To say that the Brooklyn Nets would be in fifth place in the Eastern Conference would not be a statement that would ring true in the early weeks of the 2024-2025 season. The Nets have become a feisty team that has returned to gain some unlikely victories this week.
Going Toe-To-Toe With Denver
The Nets suffered a challenging 144 to 139 overtime loss against the Denver Nuggets, and Nikola Jokic put up an absurd triple-double with 29 points, 18 rebounds, and 16 assists. His triple-double led the Nuggets to victory in thrilling overtime, which saw the Nets nearly steal the game from the Nuggets. Cam Thomas had the Nuggets in trouble when he made a go-ahead layup to take a 122 to 121 lead late in the fourth quarter. Thomas was able to extend the lead after another made shot, but the Nuggets were able to tie it up thanks to a pair of made shots by Jokic.
Dorian Finney-Smith had the chance to seal the win but missed the three-point attempt that sent the game into overtime. The Nets had an early lead thanks to another two-pointer by Thomas, but the Nuggets trailed back and maintained the lead for the remainder of the game to get the win.
tooooooo strong pic.twitter.com/vOCw10FHbt
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) October 30, 2024
Both Thomas and Dennis Schroder led the Nets with 26 and 28 points, respectively, with Cam Johnson having 20 points. Nicolas Claxton was a force off the bench with a double-double, 16 points, and 12 rebounds.
Schroder Shines in Grizzlies Win
The Nets grabbed a much-needed win against the Memphis Grizzlies in a 119 to 106 victory. Dennis Schroder took advantage of the Grizzlies’ turnovers and scored 33 points for the night. The Grizzlies struggled to adjust to their fast-paced offense, causing 22 turnovers. Jaren Jackson Jr., Ja Morant, and Zach Edey all did their best to take a win over the Nets, with Jackson Jr. putting up 30 points on 10 of 12 from the field. Morant’s 14 points were not without an eyesore in the box score, shooting five of 16 from the field. Edey’s 13 points on six of nine shooting from the field was good for the rookie, but it wasn’t enough to get the job done.
this man was HOOPIN' pic.twitter.com/l3hKzYAIV1
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) October 31, 2024
On the other hand, the Nets were great at scoring in critical moments and preventing any momentum on the Grizzlies’ side of the ball. Both Thomas and Johnson added to the box score with 19 and 14 points, respectively. Thomas took advantage of getting to the free-throw line, with 11 of his 19 points coming from free throws alone. Ziare Williams was a big help off the bench, with 17 points and four steals contributing to Memphis’s turnovers.
Victory Against Chicago
The Nets grabbed a 120 to 112 win against the Chicago Bulls in a game where Brooklyn nearly failed to secure the lead thanks to an offensive surge by the Bulls in the second half. Nikola Vucevic led the second-half charge with 13 of his 28 points in the third quarter. Vucevic was near-perfect with a 10 of 11 shooting performance, missing only one of his four attempted 3-pointers. The Bulls choked out on earning a victory late in the game, where the Nets could close the door at the last minute thanks to additional scoring by Thomas.
LOGO CAM!!!!!!! https://t.co/JysOm2qVs7 pic.twitter.com/KmG0gDaweK
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 2, 2024
The Bulls were no match in the end, as Thomas again became the offensive threat for the Nets with his 32 points. Cam Johnson helped out with his 14 points, but most of the bench could hold it down on the offensive end, with Ziare Williams, Claxton, and Keon Johnson in double-digit scoring for the night.
Pistons Fire Back and Win Against Nets
The Nets had no answers to the Detroit Pistons in a 106 to 92 defeat, with six players in double-digit scoring for the night. The Pistons put a stop to Thomas, who was an offensive juggernaut for the Nets. The Pistons limited him to just six points in the fourth quarter and stopped the Nets from scoring in the final quarter by putting them at just 15 points. Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 19 points, with Tobias Harris behind with 18 points. Jalen Duren was unstoppable for the Pistons as he had 13 points, 17 rebounds, and three blocks to lead the Pistons to victory.
Lots to like here
CT hittin' the deck
Ben dishin' a dime
Jalen knockin' it down pic.twitter.com/8hr2Gn5KOs— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 3, 2024
The Nets put up a fight, but it was not enough. Johnson and Thomas carried the majority of the offensive load for the Nets, scoring 26 and 17 points, respectively. The Pistons put up a defensive clinic that left Thomas and Johnson the only Nets players in double figures, whereas six Pistons players scored double-digits for the night.
Nets Take Care of Business Again Against Memphis
The Nets beat the Grizzlies again, but this time by a close margin, 106 to 104. Edey’s near-perfect game, being 11 of 12 from the field and scoring 25 points, was not enough to take care of the Nets. Neither was Morant’s offensive scoring, with an audience-shocking 360-layup that added to his 25-point performance. The Grizzlies could not capitalize on a last-second opportunity to win the game after a missed three-pointer by Santi Aldama could have won them the game.
4-2 in our last six games 📈 pic.twitter.com/Kt98hkhFMH
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 5, 2024
Schroder and Johnson’s 20-point performances led the offensive charge, which was backed up by the rest of the Nets. Six total Nets players scored double-digits for the night. Jalen Wilson held it down for the bench with his 13 points, while the rest of the starters did much of the heavy lifting on the scoring side. The Nets put up a late offensive run thanks to Schroder and Finney-Smith, and the Nets put a stop to the Grizzlies at the last second in a nail-biter of a win.
What’s Next For The Nets?
The Nets have now become an interesting team to watch this season. While they might not make a deep playoff run like their neighbors in the other borough (New York Knicks), this Nets team won’t be going down without a fight. The Nets have a young core behind them that they can develop into offensive threats. Cam Thomas is looking to become a star in Brooklyn and has shown no signs of slowing down. Dennis Schroder has seemed to fit in seamlessly and has also become another great offensive arsenal for the Nets. There has been no word on Ben Simmons due to him missing games because of a lingering back injury, but the Nets look to possibly have a smooth transition of being able to play without Simmons throughout this season.
