Brooklyn Nets vs. Philadelphia 76ers Takeaways and Player Grades

Jan 8, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson reacts with center Brook Lopez (11) during the second quarter against Philadelphia 76ers at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Nicole Sweet-USA TODAY Sports

In a Noon showdown at Barclay’s Center, the eight-win Brooklyn Nets took on the nine-win Philadelphia 76ers. Unfortunately for the Nets, a familiar trend reemerged.

The Brooklyn Nets didn’t seem phased by the early tip off, as Brooklyn’s offense was flowing well in the first quarter. Brooklyn moved the ball well, and got out to an early lead over the Sixers led by Brook Lopez with nine points, and Bojan Bogdanovic with six. Brooklyn shot 47 percent from the field in the first quarter, on their way to a 27-24 lead.

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Interestingly, the Nets went with a large lineup in the second quarter, as Kenny Atkinson used both Lopez and Justin Hamilton on the floor for a stretch. The combination worked well, as Hamilton made each of his first four shots on his way to 12 points, and Lopez continued to be an offensive force.

The biggest problem for the Nets in the first half was turnovers, as Brooklyn turned the ball over 12 times in the first half. To the Nets’ credit, though, they kept battling offensively, and were able to build on their lead. The Nets went on a 9-0 run to end the first half, as they took an 11 point lead, 57-46, into halftime. Lopez led the Nets with 18 in the first half, and Hamilton added 12 points off the bench.

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The Nets shot 55 percent from the field in the first half, and Brooklyn led Philadelphia for the entire first half.

The Sixers, after a slow start in the first half, opened the third quarter on a 13-0 run to take a 59-57 run. The Nets got their first points of the second half at the 7:15 mark, as Lopez made a layup and converted an and-1. But suddenly, all of the progress Brooklyn made in the first half had been undone.

The Nets know third-quarter struggles all too well this season, and the problem emerged once again on Sunday. The news went from bad to worse in the third quarter for Brooklyn. Not only did the Nets blow the lead, but Brooklyn announced Trevor Booker sustained a left hip contusion.

Brooklyn was outscored 32-16 in the third quarter, as Philadelphia led 78-73 with 12 minutes to play.

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After struggling in the third quarter, the Nets climbed back into the game by starting the fourth quarter on a 9-4 run. Caris LeVert tied the game at 82 with a layup with 8:44 remaining in the game.

Sean Kilpatrick, who did not score in the first half, found a rhythm in the fourth quarter as the Nets mounted a comeback. With 5:22 remaining, Kilpatrick had 10 points off the bench, but the Nets trailed 89-87.

Suddenly, the Nets received unexpected news in the fourth quarter, as Trevor Booker was able to return after injuring his hip. Brooklyn previously listed him as ‘out’ in the third quarter. Brooklyn had all hands on deck in an effort to make a comeback.

Unfortunately, the Sixers pulled away in the final minutes. A 14-2 Philadelphia run ended the Nets’ hopes of a comeback, as the Sixers won by 10, 105-95.