Brooklyn Nets: 3 takeaways from 78-69 loss to Minnesota

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LAS VEGAS, NV – JULY 9: Yuta Watanabe #42 of the Brooklyn Nets shoots the ball during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League on July 9, 2018 at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images) /

2. Undrafted rookies — some good, some not so much

Yuta Watanabe continued his strong play in Las Vegas, scoring 14 points in 26 minutes while hitting 4-of-6 from deep and blocking two more shots.

He looks comfortable in the stretch 4 role with the Nets after playing primarily at the 2 and 3 at George Washington and looks like a guy who is playing his way onto some team’s roster for training camp.

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Israeli wing Shawn Dawson was also very good on Monday. In 21 minutes, he scored 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting, knocked down 2-of-3 from long range and had three assists. Dawson was smooth and assertive on offense and didn’t play like he was in a hurry.

The same couldn’t be said Monday of North Carolina swingman Theo Pinson, who looked more like the player who was rushed and out of control against the Orlando Magic on Friday than the collected performer who scored 16 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday.

Pinson played 22 minutes and finished with four points on 2-of-6 shooting to go with a team-high five turnovers.

In one sequence in the fourth quarter, Pinson dribbled off a pick and even though the bounce pass to the roll man wasn’t there, shuffled a very weak, indecisive pass into two defenders for a steal and a run-out the other direction. Easy to like his energy, particularly at the defensive end, but he can get lost offensively at times.

Shooting was a problem for the Nets on Monday. Brooklyn was 25-for-71 in the game (35.2 percent) and 7-for-23 (30.4 percent) from deep. Outside of Dawson and Watanabe, who combined to make 6-of-9 from beyond the 3-point line, the rest of the squad was a combined 1-for-14.

Ouch, babe.

Milton Doyle, who recently signed a second two-way contract with the Nets, was all over the place offensively … but it was seldom the right place. Doyle was 1-for-11 from the floor and missed all four of his 3-point attempts, while posting four turnovers.

Wild drives to the basket were Doyle’s trademark on Monday. Defensively, he was solid with three blocks and two steals.