Brooklyn Nets: Player grades from disastrous finish(es) against Grizzlies
By Phil Watson
C. 45 MIN, 26 PTS, 10-for-27 (5-for-14), 1 REB, 8 AST. 2 PF, 3 STL, 8 TO, 1 BLK, -1. PG. Brooklyn Nets. D'ANGELO RUSSELL
The good? Twenty-six points, eight assists, three steals. The bad? Twenty-seven shots to score 26 points, eight turnovers and some ill-advised shots in the second overtime that were way out of the flow of the offense.
Oh, and the blown layup late in the first overtime.
D’Angelo Russell’s consistent inconsistency reared its head within the confines of Friday night’s game as he was alternately really good and very bad.
His shooting — even with the 16-for-28 night against the Philadelphia 76ers included — has been dismal over the last six games. Russell is shooting just 37.7 percent overall and 27.5 percent from 3-point range (on 8.5 attempts per game) over that span.
He’s averaging 20 points per game during that stretch, but he’s done so on an average of 21.7 shots a night — not the ideal ratio for optimum efficiency.
SPENCER DINWIDDIE. C. 43 MIN, 15 PTS, 5-for-14 (2-for-8), 2 REB, 5 AST, 5 PF, 2 TO, -16. SG. Brooklyn Nets
Spencer Dinwiddie made his first start of the season Friday night, replacing the injured Joe Harris with Allen Crabbe shifting from shooting guard to small forward, and the results were decidedly mixed.
His 3-point attempt with 19 seconds left in the second overtime, with the Nets down by three points, was a dreadful decision. He was blanketed defensively and settled for a contested pull-up 3 with lots of time left to run the offense, get a good shot and still leave time if it missed.
Instead, Dinwiddie’s shot ended the possession after less than a second. Memphis got the ball back on the rebound out of bounds after a video review and Marc Gasol made it a two-possession game with 14.8 seconds remaining by hitting the first of two free throws.
At that point, the Nets were forced to go quick and Russell’s 25-foot pull-up attempt was off the mark and the game was out of reach.