The Nets had no solutions in Wednesday’s 59-point loss to the Clippers, however Friday’s matchup towards the Lakers performed out a lot in another way with a wholesome D’Angelo Russell within the fold, even with Cam Johnson nonetheless sidelined due to a proper ankle sprain.
A sport that featured 11 ties and 22 lead modifications got here all the way down to the ultimate minutes of regulation.
Russell, going through the Lakers for the primary time since final month’s commerce, was sharp off the bench and saved the Nets in hanging distance all through the evening. Two-way ahead Tosan Evbuomwan, who completed with 15 factors on 6-for-10 capturing with six rebounds, was enjoying out of his thoughts. And a Noah Clowney 3-pointer pulled Brooklyn inside one level with 37.2 seconds left.
Austin Reaves’ short-armed a 7-footer on the Lakers’ ensuing possession. With 20.9 seconds left, the Nets had an opportunity to steal one on the highway, two nights after getting embarrassed in Inglewood.
Russell had the recent hand, this was a revenge sport for him, so after all he needed to take the ultimate shot. He waived off his teammates, sized up Max Christie, and went to work. He took one laborious dribble left, snatched the ball again between his legs going proper, then pulled up for a lefty trey with the sport clock winding down.
Nevertheless it wasn’t to be. Russell misfired. LeBron James secured the game-winning rebound and ran the clock out. The Nets fell 102-101 at Crypto.com Enviornment regardless of an impressed effort from Russell, Evbuomwan, and actually the workforce as an entire.
“I’m going to let these guys with experience take the shot,” head coach Jordi Fernandez mentioned of Russell’s go-ahead try. “That was a shot that I’ve seen him make a lot of times.”
Austin Reaves led the Lakers with 38 factors in 37 minutes. James added 29 factors, seven rebounds and eight assists. Anthony Davis was inactive Friday evening.
The Nets formally re-acquired Russell, 28, in a commerce with the Lakers on Dec. 29, a deal that despatched Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton to Los Angeles and Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three second-round picks to Brooklyn. Finney-Smith missed Friday’s sport for private causes. He and his fiancée introduced the start of their son earlier this week. Milton performed eight minutes and recorded an help.
Russell, enjoying in his fifth sport since returning to Brooklyn, led the workforce with 19 factors, six rebounds and eight assists, serving to the workforce to a 49-12 benefit in bench factors. After Russell missed what would have been the go-ahead jumper, Fernandez thought Clowney received fouled whereas crashing the glass.
Fernandez had some extent, however in the end no name was made.
“We’ll wait to see what the final two-minute report says,” Fernandez mentioned.
The Nets fell to 0-9 with out Johnson within the lineup this season. He’s appeared in simply one in all Brooklyn’s previous eight video games — Tuesday’s 132-114 win over Portland — the place he completed with 24 factors.
Cam Thomas missed his eighth straight sport Friday evening. He’s anticipated to be re-evaluated when the Nets return dwelling someday subsequent week. Brooklyn fell to 14-28 with the loss and can end up its six-game highway journey on Sunday towards the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder at Paycom Heart.
