Banged up Nets handle Kings, 104-89

Paul Pierce left tonight's game at the Barclays Center with a shoulder injury almost before it started.  Andrei Kirilenko missed the second half with a sprained ankle.  Kevin Garnett missed his fifth straight with a balky back.  And, of course, Brook Lopez hasn't been part of the 2013-14 season for a long time.

But it was a player missing from the Kings roster that made the most difference in the game.

Marcus Thornton exploded in the 4th, making 5 of the Nets' first 6 baskets in the quarter as his new team buried the one from whence he came.

"Playing your old team, you always get up for it.", said Thornton. "I saw a couple of shots go down and my teammates kept feeding me the ball and I just tried to provide for them."

He also explained his theory of the game, "If I'm open, I'm shooting."

Thornton wound up with 27 points on 11-15 shooting and went 5-8 from beyond the arc.

Before Thornton's breakout, it was Joe Johnson who paced the Nets, scoring 18 points on 7-12 from the floor.  Deron Williams added a steady 10/7/4 line.

For the Kings, DeMarcus Cousins took advantage of the perpetually undersized Nets' frontcourt, scoring an easy 28 points and collecting 20 rebounds.

The Nets made up for their lack of an inside presence as they usually do - with their now trademark aggressive defense.  They forced 24 Kings turnovers and that - along with shooting 53% to the Kings' 44% (including 5-23 from long range) - was more than enough to overcome a startling 26 rebound deficit.

Brooklyn came out fast and erased any speculation that they would overlook the struggling Kings in anticipation of tomorrow night's big matchup against the division-leading Toronto Raptors.  The Kings made some runs - even tying the game in the 3rd quarter - before Thornton and the Nets flipped the switch and ran away.

With the win, The Nets pulled to within 4 games of the Raptors.  Who will be on the floor tomorrow night remains to be seen, but the blueprint will undoubtedly be the same - force turnovers, limit the opponents' ball movement, defend the perimeter.  It seems the Nets have developed something they haven't had for a while - an identity.

• Box Score - NBA.com
• Pierce's Shoulder (Video) - NBA.com
• Scoop Off the Window (Video) - NBA.com
• Amazing Assist to Dazzling Dunk (Video) - NBA.com
• Cousins to the Rack (Video) - NBA.com
• Post Game Plus: Nets defeat Kings (Video) - Ryan Ruocco - YES Network
• Thornton on Brooklyn's win (Video) - Chris Shearn - YES Network
• Kidd discusses great bench play in win (Video) - YES Network
• Kirilenko on Brooklyn's performance (Video) - YES Network
• Johnson on win vs. Kings (Video) - YES Network
  
• Jason Kidd on Mason Plumlee's progression in the NBA (Video) - YES Network
• Mason Plumlee talks transition from Duke to the NBA (Video) - YES Network
  
• Shaun Livingston, Photobombing Menace (Video) - Devin Kharpertian - The Brooklyn Game
  
• Thornton scores 27 to lead Nets past Kings, 104-89 - AP
• Nets Beat Kings but Lose Pierce and Kirilenko to Injury - Alex Raskin - Wall Street Journal
  
• Rapid Reaction: Nets 104, Kings 89 - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
• Thornton throttles ex-team in Nets rout - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
• Kings' Evans: No hard feelings toward Nets - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
• Garnett (back spasms) still out - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
• Marcus Thornton leads Nets to win over his former team - Larry Fleisher - Metro
  
• Nets rolling into key Atlantic showdown - Tim Bontemps - New York Post
• Smallball hurts Nets on poor-shooting nights - Tim Bontemps - New York Post
• Nets staking their claim to city - George Willis - New York Post
  
• Nets Shrug Off More Injuries to Rise Above .500 Again - Zach Schonbrun - New York Times
  
• Paul Pierce injury mars Nets’ win over Kings at Barclays Center - Mitch Abramson - New York Daily News
• Nets plan to give Kevin Garnett more rest - Mitch Abramson - New York Daily News
• Jason Kidd going with small lineup has helped turn Nets season around - Filip Bondy - New York Daily News
• Nets Beat Kings but Lose Pierce and Kirilenko to Injury - Alex Raskin - Wall Street Journal
• Nets beat Kings, 104-89, but lose Paul Pierece to injury - Andy Vasquez - The Record
• Nets notes: No hard feelings for Reggie Evans - Andy Vasquez - The Record
  
• Marcus Thornton scores 27 to lead Nets past Kings - Rod Boone - Newsday
• Paul Pierce, Andrei Kirilenko join Kevin Garnett as Nets' walking wounded - Rod Boone - Newsday
• Final Score: Nets 104, Kings 89 - Jon Presser - SNY Nets
  
• Nets Blow Out Kings In Unique Fashion - Devin Kharpertian - The Brooklyn Game
• This Thornton's On Fire: Nets 104, Kings 89 - Devin Kharpertian - The Brooklyn Game
  
• Reggie Evans reflects on trade that sent him away: "the hardest part about it (is) knowing I have four kids here." - Devin Kharpertian - The Brooklyn Game
• Selfish play dooms Kings again - Jason Jones - Sacramento Bee
• Kings notes: Thornton torches ex-teammates for 27 - Jason Jones - Sacramento Bee