The Brooklyn Nets expected the Cleveland Cavaliers to be “breathing fire” ahead of Wednesday’s game at Barclays Center.
They managed to keep the fire in check, holding Cleveland to its lowest points in 13 games, but couldn’t find their offensive flow, falling 91-78.
“Cleveland scored 91 points, if we were doing the right things on offense we’d be right in the ball game,” Interim Head Coach Tony Brown said. “Because of our struggles offensively, it made it difficult for us to get back into the ball game.”
The Nets shot 41.7% Wednesday, shooting 35-of-84 from the field. Brook Lopez finished with a team-high 16 points (8-of-15), Thaddeus Young scored 14 (7-of-14) and Donald Sloan had 12 (6-of-10), but the trio didn’t get much offensive support, as the rest of the team combined to shoot 14-of-45, or 31.1%.
“The ball stuck a lot [tonight]. I’m a culprit of that,” Lopez said. “We had trouble initiating our offense and when we did, we were doing it from pretty far outside the three-point line, which made it difficult for us.”
Lopez also credited the pressure applied by the Cavaliers, saying the Nets needed to play with more pace. The big man, who had a team-high 10 rebounds, said unforced turnovers – the Nets had 14 turnovers for 19 points, but a handful of errant passes – were also a factor Wednesday.
“It was definitely a step back tonight all around,” Lopez said.
LeBron James (17 points on 7-of-12) looked to be breathing fire early with three breakaway dunks in the first quarter, each thrown down with authority. After giving up eight first-quarter points, the Nets held James to just 11 over the next two quarters (he did not play in the fourth). James also committed a team-high four turnovers.
But with the Nets’ attention focused on James, Kevin Love quietly had big night for the Cavaliers. Love recorded a double-double by halftime and had 17 points with 18 boards by the end of the third. He and Kyrie Irving (9 points, 5 assists) also did not play the fourth.
“He plays well off other guys, especially playing off of LeBron,” Young said of Love. “He’ll bang some threes, or he’s able to get to the free throw line and he’s rebounding the basketball. He’s not doing anything differently from what he’s been doing. Some nights he’s going to have great nights, some nights he’s going to have okay nights.”
Tristan Thompson had a double-double off the bench, scoring 14 points with 10 boards.
Joe Johnson (3 points, 1-of-7) saw his streak of double-digit scoring end at seven games, but the veteran knocked down a three-pointer for the 16th consecutive game, matching the longest streak for a Net this season.
The Nets return to the hardwood on Friday night when they host the Utah Jazz at 7:30 p.m.
