In another lively exchange, the Nets secured a narrow win and returned to a .500 record. Perhaps this is simply their identity.
On Monday night, the Brooklyn Nets had the opportunity to become the first NBA team in the 2024-25 season to complete a season-series sweep. Not too shabby for a 3-4 team that seems more focused on their future than their current situation.
Following their win against the Memphis Grizzlies from the Western Conference on Wednesday night, Ja Morant and Zach Edey were eager for payback at the Barclays Center, and both made their presence felt early on.
Edey showcased his skills with offensive rebounds and dunks, delivering the best performance of his young career with 25 points, 12 rebounds, and four blocks. Meanwhile, Ja Morant dazzled with his 360-degree scoops, contributing an impressive 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists in a performance that transcended mere statistics.
The Brooklyn Nets, despite a few surprising moments from the crowd, managed to keep the Grizzlies in check. Their defense, lacking all but Nic Claxton from their big men, allowed 66 points in the paint but limited other scoring options.
With only one (slender) big man available against the Grizzlies’ imposing front line of Edey, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Santi Aldama, the situation became challenging at times, particularly at the beginning of the first and third quarters. However, Brooklyn never fell behind by double digits and entered the fourth quarter with an 83-79 lead.
After 36 minutes, they trailed the Grizzlies by just two in second-chance points. Although they had six fewer rebounds, they compensated for that deficit by frequently forcing turnovers and capitalizing on those chances. A significant portion of their successful transition offense stemmed from rebounding, thanks to an energized Claxton, who was making his first start of the season (more on that later)…
Following their first genuinely disappointing performance of the season in Sunday’s loss to the Detroit Pistons, Brooklyn returned to the style of play they had utilized in their previous six games, compensating for their size disadvantage by adopting Jordi Fernández’s strategies.
Cam was close to leading the team in scoring once more. No, not Thomas—Cam Johnson didn’t miss a shot until the second half, showing a willingness to attack the paint more than we typically expect from him…
When Johnson finally missed his shot in the second half, his fellow veteran wing stepped up to fill the void. Dorian Finney-Smith was perfect after halftime, going 6-of-6 from the field, which included five three-pointers. This performance matched his career-high for any full game, achieved in just 24 minutes of play.
Finney-Smith even redeemed himself for the missed free throw and corner three-pointer that had cost Brooklyn a victory against the Denver Nuggets, sinking the game-winner despite Jaren Jackson Jr.’s defense…
After that, Brooklyn secured a stop, and Dennis Schröder narrowly dodged Zach Edey to score his 20th point of the night, tying Johnson for the team lead and putting the Nets ahead by five.
This team never makes things easy, so naturally, Jackson Jr. hit a desperate three-pointer, giving Memphis a chance to steal the win with just 4.2 seconds remaining. However, their final play was disrupted by a deflection, leading to Santi Aldama air-balling a more desperate fadeaway, which sealed the victory for Brooklyn.
This was the result Brooklyn deserved. Remarkably, they ended up with one more second-chance point than their massive opponent, shot better from beyond the arc, and all five starters scored in double figures. Jalen Wilson also contributed significantly off the bench, achieving another commendable performance. Although he missed all six of his three-point attempts, he recorded 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists, as everything he did inside the arc was on point…
That was also true for the Nets as a team; they shot 56.3% from two-point range, effectively mitigating the size disadvantage they faced. Cam Thomas struggled once again, shooting 6-of-17 for the second consecutive game, but he managed to record a season-high six assists. Before Schröder’s strong fourth quarter, he was also having a tough time.
The last time Brooklyn’s two lead guards faced difficulties, the team only scored 35 points in the second half and lost to what was considered a lower-tier team, the Detroit Pistons. Some might view that as a reality check, revealing the true nature of the Nets despite their promising start.
However, after another impressive and hard-fought victory on Monday night, perhaps that earlier performance was just a minor setback. Maybe this is truly the team they are.
