© Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Brooklyn suffers a brutal 95-96 loss to the Miami Heat
The Nets started slow in the first quarter against the Miami Heat, only shooting 38% from the field. That all changed when Cameron Thomas came off the bench, shot 4-of-5, and led Brooklyn to a 22-16 advantage after the opening period.
The Nets had a significant lead midway into the third quarter, but Miami mounted a 21-7 run to take control of the game. Both teams traded the lead until regulation ended at 88-88. The Heat took the victory in a close 95-96 result after Mikal Bridges missed a potential game-winner.
“We’re gonna put guys out there who are going to perform, and it’s going to make tough decisions on me to finish the game,” Coach Jacque Vaughn said in an interview. “That’s just a part of it. So hopefully, that encourages our guys to be ready to go at the beginning of the game and play four quarters.”
Brooklyn’s struggles continue
While the Nets had a 19-point lead in the third quarter, the team was not playing well. The biggest struggle was three-point shooting. This led to the offense struggling as Brooklyn kept relying on Mikal Bridges and Cameron Thomas, who had 26 and 23 points, respectively.
Brooklyn ended the game with 55 three-point attempts, making only 12, good for 21.8% from distance. This lack of long-range shooting became the primary issue for Brooklyn because they were creating open shots through ball movement, but they just couldn’t consistently hit shots.
The Nets played better defense in this game, matching up well with the Heat. Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro had 31 and 29 points, respectively, but beyond the two stars, Brooklyn contained the rest of the Heat.
Brooklyn must keep working on making shots because they are already creating good looks. The players have to build more confidence to be more consistent with their offensive contributions.
A tough road trip ahead
Brooklyn will play three games on a West Coast road trip starting on January 17 against the Portland Trail Blazers. While Portland has struggled this season, the Nets lost to them a week ago. Coach Jacque Vaughn and his team should lock in because it will be tough to swallow a season series loss to one of the NBA’s worst teams.
They end the three-game road trip with two games in Los Angeles against the Lakers and Clippers. It will be a tough stretch for Brooklyn, but if they continue to show promising signs, the Nets can build good momentum on this trip.
