Brooklyn Nets earn another home win on Kyrie Irving’s back
It’s no secret that when the Brooklyn Nets play, you have to watch it to the final buzzer. Absolutely no lead is safe in the Barclays Center.
Monday night against the Pelicans, the Brooklyn Nets gave up 48 points in the third quarter to a Brandon Ingram run offense. With about 5 minutes left in the game, the Pelicans took a 20 point deficit and turned it into two.
When the Nets traded for Kyrie Irving, the Nets had these exact situations in mind. In close games coming down the stretch, the Nets needed a “go-to-guy” to get the ball to no matter what. Irving showed up and showed out, forcing his way through multiple double teams. With under a minute left, Irving beat a double and got the ball to Joe Harris for a sure-fire three to seal the deal.
Harris ended his night with 19 points, and Irving finished with 39 in a crucial win before hitting a brutal road stretch. Sitting at 3-4, the Nets are getting comfortable relying on Irving in essential situations. Irving matched another record with a streak of seven straight 20 point games in a Brooklyn Nets jersey.
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Moving forward, the Nets will have to cut down turnovers no matter what. Brooklyn turned the ball over 23 times, proving that this team’s weakness is giving up the shot. Those 23 lead to 22 Pelicans points in their comeback effort. Specifically, the second team has been struggling to cough up the ball under Spencer Dinwiddie. The team might be relying too much on Irving, given the Nets significant drop-offs in production when the rotations start to switch.
Aside from missed shots, the Nets have to prioritize ball security. Careless mistakes are something they can clean up before hitting the road. Shooting is streaky, and eventually, shots will start to fall. In the end, Coach Atkinson has to prioritize fixing these turnovers for those games that come down to the wire.
Regardless, the Nets looked good last night. Jarrett Allen is getting into a groove, Taurean Prince is becoming a reliable producer, and it is becoming obvious how much it matters to have all-star talent in Irving. The hometown kid is becoming the clear leader of this team when the Nets take the floor.
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As the Nets head west, keep an eye out for turnovers, more consistent shooting, and whether Irving’s 20 point streak will stay alive or not.