from the free throw line. It was the first game since February 23rd against the Los Angeles Lakers that Pierce scored more than 20 points, but it was good time for the Nets that he did it on Wednesday against Miami.