This time, the Hornets defeat the Nets in a game that could have been won.
The Nets were jubilant last week after defeating the Atlanta Hawks, their opponents in the Play-In Tournament competition, in back-to-back games. The Nets are now 4.5 games behind Atlanta after losing three of their previous four games in the week following those victories.
Brooklyn recently suffered a 110–99 loss to the Charlotte Hornets. The Nets’ performance was discouraging since they were unable to build on their excellent first quarter. With a game-high 31 points, Cameron Thomas’ comeback was the most encouraging aspect of the contest. There are definitely important lessons to be learned from this game with this loss.
The best scorer for the Nets is Cam Thomas.
Even when he is getting guarded by the opponent’s best defender, Thomas makes scoring look easy. He announced his return by scoring 17 points in the first quarter. However, the rest of the team couldn’t keep up, as the offense stalled and became too reliant on Cam.
He only played 30 minutes, as he dealt with a minute restriction. He could’ve scored more if he had not come off an ankle injury that took him out for multiple games.
Cam’s performance was encouraging, as the team needed someone to take over. Mikal Bridges has been in an extended slump over the past few weeks, which showcased why Cam is one of Brooklyn’s most important assets.
Brooklyn loses energy too easily
Coach Kevin Ollie has preached energy-generating behaviors (EGB) since he took over from Jacque Vaughn after the All-Star break. This game was not the best example of energetic play, as the Nets looked deflated every time the Hornets scored.
Brooklyn must play with unmatched energy and hustle to keep winning games. They must win the hustle plays so they won’t get caught watching the opponent get the loose ball and turn it into transition points. The Hornets had 26 transition points in this game, which Coach Ollie lamented after the game.
Brooklyn is likely out of the Play-In
It might be time for Brooklyn fans to accept that the team is not making the Play-In Tournament. They are now 4.5 games behind Atlanta, which will be a challenging deficit to overcome.
The Nets must take care of business in their remaining games and pray for the Hawks to slip up. Thankfully, Atlanta has a challenging schedule ahead, but Coach Ollie wants his team to lock in and work towards the possibility of making the Play-In Tournament spots.
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