The Nets came into today’s game with six points and ended it with the same amount. Miami won every quarter and the game– good for a clean sweep of all eight points. Brooklyn’s blowout wasn’t from a lack of effort as the Nets aggressively tried to keep up with the Heat’s torrid shooting. James Ennis dropped 29 points on 10-12 shooting with 7 threes.
Other thoughts and quotes:
— Kendall Gill, before tip: “I saw Mason Plumlee do things the great Hakeem Olajuwan did.” Again, wasting no time with the Hall of Famer comparisons, luckily.
Matt Winer: “If Plumlee is coming down around me, I’m covering everything I’ve got. He’s a big, big guy.”
After throwing down a huge alley-oop from Thames, Gill said: “He’s a gazelle.” Less than a minute later, Gill followed it up by exclaiming: “He’s a horse.” It appears more and more as if Gill’s compliments only come in the form of NBA Legends and common wildlife. Plumlee finished with 18 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist and 2 steals.
— The Nets allowed three offensive rebounds in the first 2 minutes of the game to officially mark their return to a sub-par team on the boards. In fact, Brooklyn would go on to finish the quarter with zero rebounds. Where are you, Reggie Evans?
— Marquis Teague looks like he’s ready to accept the Nets’ Annual Summer League Award for Most Frantic Point Guard That Reminds You Too Much Of Tyshawn Taylor. Teague played aggressively and pushed the ball, totaling equal amounts of good baskets and bad turnovers.
— For the second straight game, Donte Greene impressed on both sides of the ball and finished with 9 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists and a steal. If Greene is signed at the end of the summer, it wouldn’t surprise me. Remember, Donte Greene almost signed with the Nets a few years ago before he broke his foot.
— With a minute left in the first quarter, Jorge Gutierrez went to the locker room following a double team near mid-court. Gutierrez bruised his ribs and did not return.
— Markel Brown continued to impress with his court vision and passing. He hasn’t had a wild, explosive game yet like Caldwell-Pope or Napier—but it always feels like it’s lurking just underneath the surface for Brown. He’ll be a fun one to watch in 2014.
— Nick Minnerath hit four 3s and forced a shot clock violation in nearly 13 minutes of action. He’s a long shot to make the team, but in a game where the Nets largely struggled from outside the paint, Minnerath helped keep this one from getting even uglier.
The Nets play again tomorrow against the Oklahoma City Thunder at 7pm on NBATV.
