Nets Fight in Atlanta But Fall Short, Still Without Back-to-Back Wins

The Brooklyn Nets took on the Atlanta Hawks, looking for their first set of back-to-back wins this season. They fell short, 110-105.

Sean Kilpatrick scored 27 points and grabbed four rebounds for the Brooklyn Nets. Brook Lopez added 18 points, six rebounds, and five blocks. Dennis Shroder had a game-high 31 points and dished out five assists for the Hawks. Paul Millsap contributed 24 points and four rebounds.

The Nets got off to an early 9-4 lead, thanks largely to Lopez’s play that filled the boxscore in categories except points. Lopez notched at least one rebound, assist, steal, and block before scoring a single point. Brooklyn showed chemistry as a team, with all starters scoring within the first six minutes, and the Nets moved up to a 16-11 advantage.

Atlanta stormed back, as Brooklyn’s offense became stagnant. Led by Shroder, the Hawks trimmed the Nets’ lead down to 22-21. Kilpatrick hit a much-needed three for the Nets in the final minute, and Brooklyn held a 27-23 advantage after one quarter.

Numerous Nets players got involved in the second quarter, with Quincy Acy, K.J. McDaniels, Trevor Booker, and Kilpatrick all providing a spark off the bench. Brooklyn continued to add to their lead, going up 36-28 with with eight minutes left in the half.

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The Hawks would answer back with a 7-0 run to tie the game at 39. A four-point possession for the Nets stopped Atlanta’s momentum, with Rondae Hollis-Jefferson making one of two free throw attempts and Jeremy Lin canning a three following Brooklyn’s offensive rebound. The Nets had a slim 50-46 lead entering the locker room at halftime.

Frustration settled in for Hollis-Jefferson at the start of the second half, as a bad pass by him resulted in another careless turnover for Brooklyn, and he subsequently picked up his fourth foul. He was replaced by Booker, who immediately made an impact on the floor for the Nets. Booker hit a fadeaway jumper and on the following possession, slammed it down to put the Nets up 57-53. Soon afterwards, with the game tied at 60, he came up with a huge block on a layup attempt by Kent Bazemore.

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Atlanta would go on a 10-0 run, and the Nets fell to a 72-65 deficit. Brooklyn responded with an 8-2 run of their own, as Kilpatrick went on a scoring rampage. Kilpatrick scored 13 points in the third quarter, helping the Nets to come within just one point, 81-80, entering the final quarter.

Kilpatrick continued his hot streak, contributing to four of the Nets’ first six points in the fourth. The Hawks, despite going up by seven with 3:47 remaining, would be met by the Nets, as Brooklyn still hung around throughout much of the quarter. A trey by Caris LeVert with 1:09 left trimmed the Hawks’ lead to 102-100.

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Trailing 104-100, out of the Nets’ timeout, Lopez flushed it down. On the following Hawks’ possession, Lopez blocked Shroder’s layup attempt, and Brooklyn got the board. However, as Kilpatrick brought the ball up the floor, he turned the ball over, marking Brooklyn’s 22nd turnover on the night. The Nets subsequently fouled Shroder, who was sent to the line and knocked down both free throws.

With 13 seconds left, Lin canned a three-pointer to cut Atlanta’s lead to 106-105. Tim Hardaway Jr. knocked down both free throws on the next possession. Another trey by Lin in an attempt to tie the game came up short, and Atlanta held on to win, 110-105.

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With this loss, the Nets still have yet to win back-to-back games this season. They fall to 11-52 on the season.

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UPDATE 3/8/17 (10:22 PM EST): A previous version of this piece had Kilpatrick’s turnover listed as the Nets’ 28th turnover of the game. The Nets only committed 22 turnovers (and the turnover was the team’s 22nd).