BROOKLYN BEATS MANHATTAN: Nets 96, Knicks 89

Deron-Williams11

Deron Williams POINT GUARD

Passing masterpiece. Exploited his own mismatches and others. Found everyone with everything: no-looks, one-hand bounce passes in the lane, and just smart looks. Got electric M-V-P chants near the end. Looked like a superstar point guard, with one exception: he’s still having trouble with his outside shot.

Joe Johnson SHOOTING GUARD

Would’ve been great to see him. (Did have one great feed to Lopez late in regulation for a layup, which salvages him slightly).

Gerald Wallace SMALL FORWARD

Hit his season high for points… in the first half. Knocked down threes. Deron Williams found him for one really nice dunk as he cut through the open lane. Played solid defense on ‘Melo, particularly in the first quarter. Can’t ever fault the energy and attacked the rim with purpose, particularly on that great fake-and-layup with 2:20 left in overtime to put the Nets up six.

Kris Humphries POWER FORWARD

Quiet first half, but wasn’t ineffective: got his rebounds and played okay defense, even when defending often out of position. Got his first bucket on a feed-and-dunk from Deron Williams in the third, but continues a stretch of playing almost zero crunch time minutes — and they didn’t miss him.

Brook Lopez CENTER

Solid. Not his best defensive night, which is saying something. Got abused on the Knicks triple-screen plays late. But hit his shots, picked up a double-double and actually outrebounded Tyson Chandler, though he should have his rebounds revoked when he turns it over in the backcourt — which seems to happen once per game.

Keith Bogans SHOOTING GUARD

Didn’t shoot well. Did an admirable job guarding Melo on the perimeter, but once Melo went inside on him and starting banging in the post it was clear he was outmatched.

Reggie Evans POWER FORWARD

Quintessential.

Jerry Stackhouse SHOOTING GUARD

THE CONCEPT OF DARING DARES YOU TO STOP JERRY STACKHOUSE. JERRY STACKHOUSE SAPS RASHEED WALLACE’S UNC POWERS WHEN BOTH ARE ON THE COURT TO MAKE BUCKETS OUT OF FLUID. JERRY STACKHOUSE CREATED MEMPHIS BLEEK JUST TO HAVE SOMETHING TO LAUGH AT WHILE NAILING CORNER THREES WITH HIS EYES CLOSED. JERRY STACKHOUSE INVENTED THE BROOKLYN CHANT, THE COTTON GIN, AND HELVETICA. JERRY STACKHOUSE HIT THE GAME-ICING FREE THROWS AND AGAIN LEADS THIS TEAM IN PLUS-MINUS BECAUSE JERRY STACKHOUSE RUNS THIS TOWN TONIGHT. THANK YOU FOR BEING YOU, JERRY STACKHOUSE.