The Nets’ three-game profitable streak got here to an finish Monday night time at Barclays Heart, as they fell to the Golden State Warriors 120-107 in a sport that remained inside attain till the ultimate minutes, dropping them to 10-20 on the season.
Michael Porter Jr. completed with 27 factors, 9 rebounds and 5 assists, persevering with to construct his case for an All-Star nod. Cam Thomas led the bench with 13 factors on 5-for-12 taking pictures in 19 minutes in his second sport again from harm, whereas rookie Egor Demin scored 23 factors and knocked down a career-high seven 3-pointers to interrupt the Nets’ single-game rookie file from deep.
Stephen Curry (27) and Jimmy Butler (21) poured in 48 mixed factors within the Warriors’ seventeenth win of the season.
“We competed, but as a group, we just weren’t as good as we’ve been lately,” Nets head coach Jordi Fernández mentioned.
Head coach Steve Kerr mentioned pregame that Golden State deliberate to succeed in deeper into its bench and handle the minutes of Curry, Butler and Draymond Inexperienced after an additional time loss to the Toronto Raptors the night time earlier than. Whether or not by design or fatigue, the Warriors struggled to match Brooklyn’s early vitality.
The Nets jumped on Golden State from the opening tip, enjoying with urgency and physicality whereas the Warriors seemed sluggish to settle into the second night time of a back-to-back. Porter scored eight early factors and Demin added six. On the different finish, the Nets held Golden State to 2-for-9 taking pictures within the opening minutes. Porter capped the surge with a transition dunk that pushed Brooklyn forward 18-8 with 7:32 left within the first quarter, forcing Kerr to burn an early timeout.
Brooklyn loosened its grip defensively as soon as the bench rotation started to show, beginning with Thomas checking in on the 5:11 mark, however the Nets nonetheless carried a 30-28 lead into the second quarter. Golden State shot 45% within the opening body, with Curry held to 1-for-4 taking pictures, although the Warriors closed the quarter on a 13-2 run.
Curry’s quiet begin didn’t final. The four-time NBA champion discovered his rhythm within the second quarter, scoring eight factors and pulling down a pair of 3-pointers as Golden State shot 54.5% within the interval and edged Brooklyn 31-27. Porter answered on the opposite finish, pouring in seven factors of his personal and reaching 17 factors in his first 16 minutes of motion. The Nets continued to execute offensively regardless of the Warriors’ surge, and Thomas chipped in 5 off the bench to maintain Brooklyn inside putting distance heading into halftime.
The back-and-forth nature of the sport was mirrored on the scoreboard. The groups mixed for 13 lead adjustments and eight ties within the first half, with Brooklyn constructing a lead as massive as 13 earlier than Golden State responded. By the break, neither facet had been in a position to totally seize management, setting the stage for a tightly contested second half.
The third quarter unfolded as a tug-of-war, with neither facet in a position to seize management for lengthy. Brooklyn briefly grabbed momentum behind its younger legs and exercise, opening the half with robust defensive possessions and well timed shot-making.
However each Nets push met a response. Curry continued to regular the Warriors with shot-making and playmaking, whereas Butler started to impose himself bodily, particularly when guarded by rookie Danny Wolf. He scored inside, drew fouls and transformed sufficient on the stripe to tilt the stability, whereas Brandin Podziemski and Gary Payton II helped prolong possessions. By the point the horn sounded, the Warriors had nudged forward 89-85, having survived Brooklyn’s bursts and turned a frenetic, evenly performed quarter right into a slender edge getting into the fourth.
It was all Warriors down the stretch, as Brooklyn shot simply 31.6%, dedicated 5 turnovers and was outscored 31-22, with Porter and Thomas combining to go 0-for-3 within the quarter. Golden State additionally received the battle within the paint 56-30, and its bench accounted for 58 factors.
It was solely a four-point sport with 1:56 left after Demin hit his record-breaking 3-pointer however then obtained blocked on one other try from deep and turned the ball over on back-to-back possessions, resulting in straightforward Warriors buckets. It was a essential studying second for the rookie.
“They’re a really experienced team,” Demin mentioned. “They are who they are.”
Nonetheless, Brooklyn pushed one of many league’s most grizzled groups deep into the sport, persevering with a stretch of play that has mirrored actual development past the standings. It’s going to open the new yr Thursday with a house sport in opposition to the Houston Rockets.
