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Nets’ Brief Winning Streak Torn Apart in Blowout Loss to Wizards

By Sandy Mui

Mar 24, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Isaiah Whitehead (15) fouls Washington Wizards guard Bojan Bogdanovic (44) during the first half at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 24, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Isaiah Whitehead (15) fouls Washington Wizards guard Bojan Bogdanovic (44) during the first half at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /
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142. 108. 147. Final. 129

The Brooklyn Nets visited the Washington Wizards for the back end of their back-to-back set. Brooklyn was blown out, 129-108.

Justin Hamilton led the Brooklyn Nets with 20 points and six rebounds off the bench. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson added 19 points, seven rebounds, and one steal. John Wall scored a game-high 22 points and dished out nine assists for the Wizards. Brandon Jennings contributed 18 points and nine assists.

The Nets came out hot, with numerous starters contributing to the team’s excellent start. Jeremy Lin scored five of the Nets’ first seven points. Randy Foye chipped in a nifty spin move from the baseline to finish a layup. A Brook Lopez jumper capped off the Nets’ 13-4 start to the game.

However, the Wizards answered with five straight points, and the Nets would struggle offensively in the final four-and-a-half minutes of the first. Washington ended the first on a 15-3 run and held a 31-22 edge after one quarter.

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The second quarter told much of the same story, as the Nets looked all out of sorts on both the offensive and defensive ends. Washington’s lead ballooned to as much as 28 points, and the Nets trailed 63-42 at halftime.

The two teams’ bench production painted the picture well — Washington’s bench outscored Brooklyn’s 33-14 in the first half. This was unlike the Nets’ game just one night ago, in which Brooklyn’s bench scoring propelled the team to an extremely lopsided win.

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Despite the Wizards still maintaining a sizable advantage, the Nets showed some signs of life to begin the third. Brooklyn notched three steals in the opening five minutes and trimmed Washington’s lead to as little as 16 points. Isaiah Whitehead had a few crafty layups in the quarter, including one that he converted on with his back to the basket and flipped up behind his head.

K.J. McDaniels and Andrew Nicholson helped the Nets close out the quarter, and their production brought Brooklyn within 14. However, while Brooklyn was able to get their offense going and outscored Washington 39-34 in the third, they could not get the stops necessary to pull within single digits. After three quarters, the Wizards were up 97-81.

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It was all Wizards in the fourth, though McDaniels had a thunderous slam over Washington’s Jason Smith. The Nets saw their first winning streak of the season end in a 129-108 loss to Washington.