The Brooklyn Nets will play Saturday night at Memphis hoping to build on their best game of the early season.
The Nets overpowered the host New Orleans Pelicans 145-111 on Wednesday by placing eight players in double figures in scoring, including six who had 15 or more points.
With that momentum, the Nets will play the Grizzlies with the hope of recovering from a start that saw Brooklyn lose its first five games. If Nets coach Jordi Fernandez can get another solid effort from his reserves, Brooklyn might have back-to-back wins for the first time this season.
“We’ve got to keep taking positive steps,” Fernandez said.
In their victory at New Orleans, the Nets shot 57% from the field, converted 20 of 41 attempts from 3-point range, and won the rebounding battle 42-28. Also encouraging was the return of guard Egor Demin.
Demin was back in the lineup after missing the previous six games with a right leg bruise. He scored 22 points in 23 minutes.
Noah Clowney, a 6-foot-10 forward, also delivered off the bench. He finished with 16 points, three rebounds, two steals and a block in only 19 minutes.
“He impacted the game,” Fernandez said. “I think that when you have size like him, you can guard multiple positions.
“He’s been rebounding very well. The 16 points [were the result of] taking good shots to get into the free-throw [area]. I’m very happy with him. We’ve just got to keep taking steps there. This road trip is helping us come together.”
As for Memphis, the Grizzlies roughly matched the Nets in overpowering the Pelicans. Friday night in New Orleans, the Grizzlies defeated the Pelicans 142-111 in an NBA Cup group play game.
Memphis set a franchise record and tied an NBA record by placing 10 players in double figures in points, led by Jerami Grant (22) and Ty Jerome (17 points, nine assists).
The Grizzlies are 8-4, thanks in part to their unblemished road record (6-0) and the NBA’s top-scoring bench. Memphis reserves average 46 points per game and contributed 76 points in Friday’s win.
“We have a very connected group,” coach Tuomas Iisalo said. “We all like to spend time together on the road. It shows up (on the court). You (ride) the bus together to the game — you don’t show up individually — so maybe there’s something to it.”
While their road success is undeniable, playing at home has presented challenges for the Grizzlies. Memphis has lost four straight home games. They never led in Wednesday’s 123-118 home defeat to the Denver Nuggets.
Still, Iisalo likes the potential he sees.
“Guys are making the right reads out of situations,” he said. “They’re being aggressive, drawing a second defender, and then finding the open teammate. The next player does the same thing.
“Everybody is trying to do what’s best for the team. We went through a very difficult season (25-57) last year, and nobody wants to be part of that experience again.”
–Field Level Media
