Howard Simmons/New York Daily News
With his team behind him, Nets interim head coach P.J. Carlesimo reacts during one-sided game.
NETS 97, BOBCATS 81
The post-Avery Johnson era in Brooklyn began with what were rare sights during the recently fired coach's tenure: a set play, ball movement and an aggressive Deron Williams. Maybe the decision to replace Johnson with interim coach P.J. Carlesimo resulted in the Nets playing more freely Friday night, or maybe it was just the fact they were playing against the Bobcats, the worst defensive team in the NBA.
Either way, the Nets' 97-81 win over the Bobcats in front of a reported sell-out crowd at the Barclays Center made the decision look good for now.
The Nets picked up just their fourth win in the month of December, and in their last 14 games, and dealt the struggling Bobcats their 17th straight loss.
Saturday night, with the similarly struggling Cavaliers coming to the Barclays Center, the Nets are looking to win a back-to-back series of games for the first time this season.
Carlesimo said that his subtle changes would be to try and help the Nets handle adversity – missed shots, bad calls, blown leads – better.
There was not much adversity against the Bobcats (7-22), who were led
by Hakim Warrick's 13 points, but there were some noticeable difference
in the Nets Friday night from the team that fell to .500 Wednesday night
in Milwaukee.
The set play to start the game, with three passes before Keith Bogans hit a jumper in the corner, was noticeable on a team whose offense had become isolation-heavy, as star point guard Deron Williams complained last week.
Williams' play was also notably improved. After taking just seven shots in a Christmas Day disaster of a loss to the Celtics and then sitting out Wednesday night's loss in Milwaukee, Williams was markedly more aggressive. He finished with 19 points on 7-of-14 shooting, including 3-of-5 from three-point range.
So was center Brook Lopez, who had looked passive in the six games since he returned from a foot injury. Lopez finished one shy of his season high with 26 points and also had 11 rebounds and three blocked shots.
Carlesimo also tried a different use of his bench Friday night, using
MarShon Brooks, the rookie offensive sensation last season who had been
lost in Johnson's doghouse most of this season, earlier. Brooks played
20 minutes and had nine points.
There was also no obvious let-down as had become the trademark of the Nets' December swoon. The Nets' offense stalled in the second -- the Bobcats cut the lead to 10 points -- but Brooklyn finished the half with a 10-2 run to take an 18-point lead into the half.
“We've had some very good quarters, we've had some very good halves, thrown in some clunkers,” Carlesimo said. “You're never gonna play perfect, but we have to play with more consistency.”
The Nets manage a steady game, but they did it against one of the few teams that is struggling more than they are, however. The Bobcats were allowing 109.1 points per game heading into the matchup.
Source: www.nydailynews.com
The post-Avery Johnson era in Brooklyn began with what were rare sights during the recently fired coach's tenure: a set play, ball movement and an aggressive Deron Williams. Maybe the decision to replace Johnson with interim coach P.J. Carlesimo resulted in the Nets playing more freely Friday night, or maybe it was just the fact they were playing against the Bobcats, the worst defensive team in the NBA.
Either way, the Nets' 97-81 win over the Bobcats in front of a reported sell-out crowd at the Barclays Center made the decision look good for now.
The Nets picked up just their fourth win in the month of December, and in their last 14 games, and dealt the struggling Bobcats their 17th straight loss.
Saturday night, with the similarly struggling Cavaliers coming to the Barclays Center, the Nets are looking to win a back-to-back series of games for the first time this season.
Carlesimo said that his subtle changes would be to try and help the Nets handle adversity – missed shots, bad calls, blown leads – better.
Howard Simmons/New York Daily News
Deron Williams chats with P.J. Carlesimo.The set play to start the game, with three passes before Keith Bogans hit a jumper in the corner, was noticeable on a team whose offense had become isolation-heavy, as star point guard Deron Williams complained last week.
Williams' play was also notably improved. After taking just seven shots in a Christmas Day disaster of a loss to the Celtics and then sitting out Wednesday night's loss in Milwaukee, Williams was markedly more aggressive. He finished with 19 points on 7-of-14 shooting, including 3-of-5 from three-point range.
So was center Brook Lopez, who had looked passive in the six games since he returned from a foot injury. Lopez finished one shy of his season high with 26 points and also had 11 rebounds and three blocked shots.
Kathy Kmonicek/AP
Brook Lopez goes for a shot.There was also no obvious let-down as had become the trademark of the Nets' December swoon. The Nets' offense stalled in the second -- the Bobcats cut the lead to 10 points -- but Brooklyn finished the half with a 10-2 run to take an 18-point lead into the half.
“We've had some very good quarters, we've had some very good halves, thrown in some clunkers,” Carlesimo said. “You're never gonna play perfect, but we have to play with more consistency.”
The Nets manage a steady game, but they did it against one of the few teams that is struggling more than they are, however. The Bobcats were allowing 109.1 points per game heading into the matchup.
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