Brooklyn Nets: Player grades from loss to Warriors

The Caris LeVert train just kept rolling, as the third-year wing had his 3-point touch working and was instrumental in the Brooklyn Nets’ fourth-quarter comeback effort.

LeVert also played a big part in the Nets taking an early seven-point lead over the Golden State Warriors, as he dropped in 10 first-quarter points.

LeVert scored five points and had two assists later and his two baskets were enormous.

He knocked down a pull-up 3 from above the break that started Brooklyn’s 9-0 run that got them to within two points of the Warriors and his dunk off a pretty feed from D’Angelo Russell made it a four-point game.

His one assist in the closing stretch was a gorgeous feed to a cutting Jarrett Allen.

Defensively, he was one of many guys the Nets used to try and slow Kevin Durant and he also did some good work against Klay Thompson, whose struggles from 3-point range continued during a 1-for-5 showing.

This was one of those matchups where the deficiencies in Joe Harris‘ game really stood out. There was no really good matchup for him defensively and he spent his time either being out-sized and out-quicked by Kevin Durant or out-bulked by Draymond Green.

Offensively, Harris is at his most effective as a dual-threat, when he uses his driving ability to create space for his 3-point shooting while also using the threat of the 3 to open up driving lanes. There’s a synergy to that aspect of his game that wasn’t there.

Harris didn’t attempt a drive. He didn’t attempt a shot inside the 3-point line. Yes, the Nets are emphasizing the 3-point shot in their attack — posting season-highs of 20 makes and 42 attempts Sunday night.

But without the threat of him blowing by his defender off the dribble, Harris becomes fairly easy to defend. There was a passiveness to his game on offense Sunday night that did not help Brooklyn’s efforts.