If there was ever any doubt about the Brooklyn Nets being ready for an end of season playoff push then their 103-75 blowout victory over the Detroit Pistons at Barclays Center should put that to rest.
What was supposed to be an all out post-season like battle between the two playoff contenders ended up being a lopsided pummeling of the visiting Pistons (34-32), who were coming off a hot five game winning streak. The win pushed the Nets (36-33) right back into the sixth seed of the Eastern Conference playoff race putting them a half-game ahead of Detroit and keeping them three games ahead of the current eighth place Miami Heat.
The Nets physicality and energy on defense overwhelmed the Pistons, while electrifying a sold-out crowd that hung on to every play and shot throughout the entire four quarters. Brooklyn’s well-rounded offensive, which fans have come to expect, was icing on the cake for what was easily one of the Nets most complete games of the season.
After taking a 27-19 lead in the first quarter, Brooklyn never looked back. They ended the game shooting 49 percent from the field, hitting 11 three pointers, with seven players scoring in double figures. Leading the way was sixth man of the year candidate Spencer Dinwiddie with 19, with D’Angelo Russell adding 11 points and seven assists and Allen Crabbe dropping 14 points and 10 rebounds. But again the scoring performance is something they have become accustomed to this season.
“Everything kind of aligned tonight. I thought the game plan was good and the guys executed well, especially defensively,” said Head Coach Kenny Atkinson after the game. “I thought Rodi (Rodions Kurucs) did a great job. We didn’t ask Rodi to steal the ball the way he did, we just told him to deny Blake and limit his touches. He anticipated well, really got in the passing lanes and threw off their timing.”
The defense made all of the difference boosting the Nets into the much-needed win. During the last five games the Pistons averaged 123-points per game on 52 percent shooting from the field, but the Nets completely dismantled their offense holding them to a season low 75 points on 27 percent shooting from the field. Including another outstanding defensive performance by rookie Rodions Kurucs, who held All Star forward Blake Griffin to 10 points on 1-for-10 shooting with four turnovers.
The Nets also out rebounded the Pistons 53-49––a rarity for Brooklyn as they consistently struggle on the boards, especially against big frontcourts like Detroit’s.
“It was another step from all our other games. We knew that we had to bring a certain physicality against Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin, so we had to turn it up a little bit,” Jarrett Allen told reporters after the game.
From the players on the court, to the bench, and including the fans, the energy at Barclays Center was like a playoff game. The Pistons were rattled and as a team never able to get into a flow, and that might be in part because they were on the second night of a back to back, but there is no doubt it had a lot to do with how Brooklyn is ready to take the next step in their route to being a winning franchise––even if some are remaining leveled headed with last night’s win.
“Each win counts as one. I don’t really think about when we win in the season, or what teams we win against. I don’t want to get carried away here. We are still only a little over .500. Look at this road trip and the games we have. I’m not sure we are favored in any of them. We know we have a difficult task ahead. Despite getting a good win, we aren’t celebrating tonight.” said Atkinson. “Detroit was coming off a game the night before, and it is late in the season, so we had more juice tonight. I don’t say that to take anything away from our guys.”
With only a month remaining on the schedule and the Nets embarking on a seven game road trip, the game against Detroit was a must win––if only to give them a spark on what is easily the most difficult schedule for the remainder of the season.
Still a win against a hot team fighting for playoff position did exactly what it was supposed to do, which is give the Nets an energy and confidence they have been building up towards this entire season.
“It’s huge. The fact that they’re succeeding and at where we’re trying to be, it was a huge win tonight,” beamed Allen who finished the game with 11 points, eight boards and two blocks. “All the vets on the team were like, this is a playoff-type game, so we have to bring the right mentality and be ready for it.”
The Nets are ready, and with the next 13 games against playoff bound or teams fighting for playoff seeding they have no choice, but to take it up a notch.
The seven game road trip starts on Wednesday against the Oklahoma City Thunder and ends on March 28, against the Philadelphia 76ers before coming home to face the Boston Celtics on March 30.
