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The Nets get a massive wire-to-wire victory against Play-In rivals Atlanta Hawks
In a game that will prove pivotal for the Play-In Tournament race, the Nets got a monumental win against primary rivals Atlanta Hawks 124 to 97. It was a superb performance by Brooklyn, as Coach Kevin Ollie’s team dominated from the start of the game and never looked back.
The Nets didn’t need to rely on Mikal Bridges only needed to score 15 points. The standout for Brooklyn was Cameron Johnson, who scored 29 points, hitting seven three-pointers. Dennis Schroder was also superb, posting a stat line of 23 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists.
“Just our energy, our effort, those are the things we can control. Imma keep saying that; they get tired of me saying that, but that’s just part of me, that’s my coach voice, and that’s what I believe in,” Ollie said after the big win against the Hawks. “We just gotta continue being the best team; we have to play like that. Our recipe that we need to keep cooking, low turnovers and sharing the cake.”
Brooklyn sustained a strong performance for the whole game
The Nets have faced issues sustaining a good performance for the entire game, as they usually have either bad starts or mediocre fourth-quarter runs. This performance was the best way to play the game, as Brooklyn moved the ball well and got open shots.
Coach OIllie’s team hit 22 threes out of 46 attempts while limiting Atlanta to only 8 for 28 from beyond the arc. That signals that Brooklyn played a well-rounded game that involved a stellar offensive performance while being superb with their defensive scheme.
Atlanta struggled for the entire game, as Trae Young’s absence was a big blow to the team. Dejounte Murray tried his best, scoring 28 points, but it wasn’t enough as the closest teammate was Jalen Johnson, who only had half of Murray’s points with 14.
This win is only the first half of the task
Brooklyn still needs to beat Atlanta on the second leg of this two-game mini-series between the two teams. If the Nets could keep this up in the second game, they have a strong chance of making it into the Play-In Tournament, considering Trae will only return in late March.
The Nets’ momentum from this game should be huge, as Coach Ollie is aware of the optimal playstyle. He could maximize Johnson and Schroder, while also integrating Mikal’s go-to scoring ability and Cameron Thomas’ similar skill set when he returns.
