Inside The Nets

Key takeaways from Brooklyn's bizarre loss to the Wizards

In an important game for Brooklyn, they crumbled in the fourth quarter against the Wizards.

Peter Sunjic

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Heading into this game against the Washington Wizards, Brooklyn was motivated to get back to a .500 record. That did not happen because Jacque Vaughn’s Nets fell apart in the fourth quarter as they only scored 18 points, resulting in a 104-110 loss.

This was a surprising result because the Nets were favored to win with most of their players back from the previous game’s rest debacle.

Mikal Bridges topped the scoring for Brooklyn with 19 points, while Spencer Dinwiddie contributed 17. Despite a solid performance from most of the team, the loss is perplexing, especially considering their fourth-quarter challenges.

The new starting lineup was a welcome change

Despite Cameron Thomas’ scoring ability, Coach Vaughn noticed they needed to adjust the starting group. He inserted Dorian Finney-Smith for Thomas, and it was effective for the first three quarters because they had a more ideal shot distribution and better defense.

It was a welcome change because of Dorian’s defensive versatility, but the team needs to improve on their accuracy from beyond the arc. The Nets struggled on offense, mostly due to poor shooting and the lack of consistent bench production.

Brooklyn has to be more accurate with their threes

The team only made nine out of their 28 three-point attempts in this game, good for only 32.1%. That is not a good number for Brooklyn because they usually make 14 a game on 38.1% efficiency.

Off-ball screens and extra passes will be vital in opening up more space for Brooklyn, which they showcased in their latest win against the Detroit Pistons. If they could consistently do that, they would be a more prolific team on offense due to the threat of their perimeter shooting.

Over the last nine games, the Nets attempted the 17th-highest number of three-pointers, averaging 33 per game, yet their shooting percentage ranks 22nd at 34.9%. Enhancements in this area are crucial to match up against teams with superior shooting capabilities. The Nets have to make their free throws

During that nine-game stretch, the Nets have gotten to the free-throw line consistently, averaging 25.4 per game. However, they are shooting at an abysmal 73.4%, the fourth-worst mark in the league during that span.

Facing Washington, they converted only 17 of their 27 free-throw attempts. Sinking just seven more shots from the charity stripe could have secured them the victory.

The Nets play the Oklahoma City Thunder on New Year’s Eve at Paycom Center. It will be another tough game since that squad is the second seed out West with a 21-9 record.

Jacque Vaughn gives the reasoning behind sitting most of his starters

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Peter Sunjic
PETER SUNJIC

Peter's journey with basketball commenced in the first grade, and it has since evolved into an integral part of his life. Standing on the brink of a potential professional playing career, Peter ultimately chose to pursue a degree in Political Science and Journalism in Zagreb, Croatia. Despite this academic pursuit, his deep-rooted love for the game of basketball endured, undiminished. Now, as a writer and editor, Peter finds an avenue to channel his unwavering passion for basketball-related news and analysis. Whether it's deciphering the latest happenings or delving into the lore of old-school basketball, he covers every corner of the NBA world.

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