Brooklyn Nets: 5 takeaways from blowout in Indy

The Brooklyn Nets hung around with the Indiana Pacers for 3 quarters Saturday night before the hammer fell on them in the 4th in a 132-112 loss.

All things being equal, the Brooklyn Nets were fairly evenly matched with the Indiana Pacers on the stat sheet Saturday night, but three key areas were all the difference as the Pacers smacked the Nets 132-112 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

The rebounding battle was even at 40-40. Each team made 16 3-pointers. Each team was 14-for-22 at the free-throw line and called for 18 fouls.

But the Pacers (2-1) had a 30-12 edge in points off turnovers, outscored the Nets in the paint 58-40 and hit a smoking-hot 16-of-24 from 3-point land as the Nets (1-2) created bad situations with poor ball-handling, couldn’t keep Indiana away from the basket and didn’t defend the 3 line, either.

And yet Brooklyn was able to hang around into the early stages of the fourth quarter, getting as close as seven points at 99-92 on Joe Harris‘ finger roll at the rack.

Then the Pacers put together a four-minute burst that demolished the Nets, outscoring them 19-5 to take a 118-97 lead with 6:37 remaining to put the win away. At that point, Brooklyn coach Kenny Atkinson emptied the bench and garbage time ensued.

The short-handed Nets were already without Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who remained at home with his newborn son, as well as Shabazz Napier, DeMarre Carroll, Alan Williams and the newest member of the Nets’ walking wounded, swingman Treveon Graham, out indefinitely with a hamstring strain.

The injury list grew early in the fourth quarter as promising rookie Rodions Kurucs was helped off with a sprained left ankle. While trying to recover on the defensive end, Kurucs stepped on the front of Ed Davis‘ foot and the ankle rolled from inside out. He did not return.

Caris LeVert and Joe Harris led Brooklyn with 19 points each, while Ed Davis finished with eight rebounds, four points and two blocks. D’Angelo Russell had seven assists.

All-NBA selection Victor Oladipo paced Indiana with 25 points and four steals.

Myles Turner went for 14 points and eight rebounds, Kyle O’Quinn finished with 16 points, eight boards and two blocks, Cory Joseph went for 12 points and six assists and Tyreke Evans added 15 points and three steals.

The Nets, after three games in four nights, will have a three-day break before visiting the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday.

Here are five takeaways from the loss.