The Cavaliers are the hottest team in the NBA with the most wins as well. Did we mention their healthy, too? Tough game tonight.
Brooklyn fans should be proud of how their Nets were able to get their 111-108 victory against the Los Angeles Lakers. Not just because they showed resilience until the end, or because they shot 40% as a team from beyond the arc, but because of the defense they played against Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Yes, Doncic had a triple double and Reaves flirted with one of his own. And yes, the two had the crowd delighted at times with their moves and passes. But if you take a look at the shot chart, both Doncic and Reaves struggled. The little things like always having a hand up, or switching at the correct time, matters. The Nets did this, which is why they deserve some temporary praise.
You have to use the word temporary because the Nets are right back at it tonight against the best team in the Eastern Conference, the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Lakers are good, but even they cannot compare to the red hot Cavs and the season they are having. The Nets better get ready, because unlike the injury riddled Lakers, the Cavaliers are fully healthy and going for their 15th straight in Cleveland. That would tie the franchise record which was set earlier this season.
Where To Watch
Check out the action at 7:00 p.m. ET on the YES Network or Gotham Sports App..
Injury Report
Nothing posted for the Nets yet but beyond DeAnthony Melton (torn ACL and out for the season) and the G Leaguers, things look pretty clear. The Nets lead the NBA in games lost to injuries/illness with 318.
All clear for Cleveland.
The Game
The Cavs have not lost a game since February 4 (yes, you heard that right.) Early in the winning streak, the Cavs faced off with the Nets and Cleveland looked like they were toying with them. Donovan Mitchell was trying to dunk on everyone he saw, Darius Garland put on a ball handling clinic, it was just utter chaos. Fast forward to now, the Nets will have to try to prevent that from happening while on a tough back to back. They will also be in Cleveland this time, whoopie.
The Nets will definitely need valuable minutes from Noah Clowney, who in his return scored 19 points along with the go ahead basket to win the game against the Lakers. Clowney looked confident during the outing, and was certainly not afraid to let it fly with eight 3-point attempts. If he can continue his level of play and combine that with the young talents Nic Claxton and Day’Ron Sharpe, the Nets might have a solid chance to compete with the elite frontcourt of Evan Mobley and former Net Jarrett Allen. We said “might.”
As for the backcourt, Cam Thomas should be back, having sat the front end of the Nets back-to-back. Let’s hope that D’Angelo Russell can be the point guard we all know he can be because his shooting last night will not cut it: eight points in 29 minutes on shooting splits of 20/33/50. He did have seven assists and two steals.
Player to Watch
Jarrett Allen was the first in series of bigs the Nets drafted (every other year.) At the 2017 trade deadline, Sean Marks was able to acquire a first rounder for Bojan Bogdanovic and Chris McCullough. With the pick, he took Allen, then in 2019, it was Nic Claxton, 2021 Day’Ron Sharpe and 2023, Noah Clowney. (Is Marks due again?)
After a solid start in Brooklyn, Allen became part of the James Harden trade, the Nets sending him to Cleveland along with Caris LeVert. Since then, he’s excelled, getting an All-Star nod in 2022 and being the defensive stalwart against the league’s big.
Now, he has assumed a new role. Since the trade deadline, Kenny Atkinson has benched Allen at the end of games in favor of the newly acquired D’Andre Hunter, a 3-and-D type. Not a problem says Allen, now still only 26.
“It’s not really difficult for me,” Allen told Cleveland.com “I trust Kenny (Atkinson) wholeheartedly. Sometimes I wish I was out there. Sometimes I understand why I’m not. At the end of the day, it’s not my job to decide. It’s my job to do the best I can whenever my number is called.
“I’ve always had the mindset of doing what is best for the team,” Allen added as he did when Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving pressured Kenny Atkinson to play DeAndre Jordan over Allen back in Brooklyn. Miss ya, Jarrett.
From the Vault
Thirteen years ago this week, Gerald Green wowed the crowd at Prudential Center in Newark with alley-oop from MarShon Brooks. It was perhaps the highlight of the last season in New Jersey, one of the greatest in-game dunks ever…
More reading: Fear the Sword and SBNation NBA.
- Brooklyn Nets Game Notes – Brooklyn Nets
- Cleveland Cavaliers Game Notes – Cleveland Cavaliers
- Cavaliers host Nets, look to seal another 15-game win streak – NBA
- Cleveland puts home win streak on the line against Brooklyn – AP