The first half of tonight’s Nets-Raptors game at Barclays Center followed a similar script for the home team. Build a quick 10-point lead in the first quarter? Check. Blow it quickly in the second quarter to be losing at the half? Check. Play uninspired defense throughout the third quarter to make me feel uncomfortable? Check.
The second half–at least for Brooklyn’s last five games–also was predictable. The Nets’ bench–“led” by Jarrett Jack, who was sorely ineffective in this one–barely got any run down the stretch en lieu of a starting unit that was successful all night. Deron Williams, playing the entire second half, led the Nets back from a late nine-point deficit to take the lead with a few minutes remaining in overtime as Brooklyn eked out a 114-109 win over the hated Toronto Raptors.
Six straight wins for the Nets, a season-high. When Brooklyn took a double digit lead in the opening frame, the Nets seemed well on their way to an easy win over a team missing its starting point guard–Kyle Lowry (back). But, this is the Nets, after all, so nothing is ever easy. They were outscored 27-15 in the second quarter to fall behind by five points at the half, only to make a slight dent in Toronto’s lead by the end of the third quarter.
However, as time wound down, Brooklyn was just able to make the big shots when needed and got occasional and timely stops to nudge ahead of the Raptors, who had no answer for the trio of Deron Williams (31 points, 11 assists, 5-7 three-point shooting), Brook Lopez (30 points and 17 rebounds) and Thaddeus Young (29 points, six rebounds and four steals). Granted, Brooklyn got nothing from its reserves at all–only 11 combined points–but teams go as their best players do. Tonight, the Nets’ best players went well.
Assorted thoughts: I’m keeping it short but it’s such a nice development that Deron Williams has suddenly turned back into a reliable offensive option, not just in finding open teammates. His jumpshot was spot-on against Toronto and he was looking to take jumpers all game long, mostly from three, and he made a good portion of them. When he didn’t settle from deep, he was beating Lou Williams to the hoop for easy scores….Brook Lopez has continued to annihilate any team the Nets play. He wasn’t great on defense–Jonas Valanciunas posted 21 points and nine rebounds–but made clutch play after clutch play when his team needed a basket in the worst way. Whether it was a dunk or even a fabulous three-point play involving the most acrobatic play a 7-footer has ever made, Brook did it all. Oh, and he grabbed 10 offensive rebounds. He was a legit force in every aspect of the game and has been the NBA’s best center over the last two weeks or so….Thaddeus Young. The Nets got him for an over-the-hill Kevin Garnett and he has brought the team a strong wing defensive presence as well as an incredible finisher at the rim. He missed just three of his 15 field-goal attempts and even hit the game-winning layup seconds before collecting a defensive rebounds that sealed the victory away. Oh boy did the Nets get lucky with this guy….Mason Plumlee got just four minutes in this one and he was pretty bad during that limited time. Mason has lost his way and needs to find it, soon.
Onto the next one: Tomorrow night against the Eastern Conference-leading Atlanta Hawks, who may be resting a bunch of key players.
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