Nets Reach Above .500 After Defeating Grizzlies

Posted by Unknown on Thursday, March 06, 2014 with No comments
By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

March 5th, 2014

Memphis Grizzlies vs. Brooklyn Nets Post Game Recap

Final Score: Grizzlies 94 Nets 103

For the first time in the 2013-2014 season, the Brooklyn Nets are now an above .500 team after their victory on Wednesday night against the Memphis Grizzlies. The win moves the Nets to (30-29) on the season, and they now sit three games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division.

Player of the Game: Joe Johnson

Brooklyn got a nice game from Joe Johnson, who when he plays well for the Nets they win. In the victory Johnson scored a game-high 21 points on eight for 13 shooting, which included him going five of seven from three-point range. He also added four assists, and had the highest +/- in the game going a monstrous +30. Two straight good games of scoring for Johnson against two very good teams in the Chicago Bulls and Grizzlies both resulted in impressive Nets victories.

Positives:

Nets Point Guard Deron Williams had yet again another good game, as since the All-Star break he looks like the Williams the Nets pay him to be. Williams played 33 minutes, while scoring 16 points on seven for 13 shooting, with seven assists, four steals, and three rebounds. Going against a good Point Guard in Mike Conley, Williams totally dominated the match-up. Conley was held to just two points, while going zero for eight from the field, and he turned it over six times.

With Zach Randolph unable to play due to the flu, the Grizzlies started Ed Davis against Paul Pierce. Pierce however wasted no time making the most of Randolph being out, going at Davis early for eight points before Davis was finally taken out. Pierce finished with 14 points on three for six shooting, as he went a perfect six for six from the free throw line, and he grabbed eight rebounds.

Brooklyn’s bench got has got a nice scoring duo off the bench now with Andray Blatche and Marcus Thornton, who on Wednesday both played very well. Blatche scored 12 points on four for six shooting with four rebounds in just 16 minutes of action. Thornton played a bit more getting 26 minutes of floor time, as he scored 20 points on eight for 13 shooting, including him going four for five from three-point range. Brooklyn as a team had it going from deep, as they shot 57% percent from three-point range as a team.
nytimes.com

Negatives:

After heading into the fourth quarter with a 27-point lead there was a bit of a letdown for Brooklyn, as they allowed a lot of junk time points for the Grizzlies who outscored them 34-16 in the final quarter. It would have been extremely hard to blow the whole lead, but the way the Nets played through the first three quarters, they should have had a double-digit victory.

Next up for the Nets will be in Boston playing against Rajon Rondo and the Celtics, as Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett return to their former home.