Thoughts On the Game: Jazz 98, Nets 88

Nets loss to Jazz in bullets:

Initial thoughts on this game is that it’s not a horrible loss for the Nets. As I stated earlier in the pregame thread, the Jazz beat the Heat, Magic and Hawks in a stretch last week, all locks to be playoff teams in the East, and when it’s all said and done this year, the Jazz could be a top four team in the West and we were playing in their building.
That being said, the Nets were within striking distance in the fourth quarter and had opportunities to bring the game to a tie. Late in the fourth, the Nets were getting stop after stop, yet it was on offense that the Nets couldn’t seem to get that big basket.
Only two field goals over the final six minutes of the fourth quarter. Tough to win games like that, but the Nets were getting open shots, just couldn’t hit.
The front court was a factor as the Nets get out rebounded, 57-44.
The curious trend of Anthony Morrow and Travis Outlaw unable to both play good games on the same night continues: Morrow shoots 8-of-16 and finishes with 24 points while Outlaw shoots an awful 1-of-12 from the field, including two wide open three pointers late in the fourth which would have been momentum changers, and finishes the day with only three points.
Tale of two halves for Brook Lopez. First half Brook scores 17 points and seemed poised to have a big night. Second half, Brook scores zero points and fouls out down the stretch on an offensive foul.
Devin Harris played a good all-around floor game but I still hate the habit Devin has of feeling contact and anticipating a foul, so he begins his shooting motion, yet the whistle never comes and he ends up in mid air, not quite ready to shoot and sometimes with no one to pass to. I think I see Devin do this more so than any other player. Not something hugely critical, just a pet peeve that I’ve noticed in his game.
All five Jazz starters score in double figures. Deron Williams bulled his way to the foul line 13 times where he sank 12. Our guy is good, but on nights like this you can see the clear superiority that an elite point guard like Deron Williams possesses.
Good to see Terrence Williams back, though I think we’re all waiting for him to make the impact on the season we were hoping he would.
Whoever decided on going back to the green, yellow and white uniforms/color scheme for the Jazz deserves a raise, I like those so much better.
I’ll close with a quote from Avery Johnson which I think sums things up the best, “Our team — we’re not at a point, right now, mentally, where we really believe, deep down in our gut, that we can win these games.” I think that speaks volumes to where this team is at right now. I think you definitely get a sense of that as well. You saw it down the stretch against Orlando at home.
To a certain extent you can expect that from this team. They are young (for the most part), but they have guys who have won before and have experience. Hopefully as this team grows and matures, they’ll start growing more confidence that they can win games against quality opponents.