Jacque Vaugn and the Nets acquired a blowout victory of their very own this time.
After getting an epic comeback victory towards the Boston Celtics two days prior to finish a four-game dropping streak full of blowout losses, the Nets acquired a blowout win of their favor, beating the Charlotte Hornets 102-86.
The sport was determined early because the Nets led by 29 factors at halftime. Vaughn’s group held their opponent to a season-low 41 factors within the first half, surpassing their earlier report set after holding the Milwaukee Bucks to 43 factors in October.
The win got here pretty simple, and it ought to’ve been contemplating the lowly Hornets had been on the street with out star LaMelo Ball resulting from a season-ending ankle harm.
However the Nets dominated many of the manner.
The Hornets did not persistently hit jumpers all evening — taking pictures 37.5% p.c for the sport — and the house group turned defensive stops into fast offense. The Nets scored at will and it began with Mikal Bridges. Bridges dropped 33 factors on Sunday evening, with a career-high 19 factors scored within the first quarter. The ahead capped off an ideal first half, going 8-for-8 from the sector. He additionally linked on his two free throw makes an attempt and one three-pointer within the first half.
“Brooklyn Bridges, Brooklyn Bridges,” the Barclays Heart crowd shouted whereas Bridges was on the charity stripe proper earlier than halftime.
He went 12-for-21 from the sector and added eight rebounds, recording his fourth 30-point efficiency with the Nets. Brooklyn will now head right into a five-game street journey after two straight victories.
The Hornets made a late try to shut the hole within the fourth quarter. The lead dwindled to 14, however the Nets had been capable of maintain on to the victory.
The Nets hope to convey a few of Sunday’s first-half scoring magic with them on the street as three of the 5 upcoming opponents — Thunder, Nuggets and T-Wolves — presently rank within the prime top-10 in factors per recreation.
The group was solely capable of muster 32 factors within the second half — after scoring 70 within the first — because the Hornets lower into the lead. Except for Spencer Dinwiddie’s 24 factors, no different Brooklyn participant eclipsed the 20-point mark. Dinwiddie additionally had eight rebounds and eight assists on the evening.
Cam Johnson missed 10 of his 13 pictures and completed with simply 11 factors and 10 rebounds. Joe Harris linked on 4-of-6 three pointers and was the one different Web to attain double digits.
The group remains to be looking for offense following the departures of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. On the identical day the 2 former Nets went towards one another in Dallas, Bridges proved he can fill a few of the void that was left on the commerce deadline. However questions nonetheless stay the place the remainder of the offense will come from.
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