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Brooklyn Nets Pick Up First Win Of The Season Over Houston Rockets

By Kenneth Teape

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The Brooklyn Nets have finally broken through. It took eight games, but the Nets are finally in the win column for the first time this season, defeating the Houston Rockets 106-98 Wednesday night. The Rockets had come into the game rolling, winning four consecutive games, but had their winning streak stopped by the winless, now one win, Nets.

The Nets have to look no further than their bench for the reason they pulled off the upset victory. Every player contributed in some way, with all five scoring at least two baskets as well. Shane Larkin and Bojan Bogdanovic both scored had monster games and were catalysts throughout the evening.

Larkin had a very efficient game, going 6-of-10 from the field, and 3-of-4 from deep, en route to 15 points. He also added eight rebounds and two assists to deliver a big spark off the bench. Bogdanovic scored a team-high 22 points in his 34 minutes of play, as he kept rookie Rondae Hollis-Jefferson glued to the bench for most of the night, and rightfully so.

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Bogdanovic had it going offensively, knocking down 10-of-20 from the field and 2-of-5 from deep, adding nine rebounds and three assists. His -1 plus/minus ratio was the only negative one of the Nets bench, as Larkin led the way with a +24, while Thomas Robinson, Andrea Bargnani and Wayne Ellington registered +1, +16 and +10 respectively.

It was encouraging to see the Nets get such a solid showing from their bench, as the starting unit just didn’t have it tonight. Joe Johnson led the way with a very inefficient 16 points, going 4-of-13 from the field. He did help out in other areas though, coming close to a triple-double with 10 assists and seven rebounds. Thaddeus Young was the only starter that shot at least 50 percent from the field, going 5-of-8 for 13 points.

Brook Lopez struggled to 14 points on 6-of-17 from the field with 12 rebounds, as he got outplayed by Dwight Howard. Howard, who has battled a lingering back injury all season in the early going, looked fully healthy tonight. He finished with a big double-double with 20 points and 17 rebounds, adding five blocks for good measure.

James Harden had a James Harden type game, as he scored 23 points on 8-of-22 from the field. He also added nine rebounds and six assists, but where the Nets succeeded was limiting his free throw attempts. Harden, who was averaging 12.7 free throw attempts per game coming into tonight. He came nowhere close to that number, as the Nets held him to five attempts, which he converted four of.

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The Rockets bench let them down tonight, as they didn’t compare to the production to what the Nets bench gave them. Clint Capela led the way off the Rockets bench with eight points, as their second unit combined for only 15 points. The Nets, meanwhile, received 56 from theirs. That kind of lopsided result will more often than not result in a win, which is exactly happened for the Nets tonight.

The Nets will continue their road trip Friday, as they pay a visit to the currently imploding Sacramento Kings and look to build their first winning streak of the season.

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