Wednesday was a reminder of what the Nets can do when they’re healthy.
The Nets snapped a three-game losing streak with an offensive eruption against the second-best team in the West, beating the Nuggets 135-130 before 14,516 at Barclays Center in a game nowhere near that close.
Brooklyn led by as many as 21 in the fourth quarter before settling into cruise control. Despite a cosmetic rally that got Denver as close as four in the waning seconds, the result was never really in doubt and the Nets (29-27) surpassed last season’s victory total with almost a third of the schedule remaining.
“It’s a sign of real progress. It’s a sign that we’re a little ahead of schedule,” Kenny Atkinson said. “I’m proud of the guys, proud of the organization we’ve reached this victory mark this early. A sign of real progress.”
Progress is sweeping the season series from the Nuggets, something only the league-leading Bucks have managed this season.
The Nets lost to those Bucks on Monday without five regulars: Caris LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie, Jared Dudley, Allen Crabbe and Joe Harris. While LeVert’s return appears imminent, Crabbe and Harris returned Wednesday. Maybe that’s what sparked the offense.
“We all understand what we can do. We know we can compete with any team, and we’re changing that perception about us,” Crabbe said after scoring five points in his first game since Dec. 12. “When you’re playing the Nets, I think everybody has an idea that we mean business and we never stop. We keep going.”
Sure, Denver’s Nikola Jokic had a triple-double with 23 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists, but D’Angelo Russell nearly matched him with a game-high 27 points, game-high tying 11 assists and six boards. And the Nets hit 19-of-34 from deep, buoyed by the returns of Harris and Crabbe.
“We’ve been doing this without our guys, so just to get our guys back and keep that groove going I think it’s really special,” Russell said. “Last year we were in this position a lot of times and it came down to that, figuring out how to win situation. We’re really putting our foot on that.”
And remembering how to share the ball. The Nets’ ball movement had gone in the tank after Dinwiddie got hurt, and after escaping the sorry Knicks they had lost four of their previous five. But against Denver they dished out 36 assists, the most they have had at Barclays Center. Russell and Shabazz Napier (career-high 11) led the way, and DeMarre Carroll chipped in a career-high-tying six.
Brooklyn dug an early 27-13 hole, and let Mason Plumlee — averaging just 7.8 points — pour in 14 of his 24 points in the first quarter. But the Nets dominated the second and third. From that 14-point hole, the Nets outscored Denver 59-33 over the rest of the first half. Napier and Carroll (18 points, 10 boards) provided the highlight.
Carroll, 32, stole a pass from Jokic, got to ball to Napier and took off sprinting full speed. Napier put Jamal Murray in a blender with a Euro step and found Carroll — who had blown by Will Barton — for a highlight basket that touched off wild celebrations on the bench.
The Nuggets blitzed a second defender at Russell in the pick-and-roll, and when he gave it up Napier and Carroll repeatedly made the Nuggets pay.
“Did you watch last game? I was 0-for-10. I was frustrated with myself,” Napier said. “I just felt like it was better for me to get guys involved and be able to knock down a shot once it got to me. I was able to do that.”
The Nets went up 91-70 on a drive by Rodions Kurucs, and took their foot off the gas but still closed out the victory. Still, Russell wasn’t celebrating the milestone, saying their goals are far higher.
“We’re not really looking on that or comparing ourselves to it,” Russell said. “We’re on something bigger than that, trying to do something special with this group.”