Jared Dudley infers that a team of professionals with the right focus and drive could potentially overcome odds

The Brooklyn Nets acquired Jared Dudley and a 2021 second-round draft pick from the Phoenix Suns for Darrell Arthur on July 20, 2018.

Signed for a veteran’s presence in the locker room and elsewhere, Dudley, wasted no time sounding like an elder statesman when he spoke to the media on Wednesday.

Dudley recounted a story when he first landed in Milwaukee. It was Jason Kidd’s first year as head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks. Kidd walked into the locker room, looked at a room filled with young players and told them, “If you don’t think we’re making the playoffs in this conference, let me know.” The Bucks made it into the NBA playoffs that season, going from a 15-win team to a .500 club.

The Nets won 28 games last season, another 13 games would make them a .500 NBA team. Let’s hope that with the players that Nets GM Sean Marks is assembling, this upcoming season Brooklyn could go beyond just 41 games in the win column.

video added August 4, 2018

Phoenix Suns rally late to defeat the Brooklyn Nets

It was fright night aka Halloween last night and Nets fans at the Barclays Center were fully engaged. Unfortunately, they did not get the treat that they were looking to receive. Instead, it was a trick in the form of a Brooklyn Nets 122-114 loss to the Phoenix Suns.

The Suns led the game during the first half, as the Nets starting unit struggled. During the third quarter, the Nets mounted a comeback scoring 35 points. However, the Suns went on a 20-4 scoring run during the 4th quarter and never looked back.

“Give credit to their (Suns) group that was in there,” said Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson. “They went on a run at the end of the game. They just took over. We didn’t make plays. I thought our shot selection was iffy. I thought our shot selection was iffy all game. I think we set a Nets record for midrange contested jump shots. We have to improve our shot selection and I think that will help our defense, help our spirit.”

''We could do a better job,'' Nets forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson said. ''I feel like we should definitely make better decisions. At the end of the day, I put the blame on us.''

Although the Nets starters struggled, the second unit provided much-needed momentum at the right times.

“I don’t want to compare the two because I look at the team as a whole, but give credit to our second unit,” Atkinson stated. I thought they all did a good job. I thought Tyler Zeller came in and gave us some really good minutes, but there’s an energy there. They did a good job really getting us back in the game because we weren’t in the game. We talk about the fourth quarter, but I really think they outplayed us. At the end of the day, if we would have pulled it out I don’t think we really would have deserved it.”

In the loss, D’Angelo Russell led all scorers with 33 points, six rebounds, and four assists in 29 minutes. Hollis-Jefferson put in defensive muscle with six of his seven rebounds on the defensive end to go with his 21 points. Other Nets players in double digits were Spencer Dinwiddie with 15 points; DeMarre Carroll added 13 points, five rebounds, and four steals; and Caris LeVert chipped in 11 points.

Top scorers for Phoenix were Devin Booker with 30 points and seven rebounds, followed by Mike James with 24 points and five assists, and TJ  Warren with 20 points and 11 rebounds.

The Nets start their West coast trip with a game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday, November 3, 2017. They return to home to the Barclays Center on Tuesday, November 14, 2017.

Lonzo Ball shows he has skills; Boucek joins Hammon in NBA ranks; Katie Smith has Liberty; Brooklyn Nets lose Lin for season; and; Knicks not winning yet

POPPIN'

Colin Kaepernick Files Grievance Against NFL

As we know, former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick filed a grievance against the NFL citing that NFL owners colluded to keep him out of the NFL for kneeling during the National Anthem.

However, some are saying that this case could be bigger than people realized. Various sources seem to think that not only could he end up getting his job back, but he could end up terminating the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement ahead of its scheduled 2021 expiration date:

Article 69, Section 2 of the CBA allows for the agreement to be terminated prematurely in the event of proof of collusion.

Under Article 17, Section 16(c) of the CBA, termination can arise from only one incident of collusion involving only one player if there is clear and convincing evidence of a violation.

Jerry Jones Didn’t Stand for National Anthem

It turns out Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones did not stand for the National Anthem during his first Cowboys game as an owner. Jones sat during the anthem with Liz Taylor, which prompted a fan to write this note:

“JEERS: To Jerry Jones and Liz Taylor, who were the only two people at last Sunday’s Cowboys-Redskins game not standing when the national anthem was played.

Riding out in a cart just before the anthem began was bad enough, but sitting while it was played was more than many of us could handle.

Jerry, please note that in Texas, we stand for the national anthem.

P.S.: Tom [Landry] always took off his hat.”

Lonzo Ball Gives Better Show with Game 2

Lonzo Ball had a terrible regular season NBA debut against the L.A. Clippers, but he redeemed himself in his second regular-season NBA game against the Phoenix Suns.

Ball flirted with a triple-double, scoring 29 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, and dishing out nine assists while drilling four or more 3-pointers in the process.

QUICK HITS

• Chris Long of the Philadelphia Eagles is donating entire salary to boost racial equality in education
• ESPN sportscaster Jemele Hill is back from suspension and she’s not mad at ESPN.
• Kevin Durant admits: “A couple years ago, I didn't really know how to play team defense that well. More and more, I'm learning about team defense and making multiple efforts.”
• In separate incidents, Pelicans’ DeMarcus Cousins and Celtics’ Kyrie Irving were both fined $25,000 for coarse language aimed at a fan
• The Sacramento Kings hired Jenny Boucek as assistant player development coach. Boucek is now the second active female assistant coach in the NBA, along with Becky Hammon of the San Antonio Spurs.
• And, the NY Liberty hired Katie Smith to be its new head coach

Shahid “Shan” Khan Goes off on Donald Trump, Again

Speaking to USA Today, Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan doubles down on his recent critique of Donald Trump overall, Trump’s attacks on people of color, and finally the league. Khan said:

“Let’s get real. The attacks on Muslims, the attacks on minorities, the attacks on Jews.

I think the NFL doesn’t even come close to that on the level of being offensive.

Here, it’s about money, or messing with — trying to soil a league or a brand that he’s jealous of.”

Khan goes on to respond to whether or not he regrets contributing to Trump’s inauguration fund.

“I have no regrets in life. This ugly, toxic side sours the whole experience.”

 NIKE Connect Jerseys Didn’t Hold Up to Rigors of NBA

Nike is in its first year of a jersey deal with the NBA, and on opening night, arguably their biggest endorser — LeBron James — had his Nike jersey split down the middle of his back.

It might be taken as a fluke if it had only happened to LeBron.

However, in a preseason game, half the back of Lakers’ Tyler Ennis’ jersey had come apart.

Photo of the Week

Our Photo of the Week is a photo of LaVar Ball giving his son, Lonzo, some fatherly advice.

NY SPORTS REPORT

Yankees Fans Disappointed In ALCS Outcome

The NY Yankees could not get past the Houston Astros, so no trip to the World Series this season.

The Astros go on to play the Los Angeles Dodgers in the MLB World Series. The first game is in Los Angeles tonight.

The New York Mets Get a New Manager

In the wake of Terry Collins exiting as NY Mets manager to work in the front office, the Mets signed Mickey Calloway as its new manager.

Calloway was a pitching coach for the Cleveland Indians and he received a warm welcome from Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard.

Calloway comes from a family that reveres baseball, he is named after Mickey Mantle and his brother Casey is named after Casey Stengel.

Brooklyn Nets Guard Jeremy Lin Out for Season

The Brooklyn Nets received another wake-up call during Game 1 of the regular NBA season when team leader Jeremy Lin went down with a ruptured tendon in his right knee. Lin had surgery to repair his ruptured patella tendon and will be out for the rest of the season.

 New York Knicks on a Losing Skid

Last week, we talked about how most NY Knicks fans were trying to reconcile in their minds that the Knicks are in rebuild mode and nothing says rebuild more when your team has yet to win a game.

Thus far, Kristaps Porzingas is performing well as the leader of the team, but the true measurement of leadership is how well Kristaps will be able to hold up under pressure from game losses.

With three consecutive losses so far, many Knicks fans are expressing their sorrow that Carmelo Anthony is no longer with the team. Anthony currently plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

OFF TOPIC

D.L. Hughley Names the Three Most Hated Black Men in America

In a TMZ interview at LAX, comedian D.L. HUGHLEY said:

“The three most hated Black men in America are Barack Obama, Colin Kaepernick, and O.J.

And two of them never were accused of murder.

They hate Colin Kaepernick right now more than they hate O.J.”

LeBron James Give his Children a Lesson in Racism

In an interview with GQ magazine, Lebron James said he told his kids about the n-Word incident on their home in Brentwood, California. He used it as a teachable moment telling them:

“When y’all go out in public and y’all start driving or y’all start moving around, be respectful to cops, as much as you can.

When you get pulled over, call your mom or dad, put it on speakerphone, and put your phone underneath the seat. But be respectful the whole time.”

Nets’ rookies show out, and the Brooklyn Nets’ bench outscores Phoenix Suns 81-22 in the win

Spring has officially begun and the change of seasons can usher in new beginnings. For the Brooklyn Nets, a game against the Phoenix Suns could mark a first for the Nets. A win would mark the first time that Brooklyn won two consecutive games this season. On the flip side, Phoenix was looking to end a five-game losing streak.

Brooklyn fell behind by double digits to the start the game, scoring only two points in the first four minutes. After the scoring drought was broken by Caris LeVert, the Nets offense showed signs of change but the team still struggled from the field. When the quarter ended, the Nets shot 36% from the field and 20% from three-point range. Brooklyn trailed Phoenix 32-22.

When the second quarter began, rookie Isaiah Whitehead helped cut into the Suns lead by scoring quick eight points coming off the bench. As the game progressed in the first half, the Nets offense became more fluid. Their collective shooting hands got warmer and they pushed the tempo of the game often creating easy scoring opportunities for themselves. With just under nine minutes left in the half, Trevor Booker gave the Nets the lead, one they carried into the second-half of the game.

The second-half saw the Brooklyn Nets build upon the momentum created in the first. Nets guards continued to penetrate the Suns defense which either resulted in a trip to the free-throw line or a bucket. Brooklyn played like a well-oiled machine and didn’t show any signs of a collapse. At one point, Brooklyn had a 33-point lead over Phoenix which matched their largest of the season. The Nets’ bench once again proved to be instrumental in the success of the team, outscoring their counterpart 81-22. One of the sparkplugs off the bench, Archie Goodwin, scored 10 points which is the first time he has scored double digits in consecutive games this season.

When asked to discuss his mindset going into the game, Goodwin responded, “Whenever they call your name, they’re going to expect you to be ready, so I just always stand ready, just watching the game and seeing how it’s progressing, and seeing where I can get in and be effective and just try to take advantage.”

When the final buzzer sounded, the Nets secured the victory winning 126-98. They are now headed to the nation’s capital to take on the Washington Wizards.

When asked about the win streak, Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson said, “I think we are building and we are improving. I mean we obviously have a long, long way to go…You know looking to continue this and again it is monumental; it is huge, that we trend positively and continue our improvement.”

Jeremy Lin leaves game with a sprained right ankle

The Brooklyn Nets outing against the Dallas Mavericks just started out bad. A 12-noon start-time, which I don’t mind by the way, but inside of eight minutes of play, Brooklyn's point guard Jeremy Lin sprained his right ankle on a drive to the basket and missed the remainder of the game. Lin, nevertheless, was productive while he was there; he left the game with four points.

The Nets trouble didn’t start with Lin’s exit, they were down 11 points before Lin left the game at 7:42 in the first quarter. At the end of the quarter, it looked like the Nets could right the ship, ending the first stanza with only a six-point deficit (32-26).

During the second quarter, the Nets were down by as much as 18 points. And, in a game, in which they never led, the Nets came within one point (93-92) with just under six minutes in regulation. However, the combination of Mavericks center Dirk Nowitzki and backup guard J.J. Barea proved to be a power couple that would thwart the Nets’ drive for a comeback. With just over five minutes left to play, Barea went on a tear, scoring nine straight points for Dallas. When it was all said and done, the Mavericks stole the show with an 111-104 ending.

Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson offered his critique of the Nets last few possessions.

“Yeah, not great execution on our part,” Atkinson said. “And I think what happens is teams start switching everything at the end of the game and the thought is you have to go one-on-one and I think we just have to realize we can keep them moving and when teams switch they’ll eventually break down …”

However, even in defeat Atkinson saw a silver lining.

“To me, the story of the game was getting down 18 in the first half,” Atkinson added. “I thought the second half we brought it, we brought the energy, we were competitive, we were going towards a 40-point blowout quite honestly in that first half the way we came out. We dug ourselves a huge hole, and we used a lot of energy to get back in it, then couldn’t close it, we didn’t have enough to get over the hump.”

Brook Lopez led all scorers with 27 points. Randy Foye was the only other Nets starter in double digits, he scored 11 points and six rebounds. Spencer Dinwiddie came off the bench to score 18 for the Nets. Also, off the bench, Quincy Acy added 11 points, and Isaiah Whitehead chipped in 10 points.

Dallas had three starters in double digits. Nowitzki had 23 points and nine rebounds, Harrison Barnes scored 19 points and six rebounds; while Wesley Matthews chipped in 15 points and five rebounds. Barea and Devin Harris were double-digit contributors off the bench. Barea supplied 20 points and seven assists, while Harris chipped in 11 points.

Before the game, Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle talked about former Nets rookie guard Yogi Ferrell.

"We were all banged up,” said Carlisle. “We had a lot of guys out. We desperately needed a guy that could play the position and hold the fort. I wasn't sure he was going to be a starter right away, but the way we were structured at the time it seemed like the best way to go. He started the first game, did a lot of good things and had a really terrific first couple of weeks. Now, we're at a point where he's pretty much held that position and he's done a lot of good things."

Ferrell did indeed help the Mavericks hold things together against the Nets; he contributed eight points and five assists.

Next up, the Nets will host the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday and then the Phoenix Suns on Thursday. Perhaps, the Nets could string together back-to-back victories with this homestand?

Brook Lopez hit the buzzer beater over Pistons' Aron Baynes to lift the Nets to a 98-96 win over the Pistons

It was a night of firsts at the Barclays Center. It was my first basketball game, and it was Brook Lopez's first ever buzzer-beating game winner as the Brooklyn Nets defeated the Detroit Pistons 98-96. The game was competitive all throughout, as the Detroit Pistons are fighting for their playoff lives. Coming into the game the Pistons were tied for the 8th seed with the Miami Heat.

The Pistons played tough through the 1st quarter leading 31-22. Led by Long Island native Tobias Harris with 12 points in the first quarter, the Pistons dominated the points in the paint scoring 18 of their 31 points. Defensively, the Nets toughened up in the 2nd quarter and started hitting their shots, improving their free throw percentage from 29% to 40%. While keeping control of the ball, the Nets only had 3 turnovers and held the Pistons to only 13 points in the second quarter, matching the fewest points the Nets have allowed in any quarter this season. Nets rookie Caris LeVert led the team with 10 points by halftime and the Nets took the lead 50-44.

The third quarter was dominated by the Nets; Lopez scoring 8 points in the quarter, the Nets would take their biggest lead of the night. The fourth quarter, the Pistons started their comeback. Harris led the team in total points with 24 and Andre Drummond had himself a double-double with 13 points and team-high 17 rebounds. Drummond would leave the game in the 4th after suffering a knee injury. They scored 31 points in the 4th quarter. After Harris hit an 8 ft. jumper to tie the game up at 96-96 with 2.4 seconds left, Brook Lopez hit the buzzer beater over Pistons' Aron Baynes with a 10 ft. back-foot jumper to win the game for the Nets for their 14th victory of the season. It was the Nets 2nd buzzer-beating win this season. Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie had a career-high 8 rebounds as a starter tonight. Nets starting guard Jeremy Lin was out due to a sprained right ankle.

After the game, Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said about Lopez's shot, "Brook made a heck of a play. It was more of a catch and shoot but he took a dribble, knew how much time was left and made a heck of a shot. It's more about Brook being a heck of a player."

Brook Lopez said he was very confident in his final shot saying, "It felt good. We executed so well on that last play which is something that we've learned throughout the season to do."

Lopez has now scored 20+ points in each of the last 6 games.

Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said about Lopez's game winner "I thought the defense was pretty good on it... I didn't think Brooklyn got a great, clean look. He's 7'2" and he made a hell of a shot... I don't think there was anything more we could've done on it."
This loss for the Pistons hurt their playoff chances as the Miami Heat won against the Phoenix Suns. They fall a game behind the now 8th and final playoff spot now held by the Heat.

Stan Van Gundy said about the Pistons offense, "our ball movement is sporadic at best. Our offensive energy is not good."

The Pistons look to recapture that offensive spark when they play against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, March 22nd. The Bulls are just one game behind the Pistons who are also looking to make the playoffs.

The Nets are now 5-7 for the month of March, their best month this season.

Atkinson said after the game, "We're trying to improve on our habits. We have set things that we want to do and we've kind of set the groundwork on how we want to play and now it's just reinforcing those habits, doing it for a longer period of time."

The Nets will look to get their first 2nd straight win this season when they go up against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday, March 23rd.

VIDEO DISCUSSION: Phoenix, Utah, and Denver Path for Nets to Win on West Coast

Brooklyn Nets have a tough test ahead as the team heads out to the west coast to play the Portland Trailblazers, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets, and the Minnesota Timberwolves.

VIDEO: Brooklyn Nets head coach Lionel Hollins gives the media his postgame assessment of the Nets performance against the Phoenix Suns on December 1, 2015. WARNING: Salty language

RELATED: The Brooklyn Nets Defeat the Phoenix Suns 94-91.

Nets earn a 4th straight home victory with a 94-91 win over the Suns

In another close victory at home, Tuesday night, the Brooklyn Nets beat the Phoenix Suns 94-91 for their fourth consecutive home victory.

In an unusual scheduling, thus far, the Nets have played just seven home games, but will play a combined 20 times at home in December and January, the most in the NBA.

Brook Lopez was a force down low, finishing with 23 points on 10-of-20 shooting. Lopez also added six rebounds. Three other players scored in double digits, ironically, scoring 11 points each. Jarrett Jack, the only other starter in double digits totaled 11 points and eight assists; Wayne Ellington and Shane Larkin both came off the bench scoring 11 points each, and Larkin, like Jack, added eight assists.

It was a solid first half for the Nets. They led by nine at half, and shot 56 percent and scored 36 points in the paint.

The third quarter is proving to be the Nets Achilles heel. In the third quarter, Brandon Knight led the Suns on a 16-2 run giving the Suns a 62-56 advantage. Eric Bledsoe beat the buzzer with a 3-pointer to send Phoenix into the fourth with a 73-70 lead.

Larkin broke an 85-all tie with a drive to the basket with 4:08 left, Ellington added a layup in transition and Lopez made a free throw for a 90-85 advantage. Phoenix’s Alex Len missed from close range with the Suns down three, and after they got the ball back a final time, it was no cigar! Phoenix couldn't even get a shot off after inbounding in the frontcourt.

These two teams battled it out to the end.

“I’ll take the win,” stated Lionel Hollins, Brooklyn Nets Head Coach.

As for the current winning streak at home, can the Nets keep the winning streak alive?

"We're just starting to put some things together," Jack said.

"Win a bunch of those games, just keep playing hard, take it one game at a time and just see what we can do," Larkin added.

And, although Bojan Bogdanovic and Thomas Robinson didn’t score in double digits, every point counts. Bogdanovic turned in a 3-for-5 performance with seven rebounds and Robinson chipped in six points and three rebounds.

What’s next?

The Nets are back on the road. They will cross the river to play the New York Knicks on Friday and back home on Sunday to challenge the Golden State Warriors.

Justin Harper Comes to Brooklyn Nets after playing the 2014-15 season in Italy

The Brooklyn Nets signed forward Justin Harper, General Manager Billy King announced today.

Harper (6’10”, 225) joins the Nets after spending the 2014-15 season with S.S. Felice Scandone in Italy’s Serie A. Originally selected with the 32nd pick (second round) of the 2011 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers, Harper was dealt to the Orlando Magic on draft night. He appeared in 14 games with the Magic during his rookie season, averaging 1.4 points and 0.9 rebounds in 6.0 minutes per game. He also saw action in one postseason game.

Following his rookie season, Harper competed for the D-League’s Idaho Stampede (2012-13) and Hapoel Tel Aviv of the Israeli Premier League (2013-14) before landing in Italy. Most recently, Harper was a member of the Phoenix Suns’ entry in the 2015 Las Vegas Summer League. A four-year player at Richmond University, Harper’s collegiate career culminated in his selection to the All-Atlantic 10 First Team as a senior.