Don’t know if that solves all the problems, but it’s a start. The Brooklyn Nets came home after a rough road trip to face an Atlanta Hawks team that’s trying to hold on to their play-in spot. The Nets made it a bit harder with a dominant victory in front of the hometown faithful to close out February.
Read about the game from the Hawks perspective via our friends at Peachtree Hoops.
Where to follow the game
YES Network on TV. WFAN on radio. Daytime affair so we getting started after 3:00 p.m. ET.
Injuries
No Cam Thomas. Ben Simmons is questionable with left leg soreness.
Trae Young and Onyeka Okongwu are out.
The game
Atlanta got game one while Brooklyn got games two and three. This is the last regular season meeting between the teams.
We’re starting with some sad news. Following the game on Thursday, a 13 year old boy named Troy Gill was shot and killed while he was returning home from Barclays Center. On behalf of all of us here, condolences go out to Troy’s family and loved ones.
On the court, Dennis Schroder as starting point guard went pretty well. DS had an excellent game as his 23/8/7 kept things humming for the Nets and gave them their best point guard play in some time. Our own Collin Helwig made this observation
“Of Schröder’s seven assists for the night, three were on made triples. He also went 5-of-7 from deep himself.”
When you have a guard that’s motivated and determined to make things happen, the world opens up for the rest of the offense. And when you’re facing an especially porous defense, the chances of success increase tenfold.
This sounds like something I’ve heard a bunch of folks say over the past seven months..
“I can hear you screaming at your screen, “pick a direction!” This team has waffled on where to head after the 2021 run...”
As it turns out, that’s the perspective folks in the ATL have about the Hawks after they stood pat at the deadline. It’s the indecisiveness that gets you in the end.
The Nets were fully aware of the seriousness of their game Thursday, and they have to bring that energy again today. It’s hard to beat a team in back-to-back games, and with how Atlanta lost, they’re going to come out with an increased level of aggression and physicality this afternoon. With the news that Scottie Barnes of the Toronto Raptors will be out indefinitely with a fracture in his left hand, now is the time for the Nets to go on a run. Lord knows they need one.
Without Trae, everything runs through Dejounte Murray. DJM has played at a high level, but the team success hasn’t been there yet. For Murray, he’s going to have to find ways to do a bit more while Young and Okongwu are out. He’s shown an ability to take games over, and the Nets defense will be locked in on him.
Mikal Bridges has been in a bit of a mini slump from deep. He’s gone 5-34 from three point range in his last four games, but on the bright side, he made three threes on Thursday. In those four games, he’s only gotten to the free throw line five times. The Nets need more from their leading man with Thomas out, and he’s always managed to fight his way out of slumps.
Player to watch: DeAndre Hunter
We all have that one player we think “this is the year they put it all together!” DeAndre Hunter is that player for me. Every time I see him, I think back to the 2021 Playoffs and how well he played as the Hawks made their run. Since then, Hunter hasn’t been able to live up to that potential as injuries and poor play have gotten in the way.
Cam Johnson will look to put another good one together. CJ had his best game in a while as his 29 points and seven three pointers led the way for the Nets.
From the Vault
I’m in a Teena Marie mood today.
More reading: Peachtree Hoops, SB Nation NBA
- Brooklyn Nets Game Notes - Brooklyn Nets
- Atlanta Hawks Game Notes - Atlanta Hawks
- Brooklyn plays Atlanta in conference matchup - AP
- CHASING HAWKS FOR PLAY-IN SPOT, NETS GO FOR TWO-GAME SWEEP - Larry Fleisher - Field Level Media
- The Nets have this last stretch to tinker with the best way to use Nic Claxton before they must pay up ($) - Brian Lewis - New York Post
- Nets’ Dennis Schroder hopes to build off strong showing against Hawks - Jared Schwartz - New York Post
- Nets Injury Tracker: Cam Thomas out vs. Hawks, Ben Simmons questionable - SNY
- Nets’ Ben Simmons, Cam Thomas get crucial injury updates for Hawks clash - Erik Slater - Clutch Points
- Hawks look to contest shots, attack Nets defense in rematch at Brooklyn - Lauren Williams - Atlanta Journal-Constitution