BROOKLYN, N.Y. — LeBron James is bumping Nas, Biggie and Busta Rhymes in the Lakers’ locker room before the game. He bobs his head as he mentally prepares himself to music that came from New York.
It was cool and all, but this isn’t his city. This is Brooklyn, home of the Nets. And for the night, it was D’Angelo Russell’s city.
In what was arguably the biggest game in Brooklyn since the last game of the 2014-2015 season, the Brooklyn Nets (14-18) knocked off LeBron and the Lakers (18-13), 115-110, Tuesday night at Barclays Center.
It was their six straight win, the longest streak in the NBA.
“It’s a great feeling, I personally have never been in that position at this level to win six in a row. Definitely not satisfied,” said Russell after the game.”
The Nets led by 10 early in the fourth, but the Lakers, led by LeBron, made their comeback and brought it within three with less than 40 seconds left. As the clock ticked and the fans got on their feet, Russell stepped into his shot and hit what would be the game-winning three-pointer with 22 seconds left.
Russell wouldn’t take sole credit for winning the game for the Nets. When asked about the dagger he answer with, “What about it? It gave us a better opportunity to win.”
Appropriately, the three came in the face of Kyle Kuzma. Kuzma, of course, was taken with the pick the Nets traded to get Russell. It was all so fitting.
D’Angelo Russell’s 3-pointer against the Lakers give the Nets a 6-point lead. pic.twitter.com/tXpvKVZSLb
— Anthony Puccio (@APOOCH) December 19, 2018
And how about that swagger, the ice in his veins we’ve so longed for?
Haven’t seen this D’Angelo Russell swagger in Brooklyn. It was a lot of fun. pic.twitter.com/s5zUMcRt3P
— Anthony Puccio (@APOOCH) December 19, 2018
Russell was 21-years-old when the Lakers traded him to the Nets and GM and Hall-of-Famer, Magic Johnson, dissed him on his way out, saying he basically lacked leadership. Well, Russell just got a little payback and it comes at a crucial time.
It’s the first time the Nets have won six straight 2014-2015, the last time they made the playoffs. They haven’t won seven straight since their first season in Brooklyn.
None of it happens without a concerted team effort. The Lakers cut it to three with less than 1:10 remaining, but Jared Dudley nailed a long two to stop the bleeding and put the Nets up five. DLo answered with the three and the rest is history.
Russell finished with 22 points and a career-high tying 13 assists in 34 minutes. He averaged 18 points and eight assists in the five games prior. After him was Joe Harris with 19 points and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson with 17 points and eight rebounds.
Brooklyn’s bench was also vital in the victory. They out-scored Los Angeles’ bench 48-18, led by Spencer Dinwiddie (18 points), DeMarre Carroll (13 points) and Dudley (13 points).
“We’re winning. We’re winning, so I would say give credit to Coach. It’s not an easy thing to do when you have two dominant ball-handlers, so I give credit to the coaching staff,” Russell answered when he was asked about his chemistry with Dinwiddie.
“When we’re out there together I notice there’s a two-headed snake coming at you and no team wants to see that.”
There hasn’t been this much buzz around the Nets since then and the building was electric with James and the Lakers in town. But there would be no throne, no bowing down to “The King”. Not anymore.
Speaking of LeBron, he went off for 36 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists. He sounded a little bothered by the poster block Jarrett Allen put him on in the first quarter.
“He’s in his twenties, I’m in my thirties. It takes me a little longer to get warmed up, but that’s fine,” said James. “When you’re a shot blocker, I’m sure you can get a block. It happens. It’s probably all over social media, so that’s cool.”
You can taste the salt.
And so, it’s a storybook ending to the night for Russell and the Nets, who have officially turned the page following an eight-game losing streak. They aren’t satisfied, but they also never lost hope, even when things looked bad.
“That’s the thing with this group. I feel like we have a good group of guys that really believe in trusting the process, really believe in working hard, really believe in the coaching staff, really believe in the next man. That’s the best part about being here,” Rondae Hollis-Jefferson said afterwards.
Listen to post-game audio here.
TRACKING THE 8TH SEED
The Nets entered Tuesday having won five straight games — a surge that put them only two games back from both the seven and eight seeds in the Eastern Conference. Currently standing as the 10 seed, Brooklyn is chasing Charlotte and Orlando for those two spots ... and after Tuesday’s win, they’re a game and a half out.
Here are some games to track: Wizards-Hawks (Tuesday), Nuggets-Mavericks (Pick alert, Tuesday), Magic-Spurs (Wednesday), Hornets-Cavs (Wednesday), Pistons-Timberwolves (Wednesday) and Wizards-Rockets (Wednesday).
DLO PLAYED IN L.A.?
Kenny Atkinson was asked about D’Angelo Russell having extra motivation against his old team.
— Anthony Puccio (@APOOCH) December 18, 2018
“I think of D’Angelo as a Brooklyn Net.”
JARRETT WILL NOT BOW DOWN
Jarrett Allen was not going to be on LeBron's poster! #WeGoHard pic.twitter.com/yk7gvGGbcW
— NBA TV (@NBATV) December 19, 2018
SIXTH MAN STATS
Spencer Dinwiddie is having another breakout year and folks are starting the sixth man chatter. Check out some stats entering Tuesday, courtesy of the PR department.
- He’s averaging 17.2 points and five assists in 28.6 minutes. He’s averaging career-highs in field goal percent, three-point field goal percent and field goal percent inside the paint.
- Dinwiddie has handed out five or more assists in seven straight games, becoming the first Net since Vern Fleming (1995-96) to dish out five or more assists in seven straight games off the bench.
- Dinwiddie has scored in double figures in a career-high 24 straight games he’s appeared in off the bench, which is the second-longest streak of double-digit scoring games for a reserve in franchise history (long: 32 straight games for Bubbles Hawkins in the Nets’ first NBA season, 1976-77).
TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE...
We’ve had a lot of fun (and heartbreak) covering Nets-LeBron matchups since the move to Brooklyn. Hard to choose which our favorite (Or least favorite) moment is, but here are two gems.
Can’t forget Mirza...
DINWIDDIE’S KICKS
For a completely different perspective, head on over to Silver Screen and Roll, our Laker sister site on SB Nation.
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The Nets will face the Chicago Bulls Saturday at 8pm.
- Game Report: Brooklyn Nets 115, Los Angeles Lakers 110 (Box Score) - NBA.com
- Game Recap: Brooklyn Nets 115, Los Angeles Lakers 110 (Video) - NBA.com
- Nets Post Game Plus: LAL@BKN (Video) - Chris Shearn - YES Network
- Russell on topping the Lakers (Video) - Michael Grady - YES Network
- Nets win sixth consecutive game (Video) - Richard Jefferson & Sarah Kustok - YES Network
- Atkinson on statement win (Video) - YES Network
- Allen on blocking LeBron’s dunk (Video) - YES Network
- Dinwiddie on another Nets win (Video) - YES Network
- Harris on hitting crucial shots (Video) - YES Network
- Walton is happy for Dinwiddie (Video) - YES Network
- Atkinson on stopping the Lakers (Video) - YES Network
- Russell on expanding his game (Video) - Michael Grady - YES Network
- Wear Brooklyn At? (Video) - YES Network
- Russell helps Nets hold off Lakers for 6-game winning streak - AP
- Russell gets revenge, leads Nets over Lakers - Reuters
- Jarrett Allen Refuses to Be on LeBron’s Poster - Michael Hoffman - New York Times
- The Nets, Playing at Home, Wrestle the Spotlight From the Lakers - Kelly Whiteside - New York Times
- Watch: Jarrett Allen stuffs LeBron James’ dunk attempt - Michael Blinn - New York Post
- D’Angelo Russell gets revenge as red-hot Nets stun LeBron, Lakers - Brian Lewis - New York Post
- Nets getting big contributions from the ‘modern JJ Redick’ - Brian Lewis - New York Post
- The LeBron James Lakers experience is different and still breathtaking - George Willis - New York Post
- LeBron James is still lobbying for Carmelo Anthony to join Lakers, who could have used help against Nets - Stefan Bondy - New York Daily News
- D’Angelo Russell has big night for Nets in victory over his former team - Greg Logan - Newsday
- Highlight: Jarrett Allen’s block of LeBron James’ dunk - Greg Logan - Newsday
- He didn’t admit it, but D’Angelo Russell’s win against the Lakers wasn’t all business, it was personal - Moke Hamilton - The Athletic New York
- NETS 115, LAKERS 110: RUSSELL POSTS DOUBLE-DOUBLE AND BROOKLYN WINS SIXTH STRAIGHT - Tom Dowd - Brooklyn Nets
- GALLERY: NETS VS. LAKERS - Brooklyn Nets
- Lakers limp home with another loss, sent packing by D’Angelo Russell - Tania Ganguli - Los Angeles Tmes