Brooklyn Picks Up Back-To-Back Wins For First Time Since Early November
Winning a game got the first time in two weeks was the Nets goal that they accomplished on Friday night over Toronto Raptors. Following that vs. a New York Knicks team that in many ways have mirrored them this season was their latest challenge.
The Brooklyn Nets picked up a 112-104 victory over the New York Knicks on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden to make it two straight wins.
Spencer Dinwiddie scored a team-high 23 points and added six assists off the bench as the Nets’ super sub keyed their latest win.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson scored a season-high 20 points while grabbing six rebounds as he was as aggressive as he has been this season with his shot, making seven of 14 shot attempts.
The Brooklyn Nets, looking to continue a trend that’s befell them over the past few weeks, got off to a strong start and didn’t look back vs. their crosstown rivals.
Playing on the second night of a back-to-back, Kenny Atkinson’s team looked sharp in the opening half, owning an early double digit lead before going into the half with a 56-45 lead.
The 3-point shot as well as the Nets dominance in the paint helped tell the tale of this third meeting between the two teams, as Brooklyn held significance edges over New York in both categories.
Active on the glass and solid in their defensive rotations, Brooklyn took an 18-point lead in the middle of the third quarter before seeing David Fizdale’s team make a late push in the fourth quarter.
Enes Kanter finished with 23 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Knicks. Enes Kanter was a handful for the Brooklyn Nets, coming close to a near double-double in just the first half as he had 14 points and nine rebounds in the first half.
After being a healthy scratch over the past four games, Frank Ntilikina made the most of his minutes as he finished with seven points and three assists, sparking New York in the fourth quarter as they fought to get close down the stretch.
A search for defensive consistency is still ongoing for Fizdale as it relates to his team, who lost their third straight game on Saturday to fall to 8-19.
With that said, there’s plenty to be encouraged about when it comes to his young bench, which easily outplayed the starters.
Tim Hardaway Jr. has fallen into a rough stretch of shooting, going missing 10 of his 12 shot attempts tonight and finishing with seven points in just 23 minutes, and as a result, it’s hard for this current team to get wins on nights where their defense is mostly invisible.
The two teams split the previous two meeting this season, with Brooklyn taking the first game and New York taking the last game. Brooklyn’s win on Saturday marks the first by the road team, as Brooklyn suddenly has positive energy flowing in their season once again.
The Brooklyn Nets will visit the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night at the Wells Fargo Center.
Meanwhile the New York Knicks will turnaround and face the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday night at Madison Square Garden.
What were your thoughts on the Brooklyn Nets victory over the New York Knicks tonight? Leave your comments below!