The Nets won't be going undefeated this season. Just 24 hours after their opening-night win in Washington, they got smoked, 106-70, in their home opener against the Atlanta Hawks.
Atlanta led from start to finish, scoring the first eight points of the game and leading by 17 at the end of the first quarter. And on this night, there would be no comeback. The Nets shot just 31 percent from the field and committed 18 turnovers.
Deron Williams accounted for six of the turnovers and shot just 3-for-11 from the field. Starters Anthony Morrow, Damion James and Johan Petro combined to shoot 1-for-11. Both James and Petro went scoreless. If there was a bright spot for the Nets, it was MarShon Brooks, who scored 17 points and got to the line eight times.
"That's why I feel bad (tonight)," said Avery Johnson. "This was a great crowd. They came out to see a better performance."
The performance, inept as it was, was witnessed by a sold out arena of 18,711, including Jay-Z, but not Mikhail Prokhorov. The Nets owner cited other obligations back in Moscow, raising the possibility in some quarters that the Russian presidential candidate is losing interest in the Nets. He hasn't attended a game in New Jersey since last January.
- Boxscore - NBA.com
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Game Highlights (Video) - NBA.com
- Atlanta Hawks vs. New Jersey Nets - Recap - Tom Canavan - AP
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Hawks-Nets notebook - Adam Figman - NBA.com
- Post Game Plus (Video) - Nancy Newman - YES Network
- From the Booth (Video) - Ian Eagle & Jim Spanarkel - YES Network
- Avery Johnson Interview (Video) - YES Network
- Nets trounced by Hawks, 106-70, in final home opener in New Jersey - Fred Kerber - New York Post
- Mikhail Prokhorov, Nets owner and Russian presidential candidate, not at home opener, rooting for the team from Moscow - Fred Kerber & Tim Bontemps - New York Post
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Kris Humphries draws big cheer from Nets fans in home-opening loss to Hawks - Tim Bontemps - New York Post
- Nets embarrassed in home opener with 106-70 loss to Atlanta Hawks - Colin Stephenson - Star-Ledger
- Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov not in attendance for home opener - Conor Orr - Star-Ledger
- Fans chant for Dwight Howard trade as NJ Nets crushed in home opener by Atlanta Hawks - Stefan Bondy - New York Daily News
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NJ Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov is a no-show in home-opening loss to the Atlanta Hawks - Stefan Bondy - New York Daily News
- Nets fall back to reality with 106-70 loss to Hawks in home opener - Andy Vasquez - The Record
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Nets notes: Deron Williams the best? - Andy Vasquez - The Record
- Nets and Crowd Silenced in Home Opener - Jake Appleman - New York Times
- Rapid Reaction: Hawks 106, Nets 70 - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
- Nets embarrassed in their home opener - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
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Nets put on pitiful performance in home opener (Post-game Audio Inside) - Gregory Hrinya - Examiner
- Hawks 106, Nets 70: No Comeback This Time, New Jersey Blown Out - Ryan Jones - SB Nation
- Linwood native Dennis Horner makes NBA debut in Nets' home opener - Press of Atlantic City
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NETS: NETS Game Center (Game Two) - Ben Couch - New Jersey Nets
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Hawks rout New Jersey to open season - Michael Cunningham - Atlanta Journal-Constitution