Brooklyn Nets

Brooklyn Nets vs. Denver Nuggets Takeaways and Player Grades

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 12:03 a.m. ET

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Dec 7, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Isaiah Whitehead (15) drives around Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) during the fourth quarter at Barclays Center. Brooklyn Nets won 116-111. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

The Brooklyn Nets looked to put a stop to their skid at home against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night.

The Brooklyn Nets got off to a fantastic start against the Denver Nuggets, taking an 11-0 lead in the first quarter, and eventually putting 15 points on the board before Denver scored.

In the first quarter, Brooklyn was firing on all cylinders on offense. Brooklyn outscored Denver in the paint 26-2 in the first quarter. Trevor Booker played extremely well in the first quarter, as he scored 10 points and pulled down six rebounds. Brook Lopez added nine points, as the Nets led 36-23 at the end of the first quarter.

Nets’ first-round pick Caris LeVert entered the game to make his NBA debut in the second quarter. LeVert had missed every game this season after he suffered a foot injury last season while at Michigan. In LeVert’s first stint of minutes on the floor, he pulled down three rebounds and had three steals in five minutes before being pulled.

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Brooklyn’s first quarter success carried over into the second quarter, as Isaiah Whitehead, Bojan Bogdanovic, Brook Lopez and Joe Harris all joined Booker in scoring in double-figures. Midway through the second quarter, the Nets held a 20-point lead, by a score of 50-30.

The Nets showed a willingness to pass the ball which led to great looks throughout the first half. Brooklyn had 12 assists in the first half, led by Lopez with four. By often making the extra pass, the Nets kept Denver’s defense off balance in the first half.

Interestingly, the Nets shot just nine three-pointers in the first half, their lowest total of the season. Of those nine, the Nets knocked down five.

At the halftime break, the Nets led 68-52.

Brooklyn, which has struggled during the third quarter this season, came out hot as the Nets went on a 9-0 run after halftime. Brook Lopez hit two straight three pointers to push Brooklyn’s lead to 77-52. Brooklyn continued to score in the third quarter, but perhaps more importantly, they placed an emphasis on defense. At the seven-minute mark, with the Nets up by 23 points, Kenny Atkinson called a timeout after being displeased with Brooklyn’s defensive effort. It was a small gesture, but the message was clear: Atkinson was not going to let this game slip away due to defensive woes.

Through three quarters, Brooklyn enjoyed their best offensive output of the season, scoring 96 points. The Nets held a 96-79 lead entering the fourth quarter.

However, the Nuggets climbed back into the game at the start of the fourth quarter. What was once as large as a 29-point lead was down to 12 when Denver cut the lead to 96-84 with 11 minutes to play.

The Nets spent the fourth quarter fending off Denver’s comeback attempt. Led by Sean Kilpatrick in the fourth, the Nets pushed the lead back to 10. However, Denver was able to come all the way back and cut the lead to two with 16 seconds remaining after Willson Chandler hit a three.

With 13.8 seconds remaining, Trevor Booker split a pair of free throws, giving the Nets a three point lead, 112-109. The Nuggets then made a critical mistake, as the inbounds pass by Jameer Nelson was thrown out of bounds. After being fouled, Bojan Bogdanovic hit a pair of free throws to seal the win for the Nets.

Dec 7, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) drives against Denver Nuggets center Jusuf Nurkic (23) during the second quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Takeaways

1. The offense showed up for three quarters

The Nets got off to a spectacular start, and were able to build a comfortable lead throughout the first half. Brooklyn got great performances from a number of players. Lopez scored 24. Kilpatrick scored 22. Bogdanovic scored 19. In fact, all Nets starters scored in double figures, which hasn’t always been the case this season. For much of the first three quarters, the Nets controlled the game and were able to get pretty much anything they wanted on offense. The Nets’ offense went cold in the fourth quarter, which could be seen as concerning. But for a team on a three-game losing streak, the most important aspect is Brooklyn closed the game out, and got the win.

2. Brook Lopez led the Nets all night long

It’s been said frequently, but when Brook Lopez plays well, the Nets have to like their chances. Lopez played 33 minutes, and led the Nets with 24 points. He shot 7-of-17 from the field, and also made 8-of-10 from the free throw line. Lopez also grabbed eight rebounds, to go with four assists. Lopez is Brooklyn’s best offensive player, and he was excellent in Wednesday’s win.

3. No third quarter collapse

For just the third time this season, the Nets won the third quarter by scoring more points than their opponent. The Nets did it by the slimmest of margins, 28 points to Denver’s 27, but they accomplished it nonetheless. Too many times this season, the third quarter has come back to haunt the Nets. On Wednesday, Brooklyn survived after a less than stellar second half. Denver owned the four quarter, 32-20, so it’s safe to say a few more slip-ups in  the third quarter could’ve come back to bite the Nets. Luckily, the Nets battled through adversity and came out with the win.

Dec 7, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) drives through Denver Nuggets defense during the fourth quarter at Barclays Center. Brooklyn Nets won 116-111. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Player of the Game:

Brook Lopez

C, Brooklyn Nets

ABrook Lopez did a bit of everything on Wednesday night. The Nets got off to a great start offensively, and it was led by Lopez. Several Nets excelled on offense on Wednesday, as six Nets scored in double figures. But Brooklyn was led by Lopez’s 24 points. Interestingly, Lopez didn’t shoot from three-point range frequently in the first half. He hit two straight three’s in the second half, and ended the game with five attempts, which is right around his average on the season. Lopez is Brooklyn’s best offensive player, and he showed it once again on Wednesday.

Wildcard:

Sean Kilpatrick

SG, Brooklyn Nets

AThis was a tough pick. That’s not a knock on Kilpatrick, but it speaks to how many Nets played well. Several players could’ve been selected for this spot or player of the game, for that matter. Kilpatrick scored 22 points on 60 percent shooting. He made 2-of-3 from beyond the arc, and nailed all eight of his free throws. In addition to his 22 points, Kilpatrick three assists and six rebounds. Other players who arguably could’ve been slotted here: Bojan Bogdanovic, who scored 19. Isaiah Whitehead, who had the best game of his young career. Or Trevor Booker, who had 15 points and 11 rebounds. When this many Nets play well, the grades are tough decisions, and that’s a good problem to have.

Up your game, please:

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson

SG/SF, Brooklyn Nets

With the win, the Nets improve to 6-15 on the season. Brooklyn now gets back-to-back days off, before traveling to Texas to take on the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday.

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