The Brooklyn Nets somehow lost to the woeful New York Knicks in a game that produced a meme-worthy shot of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving looking sad while watching it.
Point guard Spencer Dinwiddie — the only bright spot for the Nets, he had 25 points — wondered if “too much eggnog” was to blame. But whatever it was, it was a game they’ll want to put behind them quickly.
Just how bad was it? The Nets made some history — they did make 13 three-pointers … but they only made eight other field goals overall (it’s worth noting they went to the line 36 times). And that number of twos is the number that was historically bad:
The Nets made 8 2-point field goals tonight vs the Knicks, the fewest by any team in a game since Nov. 22, 1950 (Lakers and Pistons each made 4). h/t @EliasSports
Prior to tonight, the fewest made 2-pt FG in a game in the shot clock era (since 1954-55) was 11, done twice.
Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving could only watch as the Nets got crushed but the Knicks.
Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are both out with injuries, so they could only sit on the bench in street clothes Thursday night and watch as the Brooklyn Nets lost in ugly fashion to the New York Knicks at the Barclays center.
Many thought KD and Irving, of course, would sign with the Knicks during free agency last summer but instead they decided to go to New York’s other team.
The Nets are 16-14 and are having a decent season considering KD is out all year and Irving has missed considerable time with a shoulder injury.
But NBA Twitter did enjoy seeing the two players looking down while their team trailed the terrible Knicks by 23 points in the third quarter:
Previewing Thursday’s New York Knicks at Brooklyn Nets sports betting odds, with NBA matchup analysis and picks.
The New York Knicks (7-24) take the subway over to the Barclays Center to play the Brooklyn Nets (16-13) at 7:30 p.m. ET Thursday. We analyze the Knicks-Nets odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.
New Jersey NBA Special Prop Bet
Bet $1, WIN $100 (in free bets) if either the Knicks or Nets hit a 3-pointer in their game December 26, 2019. Bet now!
There are several reasons to stay away from the Nets (-286) moneyline. First, the Knicks will have bodies to throw at the Nets’ best healthy player, Spencer Dinwiddie, with two defensive point guardsâElfrid Payton and Frank Ntilikinaâand athletic dynamo Dennis Smith Jr. Second, this is essentially a home game for the Knicks who are the much more popular team in New York City. Third, the Nets have played the lowest ranked strength of schedule in the NBA this season, compared to the Knicks who’ve played the fourth toughest.
Bet the KNICKS (+230) with a smaller wager on the moneyline because we are going to hit the spread harder. New to sports betting? A $50 wager on the Knicks to win outright returns a profit of $115.
Grab the KNICKS (+7.5, -121) because they tend to surprise superior teams on the roadâgoing 4-3 in away games versus teams above .500. In general, the rivalry has been competitive in recent years: the Knicks are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games against the Nets. Also, the Nets have played down to their competition at home so far this season. They are 3-4 at home against teams below .500.
Since we hit the moneyline for a half unit, let’s make a full unit wager since we like the Knicks to win and love them to cover. A $121 bet on the Knicks (+7.5, -121) returns a profit of $100.
The matchup lends itself well for an UNDER (222.5, -121). Seven of the last Knicks-Nets games went Under the projected total. The combined Over/Under record for both teams this season is 26-33-1.
Also, both teamsâ strengths and weaknesses align well for an Under wager. Neither team shoots well from threeâKnicks rank 24th in 3-point percentage and the Nets rank 26th. Both teams do a good job of keeping their opponents from scoring in the paintâthe Knicks are fourth in the NBA in opponent points in the paint per game and the Nets are ranked 8th.
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LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers were featured characters in the new ‘Game of Zones’ animated series from Bleacher Report.
Christmas Day is a huge day on the NBA calendar and for many, it’s when the NBA season truly begins. So with the significance of the day not lost on most, the folks at Bleacher Report decided to drop a new episode of their animated series “Game of Zones.”
In the new “Game of Zones” that was released on Wednesday, LeBron James and his Taco Tuesday posts were parodied as “Meat Pie Monday.” They also used the budding rivalry between the two Los Angeles teams and the decision of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant to team up together with the Brooklyn Nets.
The writers also made some good tampering jokes. The NBA’s Christmas Day slate began with the Boston Celtics facing the defending champion Toronto Raptors. Meanwhile, the Lakers-Clippers game is set for a primetime tip-off at 5 p.m. pacific on ABC.
The Lakers are currently on a season-worst three-game losing streak but they are expected to get LeBron James back in the lineup after James missed Sunday’s game against the Denver Nuggets.
Spencer Dinwiddie erupted for a career-high 41 points, and is showing he can be an elite scorer. What will he do when Kyrie Irving is back?
Spencer Dinwiddie went off for 41 points on Thursday night in the Brooklyn Nets’ 118-105 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. The loss will be disappointing for the Nets, who struggled to contain a red hot Patty Mills, who finished with 27 points for San Antonio.
But on a night when the rest of the Nets seemed unable to get it going, Dinwiddie showed he could score â in volume â when his team needs him.
Which makes Kyrie Irving’s impending return all the more interesting.
Irving is still out with a right shoulder impingement he’s been dealing with, and will most likely not see the court for another week or two. When he returns, though, the Nets will have an interesting dilemma: How do they continue to get Dinwiddie his chances with the ball in Irving’s hands?
Let me be clear, there is no bad blood between these two players. At least not anything that I’ve heard.
Kyrie’s issues as a teammate are often overblown â a ton of people said he destroyed the Celtics last year, which was why it was a bit weird that all of the Celtics seemed totally delighted to see him when he came back to Boston this season. (I, too, have elaborate hugs and handshakes with my enemies.)
This isn’t anything personal. It’s more just a matter of who is going to run the offense. Dinwiddie is playing at a legitimately high level right now in the East â maybe not All-Star level, but close. Over his last ten games, he’s averaging 27-7-3, which culminated in last night’s 41-point explosion.
With Kyrie back, and Caris LeVert returning from injury? Dinwiddie is just not going to get the shots to put up those numbers.
That’s why you’ll certainly hear grumbling that the Nets should try and move Dinwiddie to a team where he can be a star, and a lead scorer.
But for the Nets, there’s no impetus for them to do anything â they’ve got Dinwiddie on a team-friendly contract (one he wasn’t able to convert into a digital currency, sadly) and, for them, they’ll most likely want to hold pat and see how things work out.
Can Dinwiddie, Irving, Caris LeVert, and eventually Kevin Durant co-exist? Maybe? Even if Dinwiddie turns into an off-the-bench scoring pop for the team, that’s a good thing to have!
But still, there are concerns here. When LeVert and Irving return to the court, those are two proven NBA scorers who will need to get their shots up, and that’s even before Durant comes back. It’s an old cliche, but there’s only one basketball.
Will Dinwiddie be happy transitioning back to someone who maybe gets ten attempts a game? Maybe. But we’ll have to see, and I’m also not sure that it’s in the Nets best interest to have him take on that role.
During their game against the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday, the Brooklyn Nets suffered their biggest loss of the season: David Nwaba.
During their game against the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday, the Brooklyn Nets suffered their biggest loss of the season: David Nwaba.
The 26-year-old wing will reportedly have surgery on Friday morning and is expected to miss the remainder of the season. This is a particularly big blow for Nwaba, a former undrafted free agent that played community college ball for Santa Monica College in Los Angeles before transferring to Cal Poly.
He was enjoying his fourth professional season, finally finding a stride as a bona fide 3-and-D player in the NBA. Look at this compilation of his best blocks and steals of the season, using his 7-foot wingspan to his advantage:
This injury is also devastating for the Nets, who had welcome Nwaba in their rotation. Brooklyn was outscoring their opponents by 8.3 points per 100 possessions when he was on the court. That is the best net rating of anyone who played at least ten minutes for the team this season.
One of the more surprising takeaways when looking at his stats: The guard played 49 minutes alongside teammates Spencer Dinwiddie, Joe Harris and Jarrett Allen in 2019. The Nets outscored their opponents by a comically impressive rate of 47.1 points per 100, which was the best net rating among all four-man lineups (minimum: 40 minutes) in the league.
Even though he is not known for his scoring, he was averaging 22.6 points per 36 minutes in that time. It was a lineup that clearly worked for both him and his team alike.
If there's a lineup possibility that allows David Nwaba to play 48 minutes, yes
Overall, Nwaba was averaging 1.12 points per possession for the Nets so far this season. That ranked in the 91st percentile among all players, per Synergy Sports. He was shooting a career-best 46.2 percent from beyond the arc this season and had connected on half of his attempts from the corner.
The majority of his other field goal attempts came from the restricted area, where he was shooting an impressive 65.6 percent. As you can see from his shot chart, Nwaba bragged the basketball intelligence to avoid the midrange and instead focus on the more efficient opportunities.
It did not matter if he was shooting while closely contended, either. He was shooting 7-for-11 (63.6 percent) when his nearest defender was within two feet of him, which is no easy task for anyone at any level. He was averaging 1.31 points per possession on guarded catch-and-shoot attempts, via Synergy, which ranked in the 92nd percentile.
But arguably his most valuable addition to his team had been his defensive presence.
Biggest thing David Nwaba brings to the Nets: His defensive effort.
According to Cleaning the Glass, his block percentage (2.1 percent) ranked as the best among all players at his position. Opponents had an effective field goal percentage of just 42.6 percent when he was on the floor, which is much lower than the league average (52.2 percent) this year.
Nwaba is the type of scrappy player who found himself near the top of the team leaderboard for loose balls recovered, deflections, and charges drawn. These are the hustle plays that create a winning mentality for any basketball team.
While it will be tough to replace the things he provides the team on the court as he recovers from his injury, the Nets will be lucky to have him around the locker room as he continues his story of perseverance.
Former Texas Longhorn and current Brooklyn Nets center Jarrett Allen gets his jersey retired.
On Wednesday night current Brooklyn Nets center and former Texas Longhorn Jarrett Allen made his way back to Austin, Texas to have his high school jersey retired. Before becoming a Longhorn, Allen played on the hardwood at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School. There Allen was named a McDonald’s All-American.
The Nets would be best suited continuing to use Spencer Dinwiddie at point guard and running Kyrie Irving as the off guard when Irving returns.
Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving is one of the best scorers in the NBA, and Boston Celtics legend Paul Pierce thinks his skills should be taken advantage of when he returns to the floor.
According to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News, Pierce said on ESPN’s “The Jump” on Wednesday that the Nets should run Irving off the ball and have Spencer Dinwiddie continue to run point.
Irving has missed the past 16 games because of a right shoulder impingement. On Dec. 13, Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said Irving did on-court work at practice that day, but he hasn’t been cleared for contact.
“I think you got to play them both. And I really think Kyrie is a better player off the ball because Dinwiddie has been in the system for a year, they really had fun last year, they went to the playoffs, so theyâre really used to him playing with that core group,” Pierce said. “Now Kyrie played his best basketball with Cleveland, with LeBron being the primary ballhander.”
Irving is one of the best guards in the league, but throughout his career he’s been a scorer. While he’s a solid passer, Irving is a natural bucket getter. In 11 games this season, Irving has averaged a career-high 28.5 points per game. Irving has a career average of 22.4 points a game.
Dinwiddie is a good player as well, but he has a skill set that’s more conducive to producing an offense that flows. He’s averaged 6.3 assists per game this season. In the 16 games Irving has missed, Dinwiddie has averaged 7.4 assists.
This season has been arguably Dinwiddie’s best to date, and he will likely earn All-Star consideration. He’s averaging a career-high 21.4 points per game and shooting 43.0% from the field.
Irving playing off the ball more could work, but only if he is willing to give up some ball handling duties. Irving thrives with the ball in his hands and making plays in isolation. This season, Irving is averaging 3.5 points on isolations, according to NBA.com. And as a guard on the rise, Dinwiddie is averaging 3.3 points on isolations.
When Irving comes back, the Nets shouldn’t take Dinwiddie out of the starting lineup — it would probably mess with his groove. But starting Irving and Dinwiddie together could help the Nets maximize both guards’ talents.
Brooklyn Nets wing Joe Harris will be a free agent this offseason and due to his three-point shooting, he could be up for a major paycheck.
Brooklyn Nets wing Joe Harris will be a free agent this offseason and due to his three-point shooting, he could be up for a major paycheck.
Harris, 28, is averaging 14.9 points per game with 2.8 three-pointers while shooting 43.6 percent from beyond the arc. He has impressed for the Nets in the minutes without Kyrie Irving since the point guard has missed time due to injury, averaging 17.9 points per 36 minutes.
That suggests that with increased playing time and touches, he has been able to produce well for his team. This has led ESPN’s Zach Lowe to note that Harris, who currently makes $8 million annually, could make somewhere in the $16 million range per season on his new contract (via The Lowe Post):
“The phrase ‘at least double his money’ has been thrown around by league insiders … [He] is good. He is a good, all-around player. He is tough. He plays defense.”
Harris has been one of the most prolific, productive shooters on spot-up attempts as well on handoffs and when coming off screens.
According to Cleaning the Glass, he has ranked in the 90th percentile or better on three-pointers in each of the past three seasons. There have been few players in the league who have been as impressive as a shooter, where every team in the NBA is looking to improve.
With such a valuable commodity as a skilled marksman, there is a bright future ahead for the starting wing.
Previewing Thursday’s Brooklyn Nets at San Antonio Spurs sports betting odds and lines, with NBA betting picks, tips and best bets.
The Brooklyn Nets (15-12) and San Antonio Spurs (10-16) will lock horns at AT&T Center at 8:30 p.m. ET Thursday. We analyze the Nets-Spurs odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.
Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM.
Nets at Spurs: Key injuries
Nets: SG David Nwaba (ankle) is on the injury report, but he is expected to play. PG Kyrie Irving (shoulder) and SG Caris LeVert (thumb) are out at least another week, while PF Nicolas Claxton (hamstring) is out Thursday.
Nets at Spurs: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips
NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 7:45 a.m. ET.
The NETS (+125) are underdogs, but they’re a great value on the road as they have a winning record against a struggling Spurs (-149) side which finds itself six games below .500.
The NETS(+2.5, -106) look to keep the Spurs (-2.5, -115) down. San Antonio covered last time out, and it hasn’t covered in back-to-back games at any point this season. Brooklyn enters 7-2 ATS in the past nine games overall while going 8-2 ATS in the past 10 against teams with a losing straight-up record.
San Antonio heads in 5-17 ATS in the past 22 games at home, and 7-19 ATS in the past 26 at home as a favorite.
UNDER 218.5 (-106) is where it’s at, cashing in five of the past six games overall for the Nets and five of the past seven road outings. For the Spurs, the Under is 11-5 in their past 16 games against teams with a winning overall mark.
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