Brooklyn Nets: Player grades from comeback win over Knicks
By Phil Watson
The Brooklyn Nets on Friday followed the same script as the opener — big 1st-half lead, lousy 3rd quarter. But this time the 4th-quarter comeback didn’t fall short.
The Brooklyn Nets survived a roller-coaster ride Friday night in their home opener, again squandering a double-digit first-half lead under a mountain of turnovers and a poor third quarter before coming back to beat the New York Knicks 107-105.
Caris LeVert got it done with the game on the line after a crucial late turnover cost Brooklyn a chance to take the lead against the Detroit Pistons, beating former college teammate Tim Hardaway Jr. on a drive and sealing the win by dropping in a floater with one second left.
The Nets shot 49.3 percent (37-for-75) on the night and their 3-point touch was considerably better Friday, as they were 12-for-30 (40 percent) after the dismal 5-for-27 showing in Detroit.
Brooklyn was also solid at the foul line, hitting 21-of-24 — LeVert was 10-for-11 by himself — and outrebounded New York 55-36.
The turnover battle was a TKO for the Knicks, however, as Brooklyn’s 22 turnovers led to 29 New York points. The Knicks turned it over just three times, with the Nets getting five points.
The teams were even with 12 offensive rebounds each, but Brooklyn had a small 10-7 edge in second-chance points, while outscoring New York in the paint, 48-40.,
New York shot 40.2 percent, but was buoyed by getting 22 more attempts (39-for-97). The Knicks were just 9-for-28 from deep (32.1 percent).
LeVert led six Nets in double-figures with 28 points. Hardaway and Enes Kanter had 29 each for New York, which had only three players in double-digits.
Brooklyn improved to 1-1 with the win and faces the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis Saturday night. The Knicks fell to 1-1.
The Nets did not play Kenneth Faried, Dzanan Musa or Theo Pinson for the second straight game. The inactives for the night were DeMarre Carroll (right ankle surgery), Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (personal), Shabazz Napier (strained right hamstring) and Alan Williams (sprained right ankle).
Here are the player grades from Friday night’s win: