BROOKLYN – This result will linger for a bit.
The Nets had a chance to get their first three-game win streak of the season as they entered the fourth quarter with a 12-point lead against the Hornets, but they failed to capitalize in a 111-105 defeat.
Despite heeding Kenny Atkinson’s call to improve on defense, holding the Hornets to just 38.3 percent shooting, their 67-46 disparity on the boards proved costly.
Dwight Howard powered Charlotte to its victory as he had a dominant 32 points and eye-popping 30 rebounds. D’Angelo Russell led the Nets with 19 points, five assists and four rebounds.
“Obviously, the rebounding was a big issue. We couldn’t come up [with boards when needed],” Atkinson said after the game before later adding. “Dwight Howard had a monster game. We never really found a solution to combating their physicality in the second half.
“I thought they physically overwhelmed us.”
The Nets will now travel to Toronto to face the Raptors at Air Canada Center on Friday night.
Here are Three Observations:
Improved Defense, But Trouble on the Glass
Howard turned back to the clock to turn in one of the most prolific performances of his career in a 30/30 night. The Nets had no answer for him and it’s unfortunate because otherwise, the team had showed plenty of progress on Wednesday night.
The home side had held the visitors to a 38.3 percent shooting night, including an 8-for-27 second quarter. It also contained the Hornets’ sole All-Star, Kemba Walker, to a 6-for-25 night from the field. Yet, Brooklyn couldn’t find any answer to slow down Howard.
Charlotte’s center had just four points in the first half as Brooklyn led by as many as 23 points, but he responded in the final 24 minutes of the game with 28 points and 20 rebounds. His performance in that half was a major factor behind the Hornets putting 66 points in the second half.
“Listen, I think this stuff motivates you,” Atkinson said. “It’s frustrating because I thought for the most part we were playing a pretty darn good game and had the game under control and then we couldn’t get the requisite stops and that’s frustrating…It is what it is. It’s on us.”
Brooklyn’s Offense Slows Down In the Second Half
Since reintroducing Rondae Hollis-Jefferson into the starting five, the Nets appeared to get back to Atkinson’s offensive principles as the team was third in the league in offensive efficiency at 117.2 over its past three games. After an impressive first half, where Brooklyn scored 62 points on 50 percent shooting, the team couldn’t get back into rhythm in the second half.
“I just think that we didn’t do as good of a job of moving the ball, moving ourselves [in the second half],” Joe Harris explained. “We weren’t as aggressive in attacking the rim. We kind of settled for a lot of pull-up twos and contested threes…We didn’t really put a lot of pressure on the rim, didn’t draw a lot of fouls.
“I don’t know if the mindset changed in the second half collectively, but we just didn’t get as many rim touches or open threes.”
D’Angelo Russell Continues Progress
Up against an NBA All-Star in Walker, Russell continued his recent uptick with another solid night, going for 19 points, five assists and four rebounds.
In his last five outings, the third-year guard is averaging 19 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists while shooting 39 percent from downtown. Russell is starting to reach the level of production he had (20.9 points, 5.7 assists, 4.7 rebounds) prior to his knee injury in November, which kept him out for 32 games. Russell also had a hand in slowing down Walker, as he, Caris LeVert, Allen Crabbe took turns in guarding him. Definitely an encouraging sign for the Nets for the remaining 10 games of the season.