Brooklyn Nets: Player grades from win No. 4 in a row over Wizards
By Phil Watson
So much to process from D’Angelo Russell‘s performance on Friday night.
He had a team-high nine assists, while committing five of the 10 turnovers the Brooklyn Nets had in the win over the Washington Wizards.
His shooting is officially back in a funk, as he is 12-for-36 (33.3 percent) over his last three games, including 4-of-11 (36.4 percent) from 3-point range. He has 29 points, 27 assists and 10 turnovers over that span.
There’s a lot of good there, mixed with a lot of not-so-good, which has been Russell’s M.O. for three-plus NBA seasons now.
Is it a coincidence that this latest cold spell is concurrent with Spencer Dinwiddie going supernova, getting a lucrative extension and taking the offense down the stretch?
Russell played 5:44 of the fourth quarter Friday, going 0-for-4 with an assist, a foul and a turnover before watching Dinwiddie finish.
It was there that the first cracks appeared this season in Russell’s facade. A couple of times when the cameras panned to the bench as the Nets were closing out what would be their fourth consecutive win, Russell was noticeably glum. It’s a situation that at least bears watching.
Jarrett Allen had three spectacular moments in Friday’s win: A dunk complete with mid-air adjustments over John Wall in the first half and two fourth-quarter plays that helped seal the deal.
Allen made a defensive play that would have made Bill Russell proud — snuffing out Kelly Oubre Jr.’s drive to the basket, making a quick second jump off the floor to secure the loose ball and firing a quick outlet pass to Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.
Then he sprinted downcourt, got position in the lane, received a feed from RHJ and made a terrific read to find a wide-open Joe Harris for a big corner 3 that put the Brooklyn Nets up 120-109 with 2:52 to go.
Allen didn’t have a huge game overall with 12 points and five rebounds, including being held off the offensive glass for the first time in four games and just the fourth time this season.
But he also showed more flashes of just how good he might be when he figures it all out.