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Crabbe, LeVert shine as Nets snap 4-game losing streak, 125-111

Final: Nets 125, Hornets 111

By Anthony Puccio

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NBA: Brooklyn Nets at Charlotte Hornets Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

Allen Crabbe showed a glimpse as to why Sean Marks and the Nets invested so much in him.

He started it, Caris LeVert finished it.

After somewhat of a stagnant start - the typical ‘can’t get over the hump’ script in the first half - Crabbe nailed four consecutive 3-pointers to propel Brooklyn on a 10-0 run. Suddenly a tie game turned into a 10-point lead for the Nets.

The Nets never looked back from there and snapped a four-game losing streak in Charlotte, 125-111. They also snapped a 10-game road losing streak and finally won their second game since the beginning of February. They even surpassed their win total from last season with 21.

Crabbe finished with 29 points and eight rebounds on 6-of-11 from deep.

Although Crabbe was the star, it was Brooklyn’s balanced attack that kept them going. After the first quarter, all nine players scored at least two points. It was a preview for the night - and a telling sign for Atkinson’s rotation going forward.

The Nets pulled away in the third quarter behind LeVert’s lead. You could see the anger in his face after taking a tough elbow to the face from Cody Zeller, whom he had a few choicy words for not long after.

Instead, he used it as a means of motivation and led Brooklyn to a 31-point third quarter - 11-point lead entering the fourth.

He scored 16 of his 22 points in the second half, making Kenny Atkinson look like a very smart man for giving him the rock as the point. He shot 8-of-15 on the night and also dished out eight assists.

He has recorded 20+ points twice in his last 3 games after doing so 3 times in his first 53 games this season.

The Nets shot 51 percent on the night and assisted on 30 of 47 made field goals. Spencer Dinwiddie finished with just six points but continued his stellar play as the facilitator with 10 assists. It’s their 13th consecutive game with 24 or more assists.

On his 13th point of the night, DeMarre Carroll set a career-high for most 3-pointers made in a season (121). Labeled a salary dump when he was traded to Brooklyn, Carroll has proven to be much more than that.

He’s also one of three Nets this season to hit 120 or more 3-pointers this season (Crabbe, Carroll and Harris). It’s the first time in franchise history in which three players have done so in a season. Dinwiddie is two away from making it four.

CRABBE COMING ON

Allen Crabbe has now registered 12 20-point games this season after tallying 20+ points 11 times in the first. 4 seasons of his NBA career combined. With his sixth 3-pointer of the night, Crabbe moved past Kerry Kittles (1996-97) into sole possession of 3rd place in Nets single-season history in 3-pointers made.

He had just passed Vince Carter moments before. Next he will chase Joe Johnson (162).

Over the last 11 games, since his breakthrough 34-point game vs. Detroit, Crabbe is averaging 19.1 points and shooting 35.4 percent from deep. He’s also averaging nearly five rebounds per game.

DIFFERENCE MAKERS

What’s the difference between this win and a 111-96 loss the Nets suffered to the Hornets two weeks ago? Brian Lewis explains...

Two weeks earlier in the Nets’ 111-96 loss to Charlotte, they didn’t have Rondae Hollis-Jefferson or Caris LeVert, and Dwight Howard went off for 24 rebounds. But Hollis-Jefferson and LeVert combined for 40 points, 16 rebounds and 12 assists in Thursday’s laugher, when the Nets led by as many as 21.

Howard had 19 points, but only seven rebounds, Thursday.

LeVERT SINCE HE’S BACK

LeVert has now played six games since coming back from being walloped by Nene vs. the Wizards. In that stretch, LeVert is averaging 13.5 points and shooting 40 per cent from deep.

GOING OUT ON A HIGH NOTE

The Nets are hoping to use the last 17 games as a transition to the off-season and 2018-19, Kenny Atkinson said post-game.

“It’s our job at the end of the day,” Atkinson said. “Our goal right now is to go into this offseason on an uptick and playing well. That’s our goal. That’s motivation in itself. And then motivation for us to establish ourselves in this league as a better NBA team than we are right now. That’s from me to one through 15 players, we’re scratching and clawing to establish ourselves in the league.

“When I look at our roster, it’s DeMarre [Carroll] and Timmy [Mozgov] obviously, Allen Crabbe has been to the playoffs, but the rest of us are really trying to get better. We’ve got another batch of games here to prove that we’re getting better to go into the offseason on a positive note and then bring that into the start of next season.”

ENJOY THE VIEW!

With the Big 10 Tournament, the Big East Tournament and the ACC Tournament all in New York the last two weeks — the ACC is currently being played at Barclays Center, at least top college seven teams have practiced at Brooklyn’s HSS Training Center in Industry City. The seven teams we know about: Illinois, N.C. State, Florida State, Duke, Boston College, Virginia and Notre Dame.

In addition, the ACC made the small practice court at Barclays Center available on Monday for the 11 teams that had games Tuesday and Wednesday.

Everybody is welcome with open arms in Brooklyn.

STEVE KERR COMMENDS THE NETS (H/T: @NETSONYES)

The Nets were on the wrong side of a 114-101 loss in Golden State this past Tuesday, but the compliments continued to pour over Brooklyn. Warriors’ head coach Steve Kerr said some great things about the organization back in November and echoed his statement on Tuesday.

”I’m so impressed with what the Nets have done,” Kerr said. “Every time we’ve played them the last couple of years, they play so hard. They have established something there and it’s really a credit to their organization. They are building something out of nothing. They never quit.”

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For a different perspective, head on over to At the Hive.

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