Nets Narrowly Defeat Raptors in Game 7

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

May 4^th, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs Toronto Raptors Game 7 Recap

Final Score: Nets 104 Raptors 103

In a win or go home Game 7 in a hostile arena in Toronto, the Brooklyn Nets were able to survive the young Raptors for a thrilling Game 7 victory on Sunday. A few missed free throws at the end of the game for the Nets nearly cost them, but a block by Paul Pierce on Kyle Lowry sealed the deal for the Nets, as the advanced to the next round.

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Player of the Game: Joe Johnson

Easily the best player for the Nets throughout the entire series was Joe Johnson, and Game 7 was no different. Johnson finished with a team-high 26 points on 11 for 25 shooting, with four rebounds, and four assists. The Raptors threw the kitchen sink at Johnson with multiple defenders guarding him and frequent double-teams, but Johnson made the right pass out almost every time, as he could have a lot of hockey assists.

Positives:

Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett were in different roles in this Game 7 than previous seasons. They both only played 25 minutes, but it was an effective one from both of them. Pierce finished with 10 points on four for 10 shooting, but made the play of the game for the Nets blocking Lowry's shot in the final seconds. Garnett had a very good game, as he was able to notch a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, as it was his first double-double since February 1^st.

Brooklyn's bench showed up for Game 7 after a mostly disappointing series against the Raptors, as Andray Blatche, Shaun Livingston, and Marcus Thornton all had good games. Blatche, who was in a bit of foul trouble still played well with nine points and seven rebounds in 18 minutes. Livingston in his second straight game coming off the bench was a much bigger factor in the game than he was on Friday night, as Livingston scored 10 points on four for five shooting, and hit two extremely clutch free throws down the stretch. For the first time in the series, Thornton was able to get hot from the field, as he finished with 17 points on four for eight shooting, and went five for six from the free throw line in his best game of the series.

Negatives:

Toronto really pushed the Nets in this series, and could have easily won it in large part due to their back court of Lowry and DeRozan, who played well in Game 7. Lowry finished with a game-high 28 points on seven for 19 shooting, and went an outstanding 12 for 14 from the line in addition to grabbing seven boards. DeRozan didn’t have a monster Game 7, but still played very well scoring 18 points on five for 12 shooting with six assists, and seven free throws, as DeRozan and Lowry lived at the free throw line in the series.

The Power Forwards for the Raptors also stepped up in Game 7, as Amir Johnson and Patrick Patterson both put together nice games. Johnson was a beast despite looking a bit hobbled, as he scored 20 points on nine for 12 shooting with 10 rebounds before he fouled out. Patterson was great off the bench most of the series, and in Game 7 he finished with 16 points and eight rebounds on a perfect day shooting from the field.

Nets Point Guard Deron Williams had a tough Game 7, and nearly cost his team the victory down the stretch, as he struggled from the foul line. Williams finished just 13 points and four assists, as yet again it was a disappointing game from him.

Next up for the Nets will be a series against the two-time defending champs in the Miami Heat, who will be well rested before Tuesday's Game 1 in Miami.  

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Nets Defeat Raptors to Force Game 7

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

May 2nd, 2014

Toronto Raptors vs. Brooklyn Nets Game 6 Recap

Final Score: Raptors 83 Nets 97

The Brooklyn Nets were able to bounce back from their Game 5 loss in Toronto with a Game 6 victory in the Barclays Center to keep their season alive, and force another Game 7 in what has been a great First Round in the Playoffs this season.

Player of the Game: Deron Williams

For the Nets their recipe is to win is pretty simple, when Deron Williams’ plays well they win, and luckily in Game 6 for the Nets, he played well. The Nets Point Guard was under a lot of pressure heading into the elimination game, as he responded well with a team-high 23 points on eight for 16 shooting, including four three-pointers. The aggressive Williams also had five rebounds, four assists, and one steal to help lead the Nets to the victory.

Positives:

The very solid performance from Williams also came at the expense of Lowry, who had by far his worst game of the series, which was a great sight for Brooklyn. Lowry, who was coming off a 36-point game in Game 5, was held in check in Game 6. He was only able to score 11 points on a poor four for 16 shooting night from the field, and also turned the ball over four times. If Williams can outplay Lowry like this or even keep it close stats wise in Game 7 the Nets will be in great shape to advance.

In what it a rare thing to see in the playoffs, Jason Kidd went with a gutsy moved and switched up the starting lineup, as Shaun Livingston was benched for Alan Anderson. The move worked for Kidd, as Anderson led the team in rebounding with nine, and scored nine points on four for 10 shooting.

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Brooklyn’s starting lineup as a whole played well, as with their backs against the wall, Joe Johnson, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett all played well. Johnson was second on the Nets in scoring, as he finished with 17 points on five for 12 shooting with seven made free throws. Pierce and Garnett combined to score 25 points, and Garnett even was able to play 27 minutes, which raises the question how much will he have in the tank for Game 7?

In Game 6 the Nets also did a good job against the Raptors two main guns of the bench in Patrick Paterson and Greivis Vasquez. Patterson was held to just eight points on three for nine shooting, and Vasquez also struggled, scoring just nine points with only three assists.

Negatives:

The only negative for the Nets in Game 6 was that the Raptors All-Star DeMar DeRozan was able to have a very good game despite the rest of his team struggling. DeRozan finished with a game-high 28 points on eight for 18 shooting, while going 10 for 11 from the free-throw line, with six rebounds and four assists.

Next up will be a do or die Game 7 on Sunday in Toronto for the Nets and the Raptors with the seasons on the line.

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Nets Game 5 Comeback Falls Just Short Against Raptors

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By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

April 30th, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs. Toronto Raptors Game 5 Recap

Final Score: Nets 113 Raptors 115



In a crucial Game 5 on the road after losing Game 4 at home due to a late game scoring drought, the Nets found themselves down by 26 points at one point on Wednesday night, but fought back. Their miraculous attempt of a comeback however came up a little short, as after a offensive rebound on a missed free throw on purpose by Andray Blatche, he threw a wild pass over Deron Williams head, leading to a backcourt violation and a loss.

Player of the Game: Joe Johnson

As it has been for most of the series, Joe Johnson has been the Nets go to guy, and in an important Game 5 it was no different. Johnson took over the game for the Nets in the second half, as he finished with a team-high 30 points on 13 for 23 shooting, and was the major catalyst in the Nets attempted comeback. Johnson was a ridiculous +22 when on the court in the loss, but his early foul trouble in the first half certainly put the Nets behind the eight-ball.

Positives:

When the Nets went down by 26, Jason Kidd would strike gold with a few bench players, as Mirza Teletovic, Alan Anderson, and Blatche were big parts of the comeback. Teletovic was the Nets best player off the bench, as he finished with 17 points on six for 10 shooting, which included four three-pointers, and seven rebounds. Anderson also played well down the stretch, as he scored 13 points on four for seven shooting, and had two four-point plays in the fourth quarter.

Negatives:

In the Raptors Game 5 victory, Kyle Lowry had a fantastic performance, as he led his team to their first lead of the series. Lowry finished with a game-high 36 points on 11 for 19 shooting, with six three-pointers. Lowry also dished out six assists, as he outplayed Deron Williams, who finished with only 13 points, as the aggressive Williams that we have seen throughout the series wasn’t anywhere to be found in Game 5.

Lowry wasn’t alone in playing well for the Raptors, as his backcourt partner DeMar DeRozan played good yet again, as the highest scoring backcourt in the NBA Playoffs combined for 59 in Game 5. DeRozan finished with 23 points on five for 12 shooting, but went an outstanding 12 for 13 from the free throw line to go along with six rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Greivis Vasquez also had a solid Game 5, as he scored 15 points on six for 12 shooting with six rebounds, and two assists.

The Nets veterans, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce were both non-factors in the crucial Game 5, as when the Nets went on their run, Pierce and Garnett were both on the bench, and never returned. Garnett only played 12 minutes with four points and two rebounds, while Pierce scored 10 points with five turnovers in 24 minutes.

Next up for the Nets will be possibly their last game of the season at home, where they have been so great all season, and will need to win one more to keep their season alive.

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Nets Offense Disappears in Game 4 Loss

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By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

April 27th, 2014

Toronto Raptors vs. Brooklyn Nets Game 4 Recap

Final Score: Raptors 87 Nets 79

In a must win Game 4 for the young Toronto Raptors on the road, they were able to rise to the challenge and win their first playoff game on the road since 2001. The loss for the Nets evens the series up at two games a piece, and the home-court advantage switches back into the Raptors favor.

Player of the Game: Paul Pierce

In the Game 4 loss for Brooklyn they did receive a strong performance from Paul Pierce, who led the team in scoring. In the low scoring game on Sunday night, Pierce was able to drop 22 points on a great nine of 14 shooting from the field. Pierce added five rebounds and two assists to his final line, but was one of the few Nets to have a good game in the disappointing home loss.

Positives:

Besides Pierce the only other Nets player to turn in a good game was Mirza Teletovic, who had a strong game off the bench. Teletovic was second on the team in scoring with 12 points on five for nine shooting, shockingly none of which came from beyond the arc. Teletovic also added five rebounds, three of which were on the offensive end in a good 17 minutes of play.

Raptors Center Jonas Valanciunas has been a double-double machine in this season, but in Game 4, he was held to his worst game of the series, but noticeably only played 23 minutes. Valanciunas only had six points and six rebounds, far below what he has been doing to the Nets for the series in the first three games.

Negatives:

It was a tough night for most Nets on the offensive end starting with Deron Williams, who had a bad game in the loss. Williams finished with just 10 points on four for 12 shooting, as he went zero for five from beyond the arc, and turned the ball over five times. In his match-up against Kyle Lowry, Williams lost in Game 4 badly, as Lowry scored 22 points.

Joe Johnson also had a tough time getting going on Sunday, as the Raptors threw lots of double-teams at Johnson, which forced the ball out of his hands. Johnson finished with just seven points on two for seven shooting, in what was easily his worst game of the series thus far.

Amir Johnson had his second good game in the series, as he is emerging as an x-factor for the Raptors, as in both games he has scored in double-digits they have won. Johnson finished with 17 points on seven for 11 shooting with five rebounds. Johnson did hurt his knee which will certainly be something to keep an eye on before Game 5. DeMar DeRozan started off hot like the Raptors in Game 4, although he did struggle in the second half after starting the game seven of 10 from the field, but he still finished with a game-high 24 points

Excluding Teletovic, Brooklyn’s bench had a poor night scoring the basketball, as Andray Blatche and Alan Anderson combined to go a dreadful two for 11 from the field. Off the bench for the Raptors it was yet again another good game from Patrick Patterson, who early had a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds.

The experienced Nets missed a golden opportunity to take a 3-1 lead at home on Sunday, as the turnovers really piled up for Brooklyn. The turnover battle has been an advantage for the Nets in the first three games, but in Game 4 the Raptors only turned it over 10 times compared to the Nets 16, which was certainly a difference in Game 4.

Next up will be a few days of rest before a huge Game 5 with the series tied on Wednesday night in Toronto.

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Raptors Defeat Nets to Even Series

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

April 22nd, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs. Toronto Raptors Game 2 Recap

Final Score: Nets 95 Raptors 100

The Brooklyn Nets after a big Game 1 win in Toronto fell a little short in Game 2 against the Toronto Raptors. In what was really a must win game for the young Raptors, not wanting to head to Brooklyn down two games in the series, but they avoided that and tied the series at a game a piece with the victory.

Player of the Game: Joe Johnson

Once again for the Nets their best player against the Raptors was Joe Johnson, who led the Nets in scoring in the Game 2 loss. Johnson finished with a team-high 18 points on seven for 13 shooting to go along with three rebounds and two assists. Most of Johnson’s damage came in the third quarter, as he scored 12 points in the Nets best quarter of the game. In the fourth quarter however Johnson did struggle against Landry Fields, in what was a change in the Raptors rotation that we will likely be seeing again in Game 3.

Positives:

Coming off the bench Mirza Teletovic was the first man in for Brooklyn, as Paul Pierce picked up two fouls very quickly in the first, but in extended minutes Teletovic played well. Teletovic was the only Net in double-figures off the bench, scoring 14 points on five for 11 shooting, which included him going three for six from beyond the arc.

After a difficult Game 1, Center Kevin Garnett bounced back with a much better performance on the offensive end in Game 2. Garnett finished with 13 points on five for six shooting with four rebounds in 19 minutes. Shaun Livingston also came through with a strong Game 2, as he finished with 12 points on four for eight shooting to go with five assists and three rebounds.

For the second straight game, Terrance Ross was completely shutdown, as the young Ross is having a difficult start to his playoff career. Ross scored just two points on one for eight shooting, and for the series now is just two for 12 with five points.

Negatives:

In his playoff debut, DeMar DeRozan looked a bit shell-shocked and nervous, but in Game 2 it looked like the DeRozan that was in the top 10 in the NBA in scoring. DeRozan finished with a game-high 30 points on nine for 21 shooting, and went an impressive 12 for 14 from the free throw line. In the fourth quarter DeRozan exploded for 17 points, which included some big baskets and clutch free throws to earn the victory.

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The big men in the Raptors starting lineup were great in Game 2, as Amir Johnson and Jonas Valanciunas both dominated the Nets on the glass, helping them win the rebounding battle 52-30. Johnson finished just shy of a double-double with 16 points on eight for 10 shooting, and nine rebounds. Valanciunas had yet another big double-double, as he finished with 15 points on five for nine shooting to go along with a game-high 14 rebounds.

Similar to Game 1 the Raptors got big performances from their bench, as the small rotation is working well for the young Raptors. Greivis Vasquez did very well again, scoring 10 points on five for 10 shooting, with eight assists, and three rebounds. Patrick Patterson continued to be a scoring threat off the bench, as he finished with 12 points on five for nine shooting, and he also helped dominate the glass with nine rebounds. Fields may not have scored, but his defense against Johnson was a major factor in the fourth quarter.

Deron Williams coming off a strong Game 1 had a tough time getting it going in Game 2. Williams struggled to score 15 points on five for 15 shooting with only five assists. Paul Pierce also struggled to get it going after a clutch fourth quarter in Game 1. Pierce finished with only seven points on two for 11 shooting, as it took him until the fourth quarter to get his first field goal.

Next up for the Nets will be a few days off as the series shifts to Brooklyn for Game 3 on Friday night.

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