Nets
Nets Blow Open Tight Game With 36-23 Third, Rout Hornets 124-90
Brooklyn broke a two-point game at the first horn with a 36-23 third quarter and ran away for a 124-90 preseason win at Spectrum Center. The Nets shot 55% from the field and forced 25 turnovers out of Charlotte, turning 31 of those points off turnovers into offense. Both teams are 0-0, so nothing moves in the standings, but Brooklyn's depth did the damage.
By the Hoops Nightly Desk · updated 15 d ago01The story of the nightThe Third Quarter Broke It OpenCharlotte matched Brooklyn basket for basket in the first quarter, trailing just 33-31.
Charlotte matched Brooklyn basket for basket in the first quarter, trailing just 33-31. The margin crept to 56-52 by halftime, still a one-possession game in spirit. Then the Nets outscored the Hornets 36-21 in the third, turning a four-point game into a 19-point lead at 92-73. Brooklyn's biggest lead of the night hit 36 points, while Charlotte's largest lead all game was only 5. The Hornets never led after the game tightened, and the lead changed hands five times before Brooklyn took firm control for good.
02Porter Jr. And a Deep Bench Carried BrooklynMichael Porter Jr.
Michael Porter Jr. led all scorers with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including 4 of 6 from three, in just 16.9 minutes. Julius Randle added 13 on 4-of-7 shooting. But the story was the bench: Nolan Traore (10 points, 3-of-4 shooting), Danny Wolf (9 points, 5 assists), Drake Powell (9 points, 4-of-6 shooting) and Ben Saraf (8 points) combined for 36 points on Brooklyn's reserves, who outscored Charlotte's bench 76-41. For Charlotte, Liam McNeeley topped the box score with 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting, and Naz Reid and Grayson Allen each added 13.
03Turnovers and the Paint Decided ItCharlotte turned the ball over 25 times against just 12 Brooklyn giveaways, and the Nets cashed those mistakes in…
Charlotte turned the ball over 25 times against just 12 Brooklyn giveaways, and the Nets cashed those mistakes in for 31 points off turnovers to Charlotte's 14. Brooklyn also dominated the paint, 44 points to 22, and ran out to 25 fast-break points against only 6 for the Hornets. Brooklyn shot 55.0% from the field and 20 of 37 from three; Charlotte shot 40.0% and 16 of 36 from deep. Charlotte actually won the rebounding battle 47-46 and out-blocked Brooklyn 7-2, but it wasn't close to enough to offset the turnover gap.
04A Preseason Measuring Stick for Both SidesWith both teams at 0-0, this one carries no standings weight, but it gave Brooklyn an early look at its bench depth,…
With both teams at 0-0, this one carries no standings weight, but it gave Brooklyn an early look at its bench depth, with Traore, Wolf, Powell and Saraf all producing in extended minutes. For Charlotte, the turnover numbers are the headline: 25 giveaways, including 6 from McNeeley alone, against a Nets team that scored 31 points directly off those mistakes. Tidjane Salaun played a team-high 28.1 minutes for the Hornets but finished at a team-worst plus/minus of -24, a rough preseason outing to work through before the games start counting.
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