Barclays Heart is anticipated to be one of the vital common venues for “get proper” video games throughout this NBA season. Tonight, it was the Denver Nuggets, 2023 champs who’ve title expectations however had been feeling slightly weighed down by a 1-2 begin to their season, dropped in hoping to make a last-minute reservation.
The Nets and Dennis Schröder stored them on maintain for so long as they may, longer than anybody in all probability thought they might, however finally they needed to seat Nikola Jokic and firm.
Remaining: Denver Nuggets 144, Brooklyn Nets 139
Except for it being Brooklyn’s second house recreation and a well-earned “we’re again” assertion for Denver, tonight was additionally a little bit of a reunion for Jordi Fernández, who frolicked with Michael Malone in Denver and Cleveland. Earlier than anybody took the ground tonight, he took a while pregame to shout out his most notable pupil from these days within the Mile Excessive Metropolis, one Nikola Jokic.
“It’s a very good query,” mentioned Fernández, when requested if he has any particular perception on how one can decelerate the three-time MVP. “No, I don’t, as a result of Nikola is unbelievable and he at all times finds out a approach to be productive.”
Effectively, nobody would ever accuse the coach of mendacity. Jokic ended up going for a cool 29 factors, 16 assists, and 18 rebounds for the sport, numbers reached solely twice earlier than, each by Oscar Robertson, a very long time in the past. However Fernandez definitely had extra methods up his sleeve than he was prepared to say pregame, in all probability for the higher.
Brooklyn got here out placing Dorian-Finney Smith on Jokic — an intriguing transfer that countered the Joker’s measurement and excessive recreation IQ with DFS’s pace and athleticism. With Noah Clowney beginning slightly than Nic Claxton, it was a nimble chess transfer that stored the 20-year-old ‘Bama product away from a game-long “welcome to the league” second.
Clowney, contemporary off a recreation the place he tied a career-high with three made triples, helped house the ground for Brooklyn to start this one. That, together with a hyper-aggressive Dennis Schröder, allowed the Nets to catch hearth from deep early. Brooklyn got here out of the gate with the protection off on all their lengthy vary artillery weapons, going 7-of-13 from three within the first. That helped them jet out to a 40-27 lead that had The ‘Clays rocking and absolutely everybody again in Denver crimson within the face.
Schröder’s scorching begin was adopted carefully and later surpassed in temperature by Cam Johnson, who added 20 factors tonight whereas capturing 6-of-10 from deep. He began the sport 5-of-5 from downtown, simmering off solely after halftime…
Very similar to they did towards Milwaukee, Brooklyn actually let it fly tonight, placing up 52 makes an attempt from deep for the sport. However capturing wasn’t the one factor that translated over from the house opener to its sequel. Brooklyn’s hustle was again at each ends of the ground as nicely. Ziaire Williams, who additionally occurred to splash 4-of-5 triples and is now 8-of-12 for the season, gave the Nets nice burn in 22 minutes of play, bringing 18 factors and 4 assists to the desk.
“Power,” mentioned Fernández, when requested pregame about what’s stood out for Z-Dub thus far this yr. “He brings all that power off the bench and that’s contagious. We hold telling the fellows errors are going to occur, however in the event you can cowl with extra effort, and that’s what Ziaire does. Ziaire’s been simply unbelievable.”
Nonetheless, with the Nuggets being the Nuggets, they needed to grow to be the Nuggets sooner or later — they usually did. Denver minimize Brooklyn’s as soon as 17-point result in 9 on the break. Brooklyn stored capturing it at a excessive clip, having fun with a shot food regimen that any basketball modernist would have a good time with 20 of the crew’s 21 pictures within the second interval both being within the paint or from three.
However on the different finish, it was Michael Porter Jr. giving Brooklyn a style of its personal drugs that tightened the hole. The now six-year vet did his greatest CJ impersonation, going 3-of-3 from deep within the second. He completed the competition with 16 factors whereas capturing 4-of-7 on tres.
Denver’s as soon as gradual creep-up on Brooklyn accelerated within the second half after Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray contributed with a fast 5 factors that wanted a timeout from Fernández earlier than they had been answered. A extra sluggish interval which noticed the Nets burn two challenges then ensued. Brooklyn managed to stiff arm Denver at a four-to-six level distinction for nearly the whole quarter. Some well timed threes, due to Schröder, Finney-Smith, Thomas, and Jalen Wilson in that order stored them afloat…
Paradoxically, Johnson’s first make from contained in the arc got here within the third as nicely, and was arguably his better of the sport on an acrobatic up and beneath lay.
Regardless, Brooklyn trotted into the ultimate body with a 99-96 lead, an awesome spot to be in towards a crew with superior personnel, however one a bit stained by emotions of uneasiness, as simply the exoskeleton of their as soon as sizable lead remained intact. That stared them within the face together with that acknowledged disparity in expertise.
The Nuggets wasted little time proving these queasy emotions nicely warranted. A nook triple from Peyton Watson that tied the sport adopted by a layup from Russell Westbrook gave Denver its first lead since across the six minute mark of the primary.
The Nets continued to probe inside for top proportion appears inside and drive-and-kick for top efficiency appears exterior because the clock bled down, nevertheless it was the pictures that got here after misses, ideas, and dives throughout the hardwood that made the distinction within the fourth interval’s stretch run.
Brooklyn introduced a degree of hustle that might have been overseas to final yr down the stretch of this one to earn further possessions and make the mountain males sweat. Williams performed a big half in that halfway by the fourth simply as he did as a tone-setter within the first.
Nonetheless, any lead both crew managed to carve out was minimal for the closing body’s entirety. It wasn’t till the ultimate two minutes the place one crew might actually sniff a victory, that being the odds-defying Nets as soon as extra.
After one powerful Thomas take that put the Nets again in entrance by one with 1:23 to go, Finney-Smith introduced us with perhaps the very best defensive possession of his Brooklyn tenure, forcing a miss in isolation towards Jamal Murray — a man synonymous with blood under 32 levels fahrenheit.
Thomas then hit a good more durable fadeaway jumper on the baseline the subsequent time down. It was a shot we’ve seen him hit for years now, however haven’t seen him bury within the clutch in a very long time.
It wasn’t his greatest recreation, with the two-guard capturing 8-of-22 from the sphere as Malone threw an array of his defenders at him. However that ought to’ve, or might’ve been a second to recollect for him. Each he and Fernández illustrated their displeasure together with his lack of calls in numerous methods postgame.
“I feel CT performed exhausting on each ends,” mentioned Fernández. “He was engaged. I’m proud of him capturing eight threes. A few these pictures, it ought to have been fouls that they didn’t name. Cam Thomas proper now, I can let you know that he’s one of many prime scorers within the NBA, and he didn’t get handled like Trae Younger within the first recreation. He shot one free throw to no matter. In the present day, he didn’t get handled the identical method.”
The Nuggets shot 47 free throws tonight, whereas the Nets had been awarded simply 27. Certainly, thus far, the variety of calls towards the Nets is wanting historic.
“I feel it’s human nature to present a name to a 3 time MVP, NBA champion, and then you definitely take a look at the opposite facet, and also you don’t do it the identical method, however sooner or later they’ll have to take a look at CT, take a look at all quite a lot of our guys the identical method,” Fernández added.
When Thomas was requested if he’s getting an unfair whistle this season, he took an extended, lengthy pause, then chuckled.
“I assume I’m not going to the basket exhausting sufficient, I assume,” Thomas mentioned after. “I acquired to determine a approach to get the calls and hope they name it.”
Finney-Smith couldn’t replicate his clutch play at one finish on the opposite. After a Jokic tip-in that minimize it to at least one, DFS first cut up a pair of free throws that might have collectively put the Nets up three with beneath 24 seconds to play. That opened the door for Jokic to tie issues with a straightforward end inside, which he promptly did.
Then with eight seconds to go, Brooklyn did all of the exhausting stuff, managing to advance the ball and arrange a person with an open take a look at the buzzer, however fumbled the finale, as Finney-Smith discovered iron slightly than nylon as soon as once more and punched everybody’s ticket to extra time with the rating at 125-125.
It was within the further body the place Denver’s expertise lastly labored to their profit. Slowing issues down on their finish, they jumped out to a six-point lead that in extra time durations usually appears like 15. Brooklyn missed pictures right here and there and shortly discovered themselves fouling to get the ball again. As time ticked away, they finally ceded the sport.
The shut nature of this contest may need made you neglect that the Nets are a rebuilding crew, one with the posh of attending to take pleasure in “ethical victories.” Now with the mud settled, we’re reminded that that’s what they’re. However they competed and gave Denver all the pieces they may deal with. Maybe that’s the true victory for Brooklyn — and one which’ll result in actual ones down the pipeline.
“The truth that we fought towards a crew like this, to me, it means lots to our group, and we all know that that subsequent step goes to assist us break by towards not only a good crew, however an awesome crew with an unbelievable participant that put up an unbelievable efficiency,” mentioned Fernández. “So happy with our guys.”
Harm Replace
Fernández gave considerably of an replace on Trendon Watford pregame, who’s but to start out his season after taking place with a hamstring pressure in coaching camp alongside Day’Ron Sharpe.
“Trendon, he’s doing nice,” mentioned Fernández. “Every little thing goes as deliberate and we’ll give an replace quickly. We count on him to be out there within the subsequent few — I imply, I don’t know precisely when — however quickly.”
Fernández additionally spoke on Ben Simmons earlier than tipoff, after the crew introduced he’d be held out tonight for “decrease again harm upkeep” so he can play tomorrow vs the Grizzlies within the latter half of a back-to-back sequence. Whereas Fernández didn’t rule Simmons out of back-to-backs for good like Ben10’s outdated teammate did in Philly, he did say they’ll proceed to take action for now.
“With Ben, the plan is, for now, to not play again to backs till we give a unique replace,” the coach mentioned. “He’ll be out there tomorrow. I’m not gonna provide you with precise minutes, however he’ll play good minutes.”
Milestone Watch
- Dennis Schröder (25 factors) and Cam Thomas (26 factors) have scored 20+ factors in every of the final three video games. They’re the primary Nets beginning backcourt to tally 20+ factors in three straight video games since March 2021 – James Harden and Kyrie Irving (through Elias).
- Dennis Schröder’s twelfth help of the evening matches his highest help complete in a Nets uniform. He beforehand handed out 12 assists in his Nets debut on 2/10/24 vs. San Antonio. He’s exceeded 12 assists 5 instances in his profession (most not too long ago: 2020-21 with the Lakers).
- Ziaire Williams has scored 16 factors off the bench tonight (6-of-7 FG, 4-of-5 3FG). Williams has matched his profession excessive with 4 3-pointers made. He’s now 8-of-12 for the season, an enormous enchancment over his profession 30.1% common.
- When Cam Johnson tallied 15 factors (5-of-5 3FG) in 15 first-half minutes tonight it was the eleventh occasion in franchise historical past of a participant making 5 or extra 3-pointers and not using a miss in a half. It was first time for a Web in a primary half since Joe Harris (6-of-6) on 11/12/21 at New Orleans.
- The Nets recorded 20 assists and only one turnover in tonight’s first half. The 20:1 assist-to-turnover ratio is Brooklyn’s greatest in any half since 3/11/21 at Chicago (20:1 within the first half).
Subsequent Up
Brooklyn performs their first back-to-back recreation vs on the highway tomorrow vs the Memphis Grizzlies. The Nets cut up their video games vs Girt and Grind final yr. The Grizzlies are 2-2 to start out the yr, having overwhelmed the Jazz and Magic however dropped video games to the Rockets and Bulls.
It would even be a homecoming for Ziaire Williams who the Grizzlies gave up on in July and despatched him to Brooklyn in wage dump so they may signal Luke Kennard. ZW has intimated that he was not loopy about the way in which he was handled, however talked about that he’s nonetheless shut with plenty of the Memphis gamers, having even texted with them as early as this afternoon.