The Nets entered Wednesday’s recreation at Spectrum Middle simply proportion factors behind the Charlotte Hornets for fourth place within the lottery standings and solely two video games behind the Utah Jazz for second.
With draft place in thoughts, it was a recreation Brooklyn followers would’ve ideally most well-liked to lose.
Nonetheless, doing so was anticipated to be a bit troublesome given Charlotte was lacking 5 key items in LaMelo Ball, Josh Inexperienced, Mark Williams, Cody Martin and Tre Mann. To not point out Trendon Watford and Ben Simmons returned to the Nets’ rotation on Wednesday as effectively.
All components thought-about, it was almost unattainable for Brooklyn to not have some type of success in Charlotte outdoors of an entire and utter stinker, or head coach Jordi Fernandez sitting affect gamers deliberately.
Fernandez refused to drag the plug, and his group left all of it on the court docket. The Nets rolled to a 104-84 win, improved to 15-33 this season and snapped a seven-game shedding streak within the course of. It was Brooklyn’s first victory because it defeated the Portland Path Blazers on the highway on Jan. 14.
The sport was by no means shut. The Nets raced out to an 11-2 lead and did job at working the ground, taking part in with tempo and getting stops. It was a 26-19 recreation coming into the second quarter — the fewest Brooklyn had surrendered in a primary quarter on the highway this season.
The Nets led Charlotte 53-37 on the break, tied for his or her second-largest halftime lead of the season, and in addition the second-fewest factors they allowed in a primary half this season. At that time within the contest, the Hornets had been taking pictures simply 30% from the sphere and 21.1% from deep. Brooklyn had a 32-16 edge within the paint and a 14-1 benefit in transition.
Charlotte by no means caught up on an evening the place they trailed by as many as 24 factors. The Nets led 84-63 by way of three quarters, which was their largest lead by way of three quarters this season and the fewest factors they’ve surrendered by way of three quarters this season. They ended the third quarter on a 10-3 run.
Because the Toronto Raptors blew out the Washington Wizards 106-82 on Wednesday, the Nets remained in fifth place within the lottery standings however are a recreation behind Charlotte for fourth.
Keon Johnson led the Nets with 18 factors on 7-for-18 taking pictures. Watford, who returned from a 21-game absence due to a left hamstring pressure, completed with 9 factors and 4 rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench. Simmons, who missed 5 straight video games coming into the night time due to decrease again points, calf points, and sickness, added 10 factors and 6 assists in 23 minutes off the bench.
Nic Claxton had a season-high six blocks within the win.
Day’Ron Sharpe performed his faculty ball in close by Chapel Hill, so Wednesday was a homecoming of types for him, but it surely was short-lived. He left the sport late within the second quarter and didn’t return due to left hamstring tightness, contributing 5 factors and 6 rebounds in 10 minutes off the bench. He missed the primary six weeks of the season due to a left hamstring pressure.
Cam Johnson (proper ankle sprain) and Noah Clowney (proper ankle sprain) had been inactive in opposition to Charlotte. Johnson, who hasn’t performed since Jan. 21, is predicted to be re-evaluated someday subsequent week.
The Nets can have two days of relaxation earlier than returning to motion on Saturday in opposition to the Houston Rockets at Toyota Middle.
Initially Printed: January 29, 2025 at 9:36 PM EST
