Brooklyn Nets: Player grades from unlikely, wild, crazy win at Houston

5 of 6

Brooklyn Nets Shabazz Napier (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) /

D'ANGELO RUSSELL. C+. 28 MIN, 10 PTS, 4-for-11 (2-for-7), 3 REB, 7 AST, 1 PF, 1 STL, 1 TO, -21. PG. Brooklyn Nets

D’Angelo Russell‘s shot wasn’t falling on Wednesday, something the fourth-year point guard for the Brooklyn Nets will likely have to contend with for the duration of his career because he is jump-shot dependent.

And some days, the ball, she does not go through the hoop thingy.

But Russell affected the game in other ways, distributing well and taking care of the ball effectively.

And he was the happiest guy on the bench as Spencer Dinwiddie went nuts late in regulation and in overtime to lead Brooklyn to the victory. There’s value in that as a team leader, too.

8 MIN, 5 PTS, 2-for-6 (1-for-2), 1 REB (1 ORB), 2 STL, 1 TO, +1. PG. Brooklyn Nets. SHABAZZ NAPIER. C

Shabazz Napier returned from a one-game absence due to some hamstring tightness and provided a spark with a couple of steals and a couple of buckets in eight minutes.

He played the bulk of the second quarter and did not see any action in the second half after scoring 10 or more points in his last eight appearances.

Coach Kenny Atkinson uses his bench by feel as often as he does by rote and that led to seven players getting the bulk of the minutes on Wednesday.