Wins, let alone blowouts, have been a foreign concept to the Brooklyn Nets this season. However, the rebuilding squad got a taste of dominance during Sunday's road matchup with the lowly Washington Wizards. The Nets routed their tank rival 129-106 before a scanty crowd at Capital One Center.
Both teams entered the matchup with one win, jockeying for position in the draft lottery standings. However, the Nets put forth their best effort of the season, thoroughly outclassing a Wizards squad that is several years further into its rebuild. After falling behind by double digits, Washington cut the deficit to one in the third quarter, but Brooklyn responded with a 23-4 run en route to a lopsided win.
“We didn't lose a single quarter. I think in an NBA game, that's extremely important. There were moments in the third quarter, they made a run, and that group off the bench responded,” head coach Jordi Fernandez said. “You get punched, and then you punch back. And those are the moments where you see the growth, and the group comes together… I think it was everybody [who rallied]. The group together. Noah [Clowney] had a little bit of a struggle to start the game, and then he made all those shots. Tyrese [Martin] was very solid… Winning the last two minutes of every quarter is a big key to success in this league. Right now, we put four quarters together. It was not perfect at all times, but I'm proud of the group and very proud of the fight.”
While the Nets remain one of the NBA's worst teams, they're playing their best basketball of the season of late. They pushed the Orlando Magic to the brink on Friday, leading 98-94 with 1:58 remaining before collapsing in the final minutes.
Nets turn in best all-around performance of season during blowout win over Wizards
Michael Porter Jr. led the Nets to their lead in Orlando, and he did so again in Washington, only this time finishing the job. The 6-foot-10 forward turned in his best performance of the season on Sunday, posting 34 points, nine rebounds and seven assists on 11-of-18 shooting. Nic Claxton also continued his high-level play, posting 17 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and four blocks on 5-of-7 shooting.
The duo combined for 15 boards on a night where the Nets out-rebounded the Wizards 44-33 overall and 7-3 on the offensive glass. Brooklyn held a 12-7 advantage in second-chance points after being outscored 25-5 in Orlando. The Nets ranked dead-last in defensive rebounding percentage entering Sunday's game, 3.5 points below the 29th-ranked Milwaukee Bucks.
“They have guys that are very good rebounders. After the struggle that we've had [rebounding] for the season, and especially the last game, I think it says a lot about our group to have the right intentions. To only allow three offensive rebounds, that's how you win NBA games,” Fernandez said.
Claxton has struggled on the glass, posting 5.1 defensive rebounds per 36 minutes, the third-fewest among 30 centers to play 250 minutes this season. However, his effort on Sunday was a step up, as he grabbed seven in 30 minutes and held Wizards center Alex Sarr to one offensive rebound.
“It was a point of emphasis. I think all five guys just locked in on it. We've just gotta be consistent with that. It’s really kind of been a pain, an Achilles heel for us to start the season,” Claxton told YES Network. “It was all five guys… It was a collective effort from everyone on the court. The low man was pulled in. We were on a string out there on the defensive side.”
With the Nets clinging to a one-point lead in the third quarter, Tyrese Martin helped put the game away. The journeyman guard made three consecutive shots to put Brooklyn ahead by 10 entering the fourth. Martin finished with 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field and 3-of-6 from three in 26 minutes. He added four assists, three of which resulted in fourth-quarter threes by Noah Clowney.
Despite moving to the bench in favor of rookie Egor Demin, Martin continues to get the bulk of Brooklyn's point guard minutes.
“[I was] just sticking to the game plan, being able to get downhill, keep guys in jail, and knowing where my shooters are going to be on the weak side,” Martin told YES. “I was either able to get to the rim, or I know I sprayed for Noah twice. So guys being in the right spots and just playing in the flow of the game with confidence.”
Brooklyn held Washington to 37-of-84 shooting (44.0 percent). Kyshawn George led the Wizards with 29 points and five assists on 9-of-16 shooting from the field and 5-of-10 from three. CJ McCollum added 17 points on 6-of-12 shooting.
The win brings the Nets to 2-11 on the season. It drops them behind the Wizards and the Indiana Pacers — the only two teams they've beaten — in the draft lottery standings. Brooklyn will host the Boston Celtics on Tuesday before traveling to TD Garden for a rematch on Friday.
