Brooklyn Nets vs. Philadelphia 76ers Takeaways and Player Grades
Jan 8, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson reacts with center Brook Lopez (11) during the second quarter against Philadelphia 76ers at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Nicole Sweet-USA TODAY Sports
In a Noon showdown at Barclay’s Center, the eight-win Brooklyn Nets took on the nine-win Philadelphia 76ers. Unfortunately for the Nets, a familiar trend reemerged.
The Brooklyn Nets didn’t seem phased by the early tip off, as Brooklyn’s offense was flowing well in the first quarter. Brooklyn moved the ball well, and got out to an early lead over the Sixers led by Brook Lopez with nine points, and Bojan Bogdanovic with six. Brooklyn shot 47 percent from the field in the first quarter, on their way to a 27-24 lead.
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Interestingly, the Nets went with a large lineup in the second quarter, as Kenny Atkinson used both Lopez and Justin Hamilton on the floor for a stretch. The combination worked well, as Hamilton made each of his first four shots on his way to 12 points, and Lopez continued to be an offensive force.
The biggest problem for the Nets in the first half was turnovers, as Brooklyn turned the ball over 12 times in the first half. To the Nets’ credit, though, they kept battling offensively, and were able to build on their lead. The Nets went on a 9-0 run to end the first half, as they took an 11 point lead, 57-46, into halftime. Lopez led the Nets with 18 in the first half, and Hamilton added 12 points off the bench.
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The Nets shot 55 percent from the field in the first half, and Brooklyn led Philadelphia for the entire first half.
The Sixers, after a slow start in the first half, opened the third quarter on a 13-0 run to take a 59-57 run. The Nets got their first points of the second half at the 7:15 mark, as Lopez made a layup and converted an and-1. But suddenly, all of the progress Brooklyn made in the first half had been undone.
The Nets know third-quarter struggles all too well this season, and the problem emerged once again on Sunday. The news went from bad to worse in the third quarter for Brooklyn. Not only did the Nets blow the lead, but Brooklyn announced Trevor Booker sustained a left hip contusion.
Brooklyn was outscored 32-16 in the third quarter, as Philadelphia led 78-73 with 12 minutes to play.
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After struggling in the third quarter, the Nets climbed back into the game by starting the fourth quarter on a 9-4 run. Caris LeVert tied the game at 82 with a layup with 8:44 remaining in the game.
Sean Kilpatrick, who did not score in the first half, found a rhythm in the fourth quarter as the Nets mounted a comeback. With 5:22 remaining, Kilpatrick had 10 points off the bench, but the Nets trailed 89-87.
Suddenly, the Nets received unexpected news in the fourth quarter, as Trevor Booker was able to return after injuring his hip. Brooklyn previously listed him as ‘out’ in the third quarter. Brooklyn had all hands on deck in an effort to make a comeback.
Unfortunately, the Sixers pulled away in the final minutes. A 14-2 Philadelphia run ended the Nets’ hopes of a comeback, as the Sixers won by 10, 105-95.
Jan 8, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) reacts in the fourth quarter against Philadelphia 76ers at Barclays Center. Sixers win 105-95. Mandatory Credit: Nicole Sweet-USA TODAY Sports
Takeaways
1. Another game, another third quarter meltdown
It’s worth repeating that the Brooklyn Nets held the lead for the entire first half. For 24 consecutive minutes, the Nets did not trail. And then, halftime happened. And, as they have many times this season, the Nets came out of the break flat. The Sixers, by comparison, came out of the break determined. 13 straight points by the Sixers put the Nets in a hole that Brooklyn simply could not get out of. Philadelphia had their best performance in the third quarter, putting up 32 points, while the Nets had their worst, putting up just 16 points. If the Nets are going to truly change the culture and develop into a winning team, Brooklyn needs to figure out the root of their third quarter struggles. Often times, the Nets in the first half and the Nets in the second half look like two different teams.
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2. The Nets turned the ball over far too much
Third quarter struggles, if not a trend, are certainly common place for the Nets. And so, too, are turnovers. Brooklyn turned the ball over 22 times on Sunday afternoon. Nets’ starters turned the ball over 11 times, led by Isaiah Whitehead with six. Lopez and Bogdanovic each turned it over twice. Kilpatrick turned the ball over five times off the bench. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson also had three turnovers. The Sixers, as evidenced by their record, are not a great team. But that doesn’t mean you can continue to give them chances by turning the ball over 22 times.
3. The Nets somewhat contained Joel Embiid, but still lost
The last time the Nets and 76ers played, Joel Embiid erupted for 33 points in a 108-107 Sixers win on December 18. After that performance, it seemed if the Nets could contain Embiid, they would have a chance on Sunday. Embiid scored 20 points, as he dealt with foul trouble, but the Sixers found other ways to score. Nik Stauskas scored 15 points, and was a huge part of Philadelphia’s third quarter comeback. Robert Covington added 15, and Dario Saric put up 18 off the bench. As for Embiid, he’s averaging 19.3 points per game this season, so the Nets held him to nearly his average. But after putting up 33 last month, holding Embiid to just 20 feels like a win. Unfortunately, Philadelphia got the actual win on Sunday.
Jan 8, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) makes a basket during the second quarter against Philadelphia 76ers guard TJ McConnell (1) and forward Nerlens Noel (4) at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Nicole Sweet-USA TODAY Sports
Player of the Game:
Brook Lopez
C, Brooklyn Nets
Wildcard:
Justin Hamilton
C, Brooklyn Nets
Up your game, please…
Joe Harris
SG, Brooklyn Nets
With the loss, the Brooklyn Nets fall to 8-28 on the season, a full 20 games below .500. The Nets will have Monday off before attempting to snap their six game losing streak versus the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday.
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