BROOKLYN -- The Nets (18-32) come off of a difficult Midwestern road trip hoping to find success in more familiar surroundings.
The team travels across the East River to face its crosstown rival, the Knicks (22-28), in the season series finale. Brooklyn is 0-3 against its neighbors and will want to avoid being swept for the first time since moving to Barclays Center.
“We just have to better, it’s a rivalry and we have to approach it like one,” Quincy Acy said after Monday’s practice.
He added, “Yeah, you don’t want to get swept by anyone. We come in and try to win every game that we play in. We don’t want to get swept by anyone. We’ll come out with a good intensity."
But there’s more at stake than just local pride. The Nets are in a three-game slide and has had some uneven performances lately, suffering double-digit losses to the Bucks and Timberwolves. Turnovers have been a problem during the Nets’ three-game losing streak, an area that Spencer Dinwiddie and his teammates would like to improve.
“I know I’ve been turning over more as of late, I feel like I’m the main culprit of that so I’ve got to do better. As a unit, we have to do better,” Dinwiddie said. We can’t let a team get 80 shots and we get 65 and expect to win. That’s just really hard to do.”
Key Matchup: DeMarre Carroll vs. Tim Hardaway Jr.
Two in-form small forwards will go head-to-head at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday as Carroll and Hardaway have both played well lately.
Hardaway has struggled with injuries this season, but when he’s played, he’s been arguably the Knicks’ second-best player on offense. In his past seven games, the 25-year-old is averaging 18.7 points and 4.6 rebounds while shooting 48 percent. Hardaway has only played the opening game of this season’s “Clash of the Boroughs” series, where he scored 11 points on 4-of-12 shooting back on Oct. 27.
Carroll comes into the concluding game against the Nets’ rivals averaging 13.7 points and 5.3 rebounds in three appearances. He shot an impressive 50 percent from behind the arc and Brooklyn will need more of the same if it wants to negate New York’s advantage in size.
Can the Nets Handle the Knicks’ Physical Style of Play?
New York has plenty of size in its frontcourt as the team features Kristaps Porzingis, Enes Kanter, Michael Beasley, Kyle O’Quinn, Willy Hernangomez. All of those players had an impact in the last time these two teams played as the Knicks were able to protect the rim with 10 blocks and get a slight advantage in rebounding (51-45).
Despite already losing the season series, the Nets players are motivated to turn things around against their opponents.
“There’s definitely a different energy when we’re playing against each other, whether that’s at MSG or at Barclays,” Dinwiddie said. “New York [City] shows up and brings great energy to the arena and we just have to try to get a win really.”
Can Jahlil Okafor Build on his Previous Game?
Okafor had arguably his best game as a Net, scoring a season-high 21 points in 24 minutes on 64 percent shooting against the Timberwolves. The 22-year-old also added six boards and a block as he saw his minutes expand due to Rondae Hollis-Jefferson’s injury. The center has remained even-keeled despite the praise of his performance.
“I have said this before; I have all of the confidence in the world in myself. I have been playing basketball my entire life and I’ve been successful at it – I don’t need a 20-point game to have any confidence. But it was good to go out there with my teammates.”
Considering Kenny Atkinson’s revelation that Hollis-Jefferson could miss a few games, Okafor will likely receive extended minutes and has an opportunity to make his case for bigger role in the rotation.
Projected Lineup: Dinwiddie, Crabbe, Carroll, Acy, Zeller
Injuries: Hollis-Jefferson (right groin strain) and Caris LeVert (sore left groin) are OUT.