Tag: Goran Dragic

Brooklyn Nets player grades: Kevin Durant scores 41 in win vs. Pistons

The Brooklyn Nets won 130-123 against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday. How does each player grade for their performance?

The Brooklyn Nets defeated the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday with 130-123 being the final score. It was a needed bounce-back victory from their 119-110 loss to the Charlotte Hornets as they continue to compete for play-in positioning.

It was a slow start for the Nets in this game. They were outscored in each of the initial two quarters and trailed 64-58 at halftime against one of the NBA’s worst teams. Detroit even trailed by as many as 12 points at one point.

“Yeah, that’s something that we have to work on. We can’t hang our hat on a second half. We have to play a complete game, because it’s not always going to be that easy to make that turnaround against great teams,” Nets center Andre Drummond said. “Not that the Pistons aren’t a great team, they played a hell of a game. We just turned it up in that second half and we can’t play like that. We have to do that the whole game.”

Cade Cunningham did his best to carry the Pistons to a win scoring 29 of his 34 points in the second half. However, Detroit did not have enough left in the tank to take down one of the NBA’s more potent threats.

Kevin Durant led the way with 22 second-half points while the Nets as a team scored 72 points with staggering efficiency. Brooklyn went 21-34 (61.8 percent) from the floor, 9-14 (64.3 percent) on 3s, and 21-23 (91.3 percent) on free throws during this 24-minute stretch.

Here are the player grades following the win:

Brooklyn Nets player grades: Durant, Irving lead in rout vs. Heat

The Brooklyn Nets achieved a blowout win over the Miami Heat, who entered the matchup first in the East. How does each player grade?

On Saturday, the Brooklyn Nets took care of business in their road matchup against the Miami Heat by achieving a 110-95 win at FTX Arena in Miami, Florida.

It was a relatively slow start from the Nets in this game as they trailed 21-15 with 5:42 left in the first quarter. Brooklyn rallied to close the period using a 12-6 run and ultimately held a 27-25 lead at the end of the frame.

Things quickly changed as Brooklyn put up a game-high 40 points in the second period—resulting in a 19-point scoring differential. The Nets never looked back from that point on and actually led by as many as 37 points at one point in the second half.

The Nets improved to 9-3 in games played with both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in the lineup. Overall, they are now 39-35 on the season and hold the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference standings—trailing the Cleveland Cavaliers for seventh by two games.

The Nets played their first game since receiving the news that Kyrie Irving’s eligibility for home games has been restored. While this game was played on the road, there was still built-up excitement from the days leading into the actual game surrounding the team.

Here are the player grades following the win in Miami:

Seth Curry, Goran Dragic to play in Nets vs. Heat

The Brooklyn Nets will have Seth Curry and Goran Dragic available to play when they take on the Miami Heat on Saturday.

The Brooklyn Nets will take on the Miami Heat on Saturday in what could be a preview for a future first-round playoff matchup.

The Nets will have Seth Curry and Goran Dragic available to play against the Heat, both of whom were unable to play in the team’s 130-122 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.

Curry exited the Nets’ win over the Jazz due to an ankle injury that has not fully healed. His performance came to an end after 12 minutes of action, and he came up empty in the box score aside from a pair of missed shot attempts.

He recently explained how he’s been dealing with his ankle injury since “probably a month before the trade,” and it’s not going to heal until the offseason. However, there’s a plan with the training and coaching staff to manage it.

Curry’s presence in the starting lineup has been significant since the James Harden trade due to Kyrie Irving’s prior part-time player status. With Irving’s eligibility restored for home games, perhaps Brooklyn can more easily manage his injury.

Due to a knee injury, Dragic has consistently been listed on the official NBA injury report. He was able to play 32 minutes against the Jazz, but he struggled in the scoring department. He finished with seven points while going 3-11 (27.3 percent) from the floor and 1-5 (20.0 percent) from beyond the arc.

The Nets deployed Kessler Edwards in the starting lineup, with Curry and Dragic both sidelined. Edwards played for 20 minutes and finished with three points and six rebounds with one steal and one block.

Against the Heat, it’ll help the Nets to have the shooting gravity that Curry brings to the half-court offense to make it more challenging for the defense to load up on Irving and Durant. Dragic’s familiarity with Miami should undoubtedly come in handy, too.

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Nets vs. Heat game preview: How to watch, TV channel, start time

The Brooklyn Nets will face off against the Miami Heat on Saturday. Here’s everything to know ahead of this matchup:

The Brooklyn Nets will take on the Miami Heat on Saturday, and if you’re wondering how you can watch all the action live, you’ve come to the right place.

The Nets will attempt to bounce back from their 132-120 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies when they take on the Miami Heat on Saturday. Kyrie Irving (43) and Kevin Durant (35) combined for a staggering 78 points and will look to carry that momentum.

Like the Nets, the Heat are seeking to avoid a recent loss turning into a losing streak. They were defeated 111-103 by the New York Knicks in their previous outing despite receiving 30 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists from Jimmy Butler.

The Nets will have Seth Curry and Goran Dragic back in their lineup after each player was sidelined for the team’s loss to the Grizzlies.

Here’s when and where you should tune in to see the matchup:

Brooklyn Nets player grades: Kevin Durant’s 37 leads vs. Utah Jazz

The Brooklyn Nets defeated the Utah Jazz 114-106. How does the performance for each of their rotation players grade?

The Brooklyn Nets managed to win their second consecutive game by defeating the Utah Jazz with 114-106 being the final score.

Kevin Durant took care of business with a game-high 37 points while also recording nine rebounds and eight assists. He’s now up to averages of 30.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 7.3 assists on shooting splits that well exceed the illustrious 50-40-90 mark in the month of March.

“I just think we’re rallying around each other,” Durant said. “We’re making big plays, we’re just doing it together more than anything. It’s just a collective effort.”

The Nets held a 108-87 lead in the fourth quarter at one point, but the Jazz managed to rally back using a 19-4 lead to make it a competitive game with 57 seconds remaining in the game. Brooklyn held on to win the game in the end, however.

Brooklyn remained without Kyrie Irving (ineligible) and Ben Simmons (herniated disc) for this game, but still managed to get the job done against one of the better teams in the Western Conference despite that fact.

Here are the player grades after a win over the Jazz:

Nets vs. Jazz game preview: How to watch, TV channel, start time

The Brooklyn Nets will face off against the Utah Jazz on Monday. Here’s everything to know ahead of this matchup:

The Brooklyn Nets will continue a two-game home stretch when they take on the Utah Jazz on Monday, and if you’re wondering how you can watch all the action live, you’ve come to the right place. This will be a matchup featuring two teams in need of a win to maximize their playoff seeding in their respective conference.

The Nets will continue to be without Kyrie Irving given this is a home game and he remains ineligible to play at Barclays Center. The team will look to build chemistry as they play out the final 11 games of the regular season. Brooklyn is coming off a 128-123 win over the Portland Trail Blazers that featured an 18-point comeback and Kevin Durant scoring 38 points.

Donovan Mitchell, who is coming off a 36-point outing against the New York Knicks, will look to lead the Jazz to victory to stay atop the Dallas Mavericks for fourth in the Western Conference standings. With home-court advantage for the first-round of the playoffs on the line, every win counts toward those efforts.

Here’s when and where you should tune in to see the matchup:

Brooklyn Nets player grades: Kevin Durant drops 38 on Trail Blazers

The Brooklyn Nets defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 128-123. How does the performance for each of their rotation players grade?

The Brooklyn Nets bounced back from their Wednesday loss to the Dallas Mavericks with a 128-123 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. After trailing by as many as 18 points, the Nets managed to mount a second-half comeback in this one.

“Halftime, I was a little upset. We didn’t come to play, and we really played one half tonight. We’re just lucky it was enough to win the game,” Nash said.

Things changed in the second half and Kevin Durant’s 38 points overall on the night proved to be a real boost. He managed to overcome another team sending frequent double-teams his way. There were still struggles with turnovers, but overall, he was efficient.

Seth Curry made his return to the lineup after a three-game absence due to an ankle injury. He stepped right in and made a big difference with 27 points on seven makes from 3-point range. He finished with a team-high eight points in the fourth quarter.

Kyrie Irving did not participate in this game due to his continued ineligibility to play at Barclays Center. Ben Simmons remains sidelined as he continues to recover from back problems.

Here are the player grades after a comeback win over the Trail Blazers:

Brooklyn Nets player grades: Nets fall on Dinwiddie’s buzzer-beater

The Brooklyn Nets lost to the Dallas Mavericks as the result of a game-winner from Spencer Dinwiddie.

The Brooklyn Nets came up short in their 113-111 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday. Despite holding a 14-point lead at one point in the fourth quarter, the Nets failed to hold onto their momentum and lost by the result of a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer from Spencer Dinwiddie.

Kyrie Irving was sidelined for this game as he remains ineligible to play in games at Barclays Center. The Mavericks made it a point to double-team Kevin Durant early and often without having to account for another superstar on the floor.

Durant led the Nets with 23 points, six rebounds, and 10 assists despite the Mavericks’ efforts to load up on him to get the ball out of his hands. There were six total double-figure scorers for Brooklyn.

Luka Doncic led the Mavericks with 37 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists while Dinwiddie chipped in 22 points along with the game-winner. Their impact proved to be too much for the Nets to overcome.

Here are the player grades after a heart-breaking loss to the Mavs:

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra has high praise for Nets guard Goran Dragic

Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra has high praise for Brooklyn Nets guard Goran Dragic.

The Brooklyn Nets are in the process of trying to get their team whole and on the right page before the playoffs begin in mid-April. They made a huge move to bring Ben Simmons into the fold while they wait for Kevin Durant to return from his injury and they await the fate of Kyrie Irving.

Along with the Simmons addition, the Nets also made a savvy move in the buyout market by bringing in veteran guard Goran Dragic. He had only played five games for the Toronto Raptors before they traded him to the San Antonio Spurs and they then bought him out.

Dragic spent the previous 6.5 years with the Miami Heat where he helped them make the NBA finals in 2020 and he was named an All-Star in 2018. Coach Erik Spoelstra gave his praise to Dragic before he made his Nets debut on Saturday.

Dragic played 14 minutes in Saturday’s win over the Milwaukee Bucks as he scored six points with three rebounds and two assists while knocking down a triple. He will serve an important purpose for the Nets down the stretch of the season.

This post originally appeared on Nets Wire! Follow us on Facebook! 

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Nets to waive Jevon Carter to make room for Goran Dragic addition

The Brooklyn Nets will waive Jevon Carter in order to make room for Goran Dragic.

The Brooklyn Nets made their big move at the deadline as they brought in Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, and Andre Drummond to help the team chase down a title, and now, they need to make moves around the margins in order to get the team closer to that championship expectation.

They made a nice move in the buyout market as they brought in Goran Dragic who was bought out by the San Antonio Spurs after he was acquired by the Toronto Raptors. Dragic is a 13-year veteran with tons of experience and he will bring ball-handling and depth to the Nets.

In order to make room for Dragic, Brooklyn will waive guard Jevon Carter. The 4-year guard played in 36 games for the Nets averaging 3.6 points and 1.5 rebounds while shooting 34% from deep and he provided some toughness, but with the addition of Dragic, there is not much need for Carter at the moment.

Carter will likely be picked up by somebody in the buyout market, but for Brooklyn, the addition of Dragic adds a proven guard who can bring that experience and swagger to Brooklyn as they continue their chase for a title.

This post originally appeared on Nets Wire! Follow us on Facebook! 

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