Collapsing: Pistons 109, Nets 97 (GAME GRADES)

Mason Plumlee

Mason Plumlee CENTER

Struggled to defend Andre Drummond, Greg Monroe, and the paint, but he’s a late-first round rookie. What do you expect?

Paul Pierce POWER FORWARD

Experienced fleeting moments of brilliance before moments of equal inanity. One example: near the end of the first half, with possession of the ball and the shot clock off, most teams would elect to relax and shoot for one possession. But Pierce barreled into the lane — with three defenders — and committed a turnover, which led to Greg Monroe hitting an and-one layup that cut the Nets halftime lead to seven. Kidd benched Pierce and Garnett for the first eight minutes of the fourth quarter, and they didn’t miss him.

Shaun Livingston POINT GUARD

Love Livingston’s basketball IQ and length as a backup point guard, but this team desperately needs top-level Deron Williams and Livingston can only carry so much of the load.

Kevin Garnett POWER FORWARD

Hit the team’s first two shots to open the game, in stark contrast to Pistons small-forward-in-name-only Josh Smith. Definitely made a bigger difference on defense early than in most games this season. But in the end, still wasn’t long or strong enough to defend the likes of Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe.

Alan Anderson SHOOTING GUARD

Hit three shots on three possessions to open in the second quarter, including a nice corner three ball. But little else from the backup swingman.

Joe Johnson SHOOTING GUARD

After not scoring 20 in any game, Johnson exploded on offense, hitting a career-high in three-pointers and his highest point total in a Brooklyn uniform. The only Nets player worth a starting spot today. Heated up in the second quarter, getting a couple of good shots in the post over the much smaller Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and getting free for some corner threes, kept scoring efficiently for the rest of the game, and didn’t have to bully the offense to do it.

Andray Blatche POWER FORWARD

Opened up the game by forcing a goaltend and then tipping in a shot for the opponent, ended the half by accidentally hitting an 18-footer as the shot clock expired and then fouling Greg Monroe on an and-one. Little he did made sense and half of it worked. So a standard game for Dray.

Mirza Teletovic POWER FORWARD

A+ for hitting three times as many threes today as he has all season! WOOO THREES

(This team is bad)