On the first leg of a mini two-game road trip and the very real possibility of an eight-game losing streak staring them in the face, the Brooklyn Nets, with their backs against the wall, needed to come out with reckless abandon against a shorthanded, battered and bruised Charlotte Hornets team. Fortunately for them, they did just that, locking up a 21-point victory, 104-83 at the Spectrum Center on Wednesday night.
Keon Johnson paced the Nets with 18 points and five rebounds while big man Nic Claxton had 12 points and was the ultimate rim protector with six blocks in the skid-breaking performance. Jalen Wilson added 15 points and Tosan Evbuomwan scored 14 for the Nets, who led wire-to-wire.
Ben Simmons returned to the hardwood after being sidelined for the last five games with an illness and a back injury and had 10 points and six rebounds in a reserve role for the Nets.
In a complete 180 from their performances throughout the month of January, this time it was Brooklyn’s opposition that was bitten by the injury bug and incredibly shorthanded.
Miles Bridges had a double-double, with 23 points and 13 boards for the Hornets, who were down four regular starters including LaMelo Ball, Mark Williams, Brandon Miller and Josh Green, sending Charlotte’s offense spiraling down from the opening tip. Vasa Micic overcame an early chest injury and returned to finish with 15 points and seven rebounds.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Hornets’ cold shooting percentage hovered around the 29% mark through the first half, a figure the Nets were able to take advantage of.
As Brooklyn welcomed Simmons and Trendon Watford back to rotation, a much-needed shot of energy was provided to their recently lackluster scoring output.
The visitors started the game on an 11-2 run and led from start to finish throughout the first half.
Johnson headed into the locker room at halftime as the Nets’ top scorer with nine points, leading coach Jordi Fernandez’s offense, which saw every player contribute at least one field goal in the win/loss.
The Hornets were unable to come up with their own balanced approach, giving up a 16-point lead to Brooklyn by intermission, 53-37.
Starving for their first taste of victory in over two weeks, the Nets continued to put the pedal to the metal and dominate the injury-riddled Hornets into the third quarter.
By the six-minute mark of the frame, the quartet of Johnson, Wilson, Ziaire Williams, and Claxton had all scored in double digits, leaving D’Angelo Russell as the only starter yet to reach at least 10 points.
However, Russell stuffed the stat-sheet in other areas. His seven rebounds and six dimes were both team-highs through three quarters as Evbuomwan made up for Russell’s lack of scoring.
Brooklyn’s newfound spark off the bench did exactly what he has been doing since his arrival, providing versatility on both ends of the floor while being a reliable shot-maker.
The Nets’ 16-point advantage swelled to 21 heading into the fourth quarter, signaling the potential for their second double-digit win since November 27’s triumph over the Phoenix Suns.
But the Hornets refused to go away quietly into the night.
Four minutes into the final frame, Charlotte rallied with a 10-2 run energized by Vasilije Micic and Josh Okogie 3-pointers, as well as an emphatic dunk from Moussa Diabate.
Simmons responded immediately by converting a crucial and-one off a slick inlet pass, quickly squelching the hosts’ momentum.
Consecutive three-pointers from Wilson and Evbuomwan extended the lead back up to 20, and with under four minutes remaining in regulation, Brooklyn’s hungry fanbase awaited the third victory of the new year.
In a complete and all-around showing, the Nets saw six players reach double figures, an impressive feat considering their injury circumstances.
Defeating a compromised Hornets roster that was left without their top two weapons is not the most glamorous achievement in the world, but provided momentum for a reeling Brooklyn squad, nonetheless.
The team travels to Houston for the opening act of a home-and-home series with the Rockets on Saturday at 8 p.m. EST.
The Hornets franchise-long nine-game homestand continues Friday night against James Harden and the Los Angeles Clippers.
