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Nets host the Hornets in snowy Brooklyn

By Brian Fleurantin

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Milwaukee Bucks v Charlotte Hornets Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

That's two. The Brooklyn Nets played host to the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night hoping to win their second straight game. They were able to get the job done and won by three points. They'll take what they can get.

The opponent tonight will be the Charlotte Hornets. It's been a lost year for them and they'll be missing the playoffs. They lost to the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night.

Where to follow the game

YES Network on TV. WFAN 101.9 FM on radio. Tip off after 7:30.

Injuries

Dante Cunningham is still in the concussion protocol. He’s questionable. Isaiah Whitehead is still with Long Island.

Cody Zeller is questionable, Nicolas Batum is doubtful, and Michael Carter Williams is done for the year.

The game

The Nets and Hornets have split their two previous contests, with the Nets win coming earlier this month in Charlotte, 125-111. Allen Crabbe went for 29 points in that one while Rondae Hollis-Jefferson had a double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds.

Kemba Walker deserves better. The All-Star guard has continued to play well despite the team dealing with injuries and disappointing play from his teammates. One of the great things about Walker is his tendency to avoid turnovers. For a guard who can score in as many ways as Kemba can, taking care of the ball and getting extra scoring opportunities is an incredibly valuable skill. D'Angelo Russell will need to get to that point someday, but I wouldn't count him out. One encouraging sign for DLo is he's cut his turnover rate by almost a third since the All Star break. We've seen what happens when Russell is in a groove on offense, and the more chances he has to showcase his talents, the more efficient the Nets' attack will be.

Three away. Allen Crabbe is a trio of three-pointers away from tying Deron Williams' single season record for threes made. It'll be a nice accomplishment for what's been an up-and-down debut year in Brooklyn for Crabbe.

Player to watch: Malik Monk

It takes time for rookies to get comfortable, and it's taken the former Wildcat a lot of time to get into a groove. He's only averaging 12 minutes a game on the year and with Charlotte all but out of the playoff race, he should get more playing time. They need to give him time to grow into his role, and more importantly, time with Kemba on the court. Brian Geisinger of ACC Sports tweeted this statistic of Monk and Walker, and it shocked the hell out of me:

Oh dear.

Caris LeVert will be leading the second unit for Brooklyn. LeVert has been rock solid coming off the bench and brings a nice combo of scoring and playmaking to the second unit. The Nets have earned a lot of praise for their player development over the past year and a half, and LeVert is a shining example of the work they've done.

The snow is nasty out there, so everybody remember to take your time if you're heading outside. Stay safe, y'all.

From the Vault

Tonight is Women's Empowerment Night at Barclays, so let's learn about one of the most important women and journalists in American history, Ida B. Wells.

More reading: At the Hive.

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