Brooklyn Nets: Player grades from a 4th straight win in Phoenix

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SHABAZZ NAPIER. B+. 15 MIN, 4 PTS, 1-for-4 (0-for-2), 4 REB (2 ORB), 5 AST, 1 STL, 1 TO, +13. PG. Brooklyn Nets

Shabazz Napier showed his veteran savvy during a key sequence while the Brooklyn Nets were re-establishing their control of the game in the third quarter. The Suns had made a run to close the gap to five points and Napier’s big defensive play helped the Nets during their answering burst.

After Ryan Anderson got a defensive rebound, Napier backpedaled a bit and parked in the lane where Anderson was staring. He stepped in front of the pass, shuttled the ball quickly to Spencer Dinwiddie for a 3-pointer and the Nets were never really challenged again.

He didn’t shoot well — but outside of Caris LeVert and Dinwiddie, neither did anyone else — but was active in finding open shooters with five assists in just 15 minutes.

Brooklyn Nets. RONDAE HOLLIS-JEFFERSON. D. 13 MIN, 5 PTS, 1-for-6 (0-for-1), 2 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 2 TO, -1. PF

Oof.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson followed up his best outing of the young season on Sunday with a thankfully short stint during which he was mostly out of control at the offensive end.

His response to missing difficult shots was to come back with something even more difficult the next time down, which is a habit Hollis-Jefferson can fall into at times.

Still, he didn’t let the offensive struggles take away from the defensive end and in one sequence followed a turnover with an immediate steal, just ripping the ball away from Devin Booker to start a fast break.

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It was a bit disheartening, though, to see RHJ play so wildly after having such a solid, under-control performance against Philadelphia.