The losses keep piling up. The Nets fell behind big early, made a valiant comeback effort, but ended up losing by double digits anyways. It was their fifth straight loss and things have managed to get even worse for the club. This is the first night of a back-to-back for the Nets. They're in Philadelphia to play the 76ers on Saturday night.
Coming into Brooklyn will be the Sacramento Kings. They were expected to be a catastrophe this season, but have managed to hold it together and are competing for the eighth seed in the Western Conference. They lost their last game, a 107-102 decision to the Bulls in Sacramento. This is the first night a four game road trip. They travel to Boston after this game to play the Celtics on Super Bowl Sunday.
Where to follow the game
YES Network on TV, WFAN 101.9 FM on radio. Tip off after 7:30.
Injuries
Chris McCullough will dress, but is unlikely to play tonight.
DeMarcus Cousins appeared to injure his right knee on Wednesday, but continued to play. He should be good to go tonight.
The game
Check the stats
2015-2016 |
Brooklyn |
Sacramento |
Record |
12-38 | 21-27 |
Pace |
96.65 | 101.99 |
Offensive Efficiency |
98.6 | 102.9 |
Defensive Efficiency |
106.2 | 105.4 |
Turnover Rate |
15.2 | 16.1 |
Assist Rate |
16.7 | 17.7 |
Offensive Rebounding Rate |
23.9 | 24.8 |
Rebound Rate |
49.5 | 51 |
Free Throw Rate |
23.2 | 30.3 |
Effective Field Goal Percentage |
48 | 50.7 |
Opponent's Effective Field Goal Percentage |
52.3 | 51.5 |
Sacramento won the first meeting back in November.
One theme of the Nets season has been their inability to play consistently throughout a game. It feels like every time a team goes on a moderate run, the Nets are out of the game. Joe Johnson discussed that after the Indiana game and said:
"It seems like every game we have a mental lapse or there's just turnovers," Joe Johnson said after the loss. "I have no idea. I'm sorry. I don't know. We just hurt ourselves from time to time."
When you're a team like the Nets, you can't afford to have mental lapses and extended cold spells. They're not good enough to overcome them and when the bench comes in, they immediately fall into a hole. Maybe the return of Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and the debut of McCullough can solve that problem, but it's unlikely.
Rudy Gay has been good as a member of the Kings since he came over in December of 2013, but the Kings would be willing to trade him if the deal is right. Gay works well as a team's second option and is shooting a career high 47.3 percent from the field this season. He will be matched up with Johnson, a player who that hasn't been mentioned in any rumors as of yet but might be someone to keep an eye on at the deadline.
The Nets will be looking for a point guard this summer. Rajon Rondo will be a free agent this summer. Would they be a good fit? Who knows. Rondo has rebounded from his disastrous stint in Dallas and is leading the league in assists at 11.6 a night. He's never been a good three point shooter, but has shot a career high 36 percent from downtown. The Nets have had issues getting Brook Lopez the ball, and a player like Rondo would fix that problem instantly. On the other hand, Rondo can be an asshole and that creates problems of its own.
As for McCullough, dressing is a big step on his way to playing. "“It’s been tough,” said McCullough. “We’ve played 40-something games already. That’s half the season sitting on the bench.”
The 6'11" forward is expected to sit Friday and Saturday and play Monday vs. Denver.
Player to watch: DeMarcus Cousins
You can make a pretty convincing case for Boogie being the best big man in the NBA. He's a bruiser on the inside, lives at the free throw line, can run an offense from the high post, and has been working hard to expand his game out to the three point line. Boogie's shooting a respectable 33.1 percent on three attempts a game from deep, and if he can improve on that, it'll be game over for other big men. He's gotten criticism for his aggressiveness, but you want players to be as engaged and passionate as Cousins. For as good as he already is, there is room for improvement. Omer Khan made this observation in his postgame report:
Boogie can put up huge counting stats, but in order to be efficient he can't be left isolated on the perimeter to fend for himself over and over. He needs to have his game defined for him, and all of this freelancing is killing him.
He appeared to suffer a knee injury against the Bulls, but he finished the game and managed to do this to Taj Gibson
Yeah man.
This figures to be the toughest matchup Brook Lopez will see this year. Brook has been sensational over the past three weeks and is the only Net that has been able to play consistently well as of late. Cousins leads the NBA in fouls per game, and if the Nets can get Boogie out of the game early, it'll make things easier for Lopez in the second half.
From the Vault
Maurice White of Earth, Wind, and Fire passed away yesterday morning. In honor of his memory, check out one of Earth, Wind, and Fire's greatest songs.
More reading: Sactown Royalty
- Brooklyn Nets Game Notes - Brooklyn Nets
- Sacramento Kings Game Notes - Sacramento Kings
- Kings-Nets Preview - Scott Garbarini - STATS LLC
- One piece of Nets’ good news: Top rookie returning to bench - Fred Kerber - New York Post
- Chris McCullough closer to returning to Nets - Pete Caldera - The Record
- McCullough’s Waiting Game Almost Over - Tom Dowd - Brooklyn Nets
- Nets Have Been Getting The Bench Production King Paid For - Steve Lichenstein -CBS New York