Brooklyn Nets vs. Sacramento Kings Takeaways and Player Grades
Nov 27, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Isaiah Whtiehead (15) dribbles the ball as Sacramento Kings guard Darren Collison (7) defends during the second half at Barclays Center. The Kings won 122-105. Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports
The Brooklyn Nets returned home Sunday night to take on the Sacramento Kings. Brooklyn dropped their seventh straight game in a 122-105 loss.
The Brooklyn Nets faced the struggling Sacramento Kings last night at the Barclays Center. The Nets and Kings came into Sunday as two of the worst defensive teams in the NBA (27th and 28th in defensive rating).
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Brooklyn was without Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (ankle) for the second straight game, and went with the same starting lineup in Indiana. Caris LeVert (foot) and Jeremy Lin (hamstring) have also yet to return.
The Nets got off to a hot start, led by the always-fiery Sean Kilpatrick. Brooklyn went up by as much as nine in the first quarter. However, the Nets’ quick run was soon stopped after Kenny Atkinson‘s many substitutions. At the end of the first quarter, Brooklyn held a 35-31 lead.
By halftime, the Nets only led by one, 59-58, but it was a lead nonetheless. This was the first lead the Nets had at halftime since November 12th.
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The second half told essentially the same story that every game has for the Nets so far this season. Yet another third quarter meltdown and stagnant offense for the Nets helped the Kings pull away. Sacramento led 92-77 at the end of the third.
After Matt Barnes was ejected for a flagrant foul on Kilpatrick in the fourth quarter, the Nets went on a resurgence… that died out quickly. Brooklyn pulled within six in the final period, but it was not enough to pull the Nets out of the even greater hole that developed in the final minutes of the game.
Kilpatrick finished the game with 22 points, five rebounds, and three assists. DeMarcus Cousins led the Kings with 37 points, 11 rebounds, and four steals.
It’s clear that frustration is settling into this young Nets team. Where did the 4-5 team go? As Luis Scola said, this is not the same team that began the year so strong. But more questions than answers remain as the Nets drop their seventh straight game and are set to play one of the NBA’s best teams, the Los Angeles Clippers, on Tuesday.
Nov 27, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Trevor Booker (35) shoots the ball over Sacramento Kings center Kosta Koufos (41) during the second half at Barclays Center. The Kings won 122-105. Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports
Takeaways
1) The lack of a playmaker is too real
It’s been an extremely long three-and-a-half weeks without Jeremy Lin. With no timetable for his return, the Nets’ outlook at point guard is very bleak. Even with rookie Isaiah Whitehead in the starting role, at times, Sean Kilpatrick was running the offense with Whitehead on the floor. Arguably, behind Jeremy Lin and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Kilpatrick is the best playmaker on the Nets. In the Nets’ previous game against the Indiana Pacers, Kilpatrick dished out a career-high seven assists. But he’s still prone to errors, since he’s not traditionally a point guard. In last night’s game, he committed three turnovers, with some taking place during some of Brooklyn’s sloppiest ball handling of the night.
2) Where is the defense…
Are you tired of seeing the Nets give up 110+ points every night? I sure am. For a team that plays at such a fast pace, it may look good that they’re scoring 100+ points every night, but not if they give up more than the amount they score. This was their seventh straight game where they allowed 110+ points, and it’s not surprising that it’s their seventh straight loss too. Furthermore, this was the battle of not only the struggling teams, but also two of the worst defensive teams in the league. It’s disappointing that Brooklyn couldn’t end their defensive woes and come out with the win, considering opponents that lie ahead.
3) Can we end the storybook, seriously?
It’s a broken record that the Nets play well (or at least decent) in the first half, burn out in the third quarter, and the fourth quarter is a bit of both. Last night wasn’t any different, and Kenny Atkinson even noted these third quarter meltdowns in his post-game interview. The problem is that the Nets’ second and third units and inexperienced players see most of the third quarter action. On top of that, Atkinson is still experimenting with his rotations, and it’s not surprising to see different players taking the floor with each other on different occasions. But if Brooklyn wants to start winning — winning even with all these injuries — they need to solve this third quarter burnout problem, and fast.
Nov 27, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Sacramento Kings gurad Darren Collison (7) dribbles the ball as Brooklyn Nets guard Sean Kilpatrick (6) defends during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports
Player Grades
Player of the Game
Sean Kilpatrick
SG, Brooklyn Nets
B+Sean Kilpatrick was recently declared the GOAT by the Brooklyn Nets Twitter, and for good reason. Kilpatrick led the Nets with 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the field and 3-of-5 shooting from behind the arc. Though he contributed to a few boneheaded plays (subsequently three turnovers), he appears to be adjusting well even with his shifted roles. The shooting guard started for a second straight game alongside Bojan Bogdanovic, as a result of the injured Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.
Wildcard
Justin Hamilton
PF/C, Brooklyn Nets
B-Justin Hamilton was put in “Up Your Game… Please” the last game, but now he’s respectfully bumped up to “Wildcard.” I had a few options for this one (Bojan Bogdanovic and Brook Lopez as well), but Hamilton’s performance may be overlooked this time around. During the game, I was astounded by how many rebounds the 7-footer was tallying. Hamilton has never been known as a player to crash the boards effectively, even with his height. However, it appears he may be working to improve in this category. He only scored eight points last night, but they were accompanied by 10 boards. Not too shabby for the “other” 7-footer of the team.
Up Your Game… Please
Randy Foye
SG, Brooklyn Nets
With the loss, the Nets fall to 4-12 and now stand just one game above the Philadelphia 76ers, who are last in the Eastern Conference. The Nets continue their three-game home stand on Tuesday against the 14-4 Los Angeles Clippers.
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