Well, that was simple.
After two of their lowest scoring games of the season -- two of only four in which they've scored fewer than 100 points -- the Brooklyn Nets rediscovered some offensive rhythm against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday.
The resurgence after a brief dip coincided with the return to the lineup of Joe Harris, who had missed the previous three games due to adductor tightness.
"Joe Harris changes the equation, just everybody back in their spots," said Nets coach Kenny Atkinson. "Joe obviously is really good against switches. That’s why I think the ball movement was better. He’s a great mover without the ball. Again, I thought our offense was above average and he’s a big reason. We’re getting guys in their spots and Spencer (Dinwiddie) coming off the bench, that’s his comfort level. That’s the main reason."
In three games without Harris, the Nets had an offensive rating of 100.6. Against the Thunder, they posted an offensive rating of 109.3, right in line with 109.2 rating the team featured for the full season through last Thursday, before Harris missed the Memphis game.
The Nets did this against the NBA's No. 1 rated defensive team. The Thunder have a defensive rating of 101.2 and also lead the league in steals with 10.3 per game. Oklahoma City is fourth in the league in limiting teams to 32.3 percent shooting from 3-point range, but the Nets shot 43 percent (15-36).
Allen Crabbe had 22 points while matching his season-high with seven 3-pointers and Harris had 19 while making 3-of-4 from behind the arc. Six Nets scored in double figures, with D'Angelo Russell and Spencer Dinwiddie going for 17 each.
BUT THE FOURTH QUARTER ...
Unfortunately, Brooklyn's offensive resurgence did not carry the full 48 minutes on Wednesday. After putting up 93 points through three quarters, the Nets managed just 19 in the fourth in a 114-112 loss. After taking 31 3-pointers in the first three quarters, they took just five in the fourth and made only one.
"Glass half-full," said Kenny Atkinson. "Oklahoma City's an elite team. I think they're a team that's going to compete for a conference championship. We played well most of the game. Like I said, we're not having a party over it. But I do think a majority of the game we were playing really well."
The Nets' eighth straight loss was the latest Brooklyn game to go down to the wire this season. Ten of Brooklyn's 28 games this season have been within two points in the final two minutes. That's the third most in the NBA. But they're 3-7 in those games.
“We’re a good team, teams around the league know that you’re a good team or a great team," said D'Angelo Russell. "We’re in a division where we’re trying to lock that in and get big wins or any wins. That goes unnoticed and we’re trying to – I don’t know, I would say we beat ourselves at the end and it goes unnoticed how well we played the whole game. When we beat ourselves at the end, you can kind of forget that. So it’s definitely a positive we can lean on.”
CRABBE KEEPS THE HOT HAND
In making 7-of-13 3-point attempts against Oklahoma City on Wednesday, Allen Crabbe continued to push his early-season shooting struggles further in the distance. Crabbe matched his season-high for 3-pointers made in a game and is now shooting 43.8 percent from 3-point range over the last 12 games since moving into the starting lineup on Nov. 14 after the injury to Caris LeVert.
ABOUT THE RAPTORS
The Raptors have won nine of their last 10 and lead the Eastern Conference with a 21-5 record. They're fourth in the league in scoring with 116.4 points per game and they're in the top five in net rating (second, 7.7), offensive rating (third, 113.7) and defensive rating (seventh, 106.0). Major offseason acquisition Kawhi Leonard is averaging 26.1 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, while Kyle Lowry leads the NBA with 10.1 assists per game and averages 14.6 points per game.