The Nets were stuck in a three-game losing streak heading into their game against the Hawks on Friday. Spencer Dinwiddie and Jahlil Okafor ensured that the slide wouldn’t stretch to four games, leading Brooklyn to its 16th win of the season in a 110-105 result.
Brooklyn’s lack of urgency in the third quarter almost cost them against Atlanta, owner of the NBA’s worst record at 11-31. Despite having a 10-point lead at one point, the Nets failed to put the Hawks away and the team had no answer for Dennis Schroder in the second half. The German guard scored 18 points in the final 24 minutes of the game -- finishing with 34 points, 7 assists and 3 steals.
Still, the Nets were able to overcome the hosts thanks to a strong fourth quarter from several players, most notably Dinwiddie and Okafor. Dinwiddie made some big plays down the stretch and Okafor might have had his best game since becoming a Net. Kenny Atkinson will also be proud of the fact that his team had six scorers in double digits.
Here are Three Observations from the Win
Dinwiddie Rescues Brooklyn
The Nets guard continued his breakout season as he was a rebound-shy from having his first-ever triple-double. Dinwiddie finished with 20 points, 10 assists and 9 rebounds and responded when his team needed him most, scoring the go-ahead basket with 11 seconds remaining. He was fouled on the play and missed his free throw, but he refused to give up as he skied above several Hawks to get a crucial offensive rebound drawing another foul in the process. He wouldn’t miss the following free throws en route to a win.
Dinwiddie’s initially gained attention this season for his efficient playmaking, he leads the NBA in assist-to-turnover ratio, but he’s dramatically improved as a scorer as the season progresses.
Teams used to have big men guard him at the top of the key to deter him from driving to the basket, which previously forced him into bad shots. Now, he’s heeded Atkinson’s advice in using his speed and 6-foot-6 frame to power his way to the rim. In the past five games, he’s averaged two more free throw attempts (5.0) than he usually does this season (3.0). As a result, he is averaging 19.8 points per game – six points higher than his season average – in that period.
Jahlil Okafor’s Presence Felt
The Nets acquired Okafor hoping to tap into the big man’s potential as a scorer. On Friday night, he showed the team just how dangerous he could be.
Okafor had a season-high 17 points on a whopping 75 percent shooting. The 22-year-old came alive in a crucial fourth quarter, scoring 11 of his points then.
Okafor’s impact was also felt earlier in the game as he sparked a 6-0 run in the second quarter. After scoring twice, the Hawks defenders started to double him, which opened up opportunities for Joe Harris and Allen Crabbe to hit from behind the arc. Considering the Nets’ run-and-gun approach, that’s where the center can be effective in assisting in running the offense.
While Okafor’s rebounding needs to improve (zero boards in 12 minutes), he did enough offensively to show Atkinson that he can fit his system and deserves more minutes.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson Makes an Impact
Hollis-Jefferson fought off a 2-for-9 start to finish with 14 points and 6 rebounds on 43 percent shooting. Like Dinwiddie and Okafor, he had his biggest plays in the fourth quarter where he affected the game on both sides on the court.
There were three-consecutive possessions in the fourth quarter that showcased that as the 23-year-old jumped on the floor for a loose ball, won the jump and proceed to dunk the ball shortly after. Hollis-Jefferson frustrated his counterpart in Ersan Ilyasova throughout the game, holding the forward to just 33 percent shooting. While the Nets should have wrapped up this result earlier against the East’s worst team, Hollis-Jefferson was a big reason why the team was able to fight back and seal a win.