© Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
The Brooklyn Nets get a dominant win over the Washington Wizards
The Brooklyn Nets used a strong performance to beat the Washington Wizards in the last game before their West Coast road trip. Heading into the game against the Washington Wizards, the Nets were on a three-game winning streak. They have extended that streak with a dominant 124-107 win over the Wizards.
This was an all-around effort, but Mikal Bridges led the team with 21 points. The big men were also standouts, as Nic Claxton had a double-double of 13 points and 15 rebounds, while backup big Day’Ron Sharpe had 15 points and 11 rebounds. Those two big men helped the Nets get a season-high in points in the paint as they tallied 76.
“I think we’ve really been stressing trying to get the ball into the paint offensively. Tonight was one of the nights where there was a concerted effort to drive the basketball. An effort to crash on the offensive side of the ball and rebound,” Coach Jacque Vaughn said in his post-game presser. “I loved the way we’re able to change up defenses and it’s a great challenge to our group.”
The Nets are superb in the paint
With 76 total paint points, the Nets showed they could dominate a match using their size. This was mostly due to their depth on center spot, with Clax and Sharpe leading the way. Aside from them, the Nets got minutes from Harry Giles III and Trendon Watford, who had eight points each during their spells.
Of course, the big men were not the only players who attacked the paint because Mikal was strong with his drives to the rim. This was due to the Wizards’ struggles on defense, as they couldn’t stay in front of their matchups, and their rim protection was subpar.
The Nets are prepared for a long West Coast road trip
This is the Nets’ last home game for a while because Brooklyn is setting off for a long road trip to the West Coast. That means there will be some tough matchups as they play against some talented teams like the Sacramento Kings, and there will be a homecoming for Mikal and Cameron Johnson against the Phoenix Suns.
The momentum the Nets have built in recent games will help them play in these upcoming games. With Mikal heating up, they will have a star player to rely on in those difficult games.
