Many of the new Nets seem to have a bad case of jet lag.
Playing the first of two exhibition games in China against the Houston Rockets, the Nets lost 91-81 in a game that featured very little production from the team’s bevy of newcomers.
Brook Lopez led all scorers with 22 points while showing off a variety of good-looking post moves against China native Yao Ming. Terrence Williams picked up 20 points in 36 minutes off the bench after being held scoreless Saturday against the Celtics, while Devin Harris added 19 points, seven assists and five steals.
The rest of the team, however, struggled to get anything going in a game where the Nets played mostly from behind. Outside of the contributions of Lopez, Williams and Harris, the team shot just 9-for-31. Starting shooting guard Anthony Morrow continued to struggle in the preseason, making just one of four attempts from the field. Derrick Favors, who apparently has failed to impress a Nuggets scout tracking him as a potential centerpiece to a deal involving Carmelo Anthony, went 0-for-5 in 23 minutes as the starting power forward.
The Rockets’ starting backcourt of Aaron Brooks and Kevin Martin combined for 35 points, while Chase Budinger and Jared Jeffries chipped in 12 points apiece off the bench. In 19 minutes, Yao went 4-for-6 and scored nine points in front of 17,000 fans at Beijing’s Wukesong Arena.
The teams will meet again Saturday in Guangzhou (7:30 a.m., NBA TV) before heading back to the United States.
(Photo courtesy of YardBarker.com)