The Brooklyn Nets met the Cleveland Cavaliers for the first time this season, and the game didn’t disappoint.
- Brooklyn Nets (3-2)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (3-2)
- Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York
- NBA, Finals, Box Score
It’s rare to see the Brooklyn Nets be competitive against an elite team, but this year is different. The Nets didn’t waver when facing LeBron James and the new look Cavaliers and kept the first two quarters interesting.
Brooklyn’s offense was present, as usual, and they hung 55 points on the Cavs, including 29 in the second quarter. However, their defense, as usual, was terrible, and they allowed 52 points. What played a role in their first-half success was forcing turnovers. Cleveland committed 13 over the first 24 minutes, and that offset the 39.6 percent Brooklyn shot.
After the break, the Nets began to pull away. The offense clicked in the third as Brooklyn poured in 29, and, at one point, they led by as many as 14. Cleveland got sloppier and sloppier as the game went on. James was noticeably frustrated. Cleveland trailed by 11 heading into the final period. LeBron was fed up.
He single-handedly pulled the Cavaliers back from their deficit and ignited a blazing run. They got their first lead since midway through the first quarter and stretched it as far as nine. The Nets, who were without D’Angelo Russell, then got themselves together. They clawed back and traded buckets for the last few minutes. Allen Crabbe made a three to give Brooklyn the lead at 97-96. Not long after, DeMarre Carroll hit a three to tie the game at 103.
Spencer Dinwiddie, arguably, had the biggest shot of the night. With 43 seconds left, he nailed a bomb that put the Nets up 106-104. He then assisted on the next bucket. To close out the night, Dinwiddie nailed the two free throw that gave us the 112-107 final.
If Cleveland should take anything away from this loss, it’s more control of the basketball; they committed 21 turnovers, and a lot of them were mental lapses.
LeBron had a dazzling performance that the Nets overshadowed. He recorded his first triple-double of the year with 29 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds. For Brooklyn, Dinwiddie led with 22 points and six assists, and both Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Allen Crabbe finished with 19.
Brooklyn’s next game is Friday against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.