How would the Nets reply after a lackluster defensive effort in Wednesday’s season opener at Charlotte? Early on, it was hardly the beginning head coach Jordi Fernández had hoped for. Down the stretch, it was too little and too late, whilst Brooklyn practically pulled off an inconceivable 25-point comeback.
Regardless of an impressed fourth-quarter rally, the Nets got here up simply brief, falling to 0-2 on the younger season after a 131-124 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers Friday at Barclays Heart. Rookies Drake Powell and Danny Wolf sat out as they proceed to get better from ankle accidents, however depth wasn’t the difficulty. For the second straight outing, early lapses in effort and defensive communication put Brooklyn in a gap it couldn’t fairly climb out of.
“Typically it’s too little, too late, however I assumed it was an amazing battle at this time and we did an amazing job,” Cam Thomas stated.
The Cavaliers opened the evening hitting six of their first seven photographs, whereas the Nets stumbled out of the gate at 3-for-8. When Thomas coughed up a turnover that led to a Sam Merrill 3-pointer, Fernández had seen sufficient, calling his first timeout lower than 5 minutes in together with his crew already trailing 16-7.
Exterior of Michael Porter Jr., there wasn’t a lot offense to talk of within the opening quarter. Brooklyn appeared disjointed and careless with the ball, committing 9 turnovers within the interval whereas permitting Cleveland to shoot 59.1% from the sphere. In the meantime, the Nets managed simply 40.9 p.c on yet another shot try.
And the Cavaliers stored their foot on the gasoline to begin the second. They buried 4 three-pointers within the opening minutes, then Donovan Mitchell drew contact on his fourth long-range attempt to sank all three free throws. By the 7:56 mark of the primary half, Cleveland’s lead had ballooned to 17 — one other sizeable gap for a Nets crew nonetheless trying to find defensive cohesion.
“It’s on the coaches,” Fernández stated. “Now we have to maintain working to get higher every single day, give them constructive educating factors and maintain them accountable.”
Up simply 63-51 at halftime, Cleveland opened the third quarter with three straight 3-pointers to stretch its result in 21, the biggest of the evening at that time. By the 8:14 mark, the margin had grown to 25.
Brooklyn pushed again within the third, fueled by Thomas’ scoring burst and fewer errors, however the story didn’t change. Cleveland caught fireplace, capturing 73.9% and sinking 9 extra 3s to take a 108-86 lead into the ultimate body.
But for all of the frustration, Brooklyn wasn’t carried out preventing. And to Fernández’s credit score, he didn’t let his crew fold.
The Nets, all however counted out, opened the fourth quarter on a 12-3 run to chop the deficit to 13 with 9:32 left, displaying the form of shot-making and defensive depth that ought to have been there from the beginning. Porter then buried his fifth three-pointer of the evening to make it an 11-point sport with 8:03 remaining, and moments later, Ziaire Williams hit his fifth from deep to chop the margin to 10 with 7:15 to play.
Brooklyn stored chipping away as Cleveland began to crack, getting inside one level with 3:28 left earlier than falling simply wanting a exceptional comeback. In the end, Cleveland’s veteran poise carried it throughout the end line.
“Undoubtedly happy with the fellows for preventing throughout,” Williams stated. “Simply should hold bettering from right here.”
The Nets received the fourth quarter 38-23, capturing 65.2% from the sphere and hitting seven threes whereas holding Cleveland to 26.3% and forcing 4 turnovers. Had they performed with that stage of depth from the beginning, the end result may need been completely different.
Thomas and Porter scored 33 and 31 factors, respectively, displaying flashes of how potent they are often as a scoring duo, whereas Williams added 25 factors and hit six threes. Rookie Egor Demin had a quiet evening by three quarters however got here alive within the fourth, going 3-for-4 from deep to maintain Brooklyn inside placing distance.
Brooklyn’s street received’t get any simpler from right here. A back-to-back weekend set in opposition to the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets will rapidly reveal whether or not the expansion proven Friday was actual. Whereas this loss will sting given how a lot they left on the desk, the Nets lastly confirmed indicators of understanding what it takes to defend and compete for a full 48 minutes.
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