It's just one game, so it's too soon to say that Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Garnett is "back." But boy, did Kevin Garnett look good last night. His stat sheet wasn't eye-popping -- eight points, five rebounds, three assists, two steals, and one block in 28 minutes of play -- but as the Nets wanted from the 37-year-old forward, his impact went beyond the numbers. Garnett hit a few big midrange shots down the stretch, showcased his classic "goaltend the shot after the foul" move, broadcasted his trademark intensity on both ends of the floor, and talked center Brook Lopez through a rough stretch in the first quarter on the bench.
Garnett also hit shots when the Nets needed it. After the team dealt with a rough third quarter and a double-digit lead cut down to two in the fourth, Garnett played the entire fourth quarter, hitting two jumpers and anchoring the defense with Brook Lopez. On a team that's lacked a communicator over the last two seasons, Garnett's got to fill his role and produce a solid effort night in and night out. Saturday night may have been the first time he put that all together in one game.
Tonight marks the second of two matchups between the Brooklyn Nets and the Memphis Grizzlies. The first ended badly for Brooklyn, a 101-77 laugher loss that was over by halftime. This Grizzlies team is a different one than the one that tore the Nets asunder in January, after striking a trade that sent small forward Rudy Gay to the Toronto Raptors, acquiring Ed Davis from the Raptors, and Austin Daye & Tayshaun Prince from the Detroit Pistons.
