The Nets had lost both of their meetings against wretched Washington, including the worst defensive performance in the entire NBA all season. On Sunday they broke whatever lizard was on them.
Brooklyn got back to its winning ways, a 113–106 victory at the Barclays Center.
The Nets got a generally impressive performance from James Harden (26 points, eight assists, five rebounds) and Kyrie Irving (game-high 28 points, seven boards and six assists), with Harden shaking out a bump late in the first half. . Second. The newly acquired Blake Griffin made his Nets debut, and kicked off the crowd with his first sting since December 2019.
The Nets (29-14) gave up a 14-point first-half deficit to a two-touchdown second-quarter lead they never surrendered. He saw Washington within a point with three minutes to play, but got a reply from Nick Claxton (16 points) and kept the Wizards at arm’s length to rest overnight.
Russell Westbrook had 29 points, 13 assists and 13 boards for Washington. But Brooklyn survived the last 17 matches to win for the 15th time – and the fourth straight at home – to move one half the game behind Philadelphia, pending the result of the Nike-76ers game. The only negative was Landry Shem with a sprained right ankle.
Nevertheless, it took a leap from earlier meetings against wizards. The Nets came out of the flat and bowed out on January 3, then allowed 149 points on January 31 at Capital One Arena. These are still the most points allowed by any team this season, and trailed Brooklyn by just 13-9.
“Knew. Steve Nash said,” We looked at a few clips to remind them we’d like to be taken away. He said, ‘Anything can happen more than the first game. We were big and never got down and guarded because things were too easy on the offensive end and they had a big quarter and we killed it at the last moment.
The final game in Washington, especially in the fourth quarter, I felt they had 50 points in the fourth quarter, and there was a lot of [Bradley] Beal or Westbrook is taking it from coast to coast across the coast. So to come back, show the crowd, have the discipline to do that time and time and then get down and take a stand and protect people. We can’t take anything. “
They have done a better job. The Nets are 16-5 behind a largely improved defense.
“We’ve gotten better with our technique, which is more evident than what we’re asking them to do. Nash said before the game,” We have more time. “We’ve added more layers to it, so I think it is more than time and dedication, which has put us in a better footing.
“But we have got to keep improving. We are not a defensive juggler. We continued to improve throughout the year and got some things better and better and another chance tonight. “
Brooklyn Garrison Matthews survived the first quarter with 7:14 left, trailing 20-6 on a 3-pointer.
But exactly one time later, with 7:14 left in the half, the Nets completely turned the game around with a 35–14 run – including re-adding nine unanswered points to open the second quarter. .
Joe Harris hit a 3-pointer to give Brooklyn a 41–34 lead. The Nets upset Washington in 5 of 18 shooting and eight turnovers, in turn sparking their own transition game.
Harris led 46–36 just a minute later. And when Irving took a Westbrook pass, it led Bruce Brown to the other end and led 52–38.
Brooklyn saw the Wizards’ claws within four points, but it quickly responded with a 9–1 run.
The Nets left Washington within three minutes 103-102 on a driving layup by Westbrook, but Irving found Claxon to sink one and make a three-point play with 2:39 left in regulation.
When Brooklyn forced Matthews to miss, Irving snatched the rebound and hit a pair of free throws at the other end to leave the lead at 1:17. They left from there.
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