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Nets have no answer for Tony Parker, Spurs, lose at home 111-86

By Tom Lorenzo
Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

BROOKLYN, New York - No Tim Duncan and no Manu Ginobili for the San Antonio Spurs tonight against the Nets and, well, unfortunately for them Tony Parker was healthy and on his game. So much so, that he tore up the Nets and led the Spurs on a second-half run, resulting in a 25-point loss, 111-86. It was all Tony Parker tonight.

The Nets got off to a hot start early, making six of their first nine shot attempts to take a 15-11 lead. Tiago Splitter gave the Nets fits early, thanks in big part to Tony Parker's ability to to collapse the defense, which freed up Splitter on the baseline for a couple of easy buckets. On offense, though, Joe Johnson and Keith Bogans helped space the floor, with Johnson hitting four of his first five shots and Bogans dropping two threes on consecutive sets.

One concern for the Nets early was Williams picking up his second foul just 10 minutes into the game.

However, Lopez took over, with Williams on the bench. He scored 10 points with five rebounds and two assists in the first quarter, as the Nets carried a 35-25 lead into the second quarter. As a team, they shot 63.6 percent from the floor and out-rebounded the Spurs 13-5.

In the second, the Nets got productive minutes out of Kris Humphries -- as a showcase? -- who scored six points and pulled down five rebounds in nine minutes. The Nets defense, though, faltered a little in the second, allowing the Spurs to get into a rhythm offensively, shooting 62.5 percent from the floor while only coughing the ball up once.

At the half, though, the Nets led, 57-51, with the 'Big Three' of Lopez, Williams and Johnson combining for 37 of the team's 57 points. It was looking promising, until the second half began.

The Nets offense was out of sorts in the third quarter, with Reggie Evans getting too many looks, believe it or not -- and not hitting his free throws, mind you -- and the Spurs getting more active in forcing the Nets to run sets for Gerald Wallace. It was a classic case of a third-quarter-letdown, as they fell behind 63-61 four minutes into the third after the Spurs went on a 10-0 run.

Tony Parker had taken over in the third, simply embarrassing the Nets on offense on back-to-back sets. The Nets had no answer for his drive and kicks, coupled with his ability to get the defense to bite, then step into the open lane. It was an adjustment the Nets were struggling to make.

After three, Parker had 24 points and nine assists (with zero turnovers), while D-Will had 10 points and just three assists (and three turnovers).

In the fourth, the separation began, as the Spurs built up a 18-point lead midway through the quarter, ending the night early. The Brooklyn fans responded with loud "Boos," as they watched the Nets fail to do much of anything in the second half.

Parker led the way with 29 points and 11 assists (no turnovers). Too much Tony Parker.

Afterwards, in the Nets locker, there was typical, and predictable discussion of trust, or lack of same, as well as character, heart and emotion.

"We would've hoped we'd be past this stuff, but it seems like it just keeps coming up," Deron Williams told the media. "Until we play more consistently as a group, it's going to keep coming up."

"We went back to old habits," Wallace said. "It's effort. It's character. It's heart. We've got to be able to respond.

"Instead of pulling together as a team, we go in five different directions out on the court, and it shows," Wallace added. "Our offense is stagnant, the ball sticks on one side, and defensively nobody helps nobody. they basically just do what they want to do offensively, and the results are what they are."

For more on the Spurs, see Pounding The Rock:

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Game 51: San Antonio Spurs @ Brooklyn Nets

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