Brooklyn Nets vs. Washington Wizards Takeaways and Grades

After a big victory against the Phoenix Suns, the Brooklyn Nets looked to make it three in a row against the Washington Wizards. It was Nothin’ But ‘Zards on Friday night, as the Nets lost in a blowout. Final score: 129-108, Wizards.

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Team Stats

Field goal shooting/percentage

• Nets: 43-82 (52.4%)
• Wizards: 49-97 (50.5%)

Three-point shooting/percentage

• Nets: 3-15 (20.0%)
• Wizards: 10-26 (38.5%)

Rebounds

• Nets: 38
• Wizards: 46

Assists

• Nets: 24
• Wizards: 29

Steals

• Nets: 5
• Wizards: 9

Blocks

• Nets: 4
• Wizards: 5

Turnovers

• Nets: 14
• Wizards: 10

Fouls

• Nets: 22
• Wizards: 19

Free throws

• Nets: 19-26
• Wizards: 21-22

Points in paint

• Nets: 66
• Wizards: 58

Fast break points

• Nets: 14
• Wizards: 16

Bench points

• Nets: 57
• Wizards: 70

Largest lead

• Nets: 9
• Wizards: 29 (Ow.)

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Key Plays

The Nets’ first quarter was a flip-flop 12 minutes. Brooklyn led by nine early, due to strong play from their starters. But when the second unit checked in, the tides turned. The nine-point lead turned into a nine-point deficit at the end of the quarter. The Wizards were led by 12 points from All-Star point guard John Wall in the first. The Nets could not gain momentum in the second quarter, with the Nets suffering through both defensive lapses and offensive inefficiency. Brandon Jennings made the second quarter his personal playground, with flashy passes and dribble moves. The Wizards extended their lead to over 20, ending the first half with a 63-42 lead.

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The Nets showed a little life to start the third quarter, with strong play from Jeremy Lin and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. Hollis-Jefferson in particular had a strong third quarter, with eight quick points. They were able to cut the Wizards’ lead to under 20 simply on their effort. Hooray! The Nets shot over 65 percent from the field in the third quarter, yet still found themselves in a deficit, trailing 97-81 at the end of three quarters.

The Nets’ fourth quarter started off with a bang. K.J. McDaniels scored on a monster dunk that may enter Wizards’ fans nightmares.

But even with a bit of momentum, Brooklyn still could not get a stop. The Washington lead never dipped under 14 points. The Wizards extended their lead again, notching their 44th victory of the season, 129-108. So much for Do it for the Draft Picks (DIFTDP).

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Top Performers

Nets:

• Rondae Hollis-Jefferson: 19 points, 7 rebounds
• Justin Hamilton: 20 points, 6 rebounds

Wizards:

• John Wall: 22 points, 9 assists, 4 rebounds
• Bradley Beal: 19 points, 3 assists