These are the varieties of video games the Nets are going to must get used to.
The gritty, ugly, grind-it-out performances have change into a part of the material of the identification the Nets should assume in the event that they’re going to salvage the second half of what was as soon as a season with championship expectations.
That’s what it took to get again on monitor and safe a 124-123 extra time victory over Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday.
“Coming into a hostile environment against a good western conference opponent — it’s a testament to our mental toughness,” beginning guard Spencer Dinwiddie mentioned in his walk-off postgame interview.
It’s the fifth time the Nets have rallied again from down double-digits to create a single-possession recreation down the stretch because the commerce deadline.
And in the long run, it was protection — not shot-making — that received a recreation down the stretch.
The Nets denied Edwards a possibility to shoot on the ultimate possession of extra time. At the tip of the fourth quarter, the Nets acquired back-to-back stops on Edwards — first a strip steal by Spencer Dinwiddie, then a heavy contest on a operating floater within the recreation’s closing possessions — earlier than dropping Naz Reid, who hit a buzzer-beating three to tie the sport at 114 and ship it into extra time.
The protection was the by line for a Nets staff that fell right into a 12-point gap within the second quarter. The Nets held the Wolves to only 20 factors within the third quarter.
It was a powerful efficiency from a Nets staff whose bench scored an historic 98 factors in a late rally that fell quick towards the Bucks the night time earlier than.
Head coach Jacque Vaughn sat virtually each key rotation participant towards the Bucks on Thursday. Jacque Vaughn sat Spencer Dinwiddie, Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith towards the Bucks. Mikal Bridges solely performed the primary quarter towards the Bucks earlier than taking part in 47 of 53 doable minutes towards the Timberwolves on Friday.
Bridges scored a game-high 34 factors and shot 13-of-24 from the sector and four-of-eight from downtown. He outplayed Edwards, who completed with 32 factors on 12-of-26 capturing and struggled to get his pictures to fall down the stretch.
Cam Johnson added 15 factors and left the sport briefly after taking an elbow to the face. Seven totally different Nets, together with your complete beginning 5, scored in double figures.
Dinwiddie performed considered one of his finest video games this time round in a Nets jersey. He created Brooklyn’s closing two baskets in extra time on drive and kick threes — first discovering Bridges on a 3 to tie the sport at 121 apiece, then delivering a dime to Finney-Smith, who was wide-open within the nook for the go-ahead triple.
The Nets then compelled the ball out of Edwards’ palms on the sport’s closing possession.
Veteran Wolves guard Mike Conley had his side-step three blocked on the buzzer.
The Nets have now received 4 of their final 5 video games and journey to Denver on Sunday to tackle the reigning MVP Nikola Jokic and a Nuggets staff anticipated to return out of the Western Conference as championship contenders.
After struggling on the highway, the Nets have received three of their final 4 video games in opponent territory.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com