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Reggie Evans and Brook Lopez combined for 46 points and 35 rebounds on 19-32 shooting this evening at the Barclays Center. Incredible |
Another game vs a sub-.500 team, another big Nets win. Resting for two days after Saturday's home win vs the Charlotte Bobcats, Brooklyn thoroughly dominated a lifeless Philadelphia 76ers team that fell behind by 13 points after the 1st quarter, and never really fought back to trim that lead. Also, Reggie Evans had a 10-point and 10-rebound double-double in that same quarter, a symbolic image showing how little resistance the Nets felt from the basketball team that plays just a few hours to the southwest.
As I said above, this game was about the most debilitating blowouts this Brooklyn team has managed to levy on an opposing team this entire season. The Nets jumped out to a huge lead early, saw it waver a bit in the 2nd quarter, brought it back up by the end of the 1st half, and stabilized it in the 2nd half. Overall, a game that the Nets should have, and did, win, although it came on a day that the Knicks clinched the Atlantic Division and Pacers clinched at least the #3 seed in the East. Looks like the Nets will be #4, or, at the worst, #5 or #6. Pretty good for a team that had Johan Petro play significant minutes for it last season.
Some other observations I had from the game: #ReggieEvansReboundWatch: 24. Went along with 17 points (!) on 6-10 field-goal shooting (!!!!!) with 5-10 free-throw shooting (ugh). There was a point in the 3rd quarter when he had more boards than the entire 76ers team. I really don't know how to explain Reggie at this point, but I'm certainly not complaining……After admitting a total loss of confidence, Gerald Wallace took just two shots in his 26 minutes (missed both). He's never going to become his old self if he doesn't start shooting more soon…..Brook was incredible and simply couldn't be stopped by the pretty weak 76ers front-court. 13-22 shooting with 29 points and 11 rebounds (and three blocks!). He enforced his will on this game fully, forcing the ball into the hoop right over defenders, hitting those impossible fadeaway banked-jumpers, and finally using his size to his advantage. A real treat of a performance from the big fella.
Looking Ahead
The Nets head up to Boston tonight to take on the Celtics tomorrow night on ESPN.
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