Rookie Isaiah Whitehead put up a valiant effort in Jeremy Lin's absence

The Brooklyn Nets fell short to the Charlotte Hornets 99-95 on Friday night at the Barclays Center, stumbling in the final minutes of the game.

The Nets (2-4), who were looking for another early season win, started off the game strong—up at halftime 50-43, but couldn’t seem to keep the momentum. After the game, Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson gave kudos to Charlotte for stepping up their defense in the second half.

“I thought that third quarter really hurt us. I thought we got stagnant, I thought the ball stopped moving, and again, they got into us, they started denying some passes (and) got us out of rhythm. So, good job by them; credit to them,” Atkinson said.

Without Jeremy Lin, who is expected to miss at least two weeks due to a strained hamstring, the Nets tried to keep up on both offense and defense, and when the Hornets doubled on Brook Lopez, it made it hard for Brooklyn to stay consistent.

“I just think of the guys that are out there, and I want our offense to run well, whoever is in there. It is just for some reason we just didn’t have any rhythm, and I think they got into us,” Atkinson added.

And that’s what the Hornets did. After keeping the game close, and leading for most of the first half, Charlotte put a stop to the Nets, allowing a 23-6 run in the third.

In Jeremy Lin’s absence, Isaiah Whitehead, made his first NBA start for Brooklyn and in only his fifth career game. Playing 23 minutes, he scored 8 points with three assists and two steals. A Brooklyn native, who attended Seton Hall, Whitehead received some advice from Lin on the bench. Throughout the game, Lin was seen advising Whitehead with a pen and a notepad in his hand. Whatever advice Lin was giving Whitehead during the game, at the top of the list must be learn how to communicate with Lopez.

“We just weren’t finding him,” Whitehead said of Lopez, while criticizing his team’s effort. “We should always find him in the right spots. It’s our job to get him open and call the right plays.”

Lopez, who played 29 minutes, scored 18 points and reached 9,000 points after scoring his 16th point.

Up next for Brooklyn: Minnesota. The Nets will take on the Timberwolves on Election Day, Tuesday, November 8 at the Barclays Center.

VIDEO: Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez gives the media his takeaways from the Nets preseason 100-97 loss against the Celtics

Brook Lopez on tonight’s game:

“It was tough. Like you said I thought we came out with great defensive presence and energy, and we sustained it for the most part. The third quarter has been key for us the past couple of games and I thought while the Celtics made their run we responded, which is something that hasn’t happened in the past two games.”

Brook Lopez On exploring the offense:

“Yeah, no question. I think the process will definitely continue over the regular season as well. You know we have so many new guys, new faces that we are getting to know each other and know the system. We are learning on the fly, but we have lots of intelligent, smart and selfless guys here, so we are picking it up quick and we’re enjoying playing with each other.”

Brook Lopez on playing with Jeremy Lin so far:

“ It’s been great. You know, he makes everyone on the floor better, he makes me a better player no question. He’s just such a great influential presence out on the floor for us.”

Brook Lopez on team coming together on defense:

“Absolutely, we made a point that on the road we need to come out with energy, but we need to do the same at home, you know, we need to come out and be the aggressor. That’s where we’re going to be an advantageous position, that’s where we are going to find out solidarity within each other, playing with energy, playing together.

And, there is more in the video.

Brooklyn Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson gives his assessment about the Brooklyn Nets preseason game against the Boston Celtics held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn

Kenny Atkinson on the last few possessions of the game:

“Yeah, we could have managed it a little better – I think communication and getting on the same page on what we’re gonna do. It’s going to be a great thing for us to look at film and what we’re gonna do in certain situations. So, you know, getting on the same page, coaches and players. We obviously could have gotten better shots at the end of the game, and then we lapsed in defensive transition, I thought, once or twice at there at the end too, which I thought was a little disappointing.”

Kenny Atkinson on his takeaway from the game:

“First of all, defensively, I was really happy. Just our energy, our activity and just the way the guys competed. It’s just a big improvement, and that’s what we’re looking for now is improvement from the last, especially the last two games. But I will bring up, I don’t know, that third quarter I think they got us again. So I think we have to figure out that third quarter. Coming out I think they had 30 points or something in the third quarter. So again, stringing those defensive possessions for 48 minutes, it’s a good challenge for us.”

Kenny Atkinson on if his player rotation in this game is reflective of what can be expected in the regular season:

“Yeah; well, I’m not sure. But we definitely did want to see our guys together for longer periods of time obviously. And then I’m glad we did it. And next game, you might see something different. But we thought tonight, especially after our couple of performances that were a little subpar, I think we all felt that, you know, let’s see our group together. And it could be somebody else in that group too, we’re still evaluating, but it was good. We did it make it a little bit of a push there seeing our guy – the kind of guys we’re thinking about getting regular season minutes – in there together.”

Kenny Atkinson on Not Playing Isaiah Whitehead

"We kinda had it planned out; it was like a plan. He’ll get his shot again and other guys will rest. Just part of the plan; wasn’t any reaction to having a so-so game, that’s not how we are. We got a plan in place and we’re sticking to it."

Kenny Atkinson on Brook Lopez Getting More Minutes; Brook Lopez and Jeremy Lin Pick-and-Rolls

"I really want to establish our motion offense, to come down and run a pick-and-roll every time…obviously, we’re going to need that, we’ll need it in important times. I think right now we’re trying to get the ball moving, trying to get the ball side-to-side, getting everybody with touches. Brook and Jeremy, they’re both going to have to learn how to work within that dynamic; when it’s crunch time, we can think about drawing up special plays for them and getting into a pick and roll with those two, but we still have to progress with our offense, so that’s where we are, so we’re not going to rely on that…”

VIDEO: Jeremy Lin gives his reflections on losing 100-97 to Boston Celtics

After the Brooklyn Nets preseason game against the Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets guard Jeremy Lin spoke with the media.

The Boston Celtics won 100-97

Looks like Brooklyn native Isaiah Whitehead will start his NBA career in his hometown

The Brooklyn Nets have acquired the draft rights to guard Isaiah Whitehead, the 42nd pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, from the Utah Jazz in exchange for the draft rights to guard Marcus Paige, the 55th overall selection, and cash considerations.

Whitehead played two years at Seton Hall, most recently leading the Pirates to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2006. The Brooklyn native averaged 18.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 32.3 minutes per game in 34 games (33 starts) as a sophomore, earning unanimous All-Big East First Team honors and an Associated Press All-America honorable mention. He was also named the 2016 Big East Tournament Most Outstanding Player after averaging 23.3 points and 5.7 assists in the Big East Tournament, where the Pirates claimed their first conference tournament title since 1993. As a freshman, Whitehead averaged 12.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 27.8 minutes per game in 22 games (19 starts) en route to Big East All-Rookie Team honors. A product of Abraham Lincoln High School and Coney Island, Whitehead was a McDonald's All-American and named Mr. New York Basketball by the state's Basketball Coaches Association in 2014.

Sergey Karasev comes up big with a career-high 17 points to help Nets

On Thursday evening, the Brooklyn Nets hammered the Cleveland Cavaliers 104-95 and then picked up its second consecutive win last evening against another playoff-bound team, the Indiana Pacers 120-110.

Initially, with Brook Lopez not playing his best for most of the first three quarters against the Indiana Pacers on Saturday evening, the Nets looked a bit lethargic; not falling off the cliff lethargy, but a beat behind.

Leading the Nets by as many as 14 in the first half and then by 10 early in the fourth quarter, the Pacers dominated until Lopez got his groove back and took control.

Lopez had only scored nine points by the end of the third quarter and with fire in his belly, he scored 14 points in the last stanza for a total of 23 points for the night. Bojan Bogdanovic added 18 points. However, the surprise Brooklyn Nets double-digit point scorer of the night was Sergey Karasev.

Karasev, who was rumored to want off the Nets and possibly the NBA altogether, had a big night. Making the most of his starting minutes (25:44), Karasev scored a career-high 17 points, seven boards, four assists, and two steals.

In a postgame interview, Karasev with humility deflected credit from himself and heaped praise on his teammates, Brook Lopez and Bojan Bogdanovic.

"Bojan hit a big three and Brook played a great fourth quarter," Karasev said. "Everyone was touching the ball on the court. Everybody looked pretty good today and when we moved the ball we looked pretty good, like a team."

Sean Kilpatrick, who recently was called up from the D-League and received a multi-year contract from the Nets, and Markel Brown contributed 14 and 11 points respectively off-the-bench for Nets. Kilpatrick, known as a scorer, surprised a few people with his defensive moves.

VIDEO: Sean Kilpatrick talks about his defensive play in his own words

Pacers’ starters Paul George led the Pacers with 27 points; Ian Mahinmi scored 18 points and George Hill added 17 points to round out the starters in double-digits.  C.J. Miles and Jordan Hill both chipped in 12 points each coming off the bench.

Unfortunately for the Indiana Pacers, its 120-110 loss to the Brooklyn Nets is the team’s first loss to a sub-.500 team since January 23rd. The Pacers are trying to hold on for a playoff spot.

The Brooklyn Nets, who are not playoff bound, finished off the Pacers and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday like it was fighting for an eighth playoff spot or home-court advantage. Nets starting guard Shane Larkin in a postgame interview talked about how the players are still sticking together and playing for each other even though the Nets are not playoff bound.

VIDEO: Brooklyn Nets guard Shane Larkin in his own words

The Nets visit Miami on Monday to face off against Dwyane Wade and former Nets player Joe Johnson and the rest of the Miami Heat.

Dr. Riley Williams III managing the health of athletes and non-athletes at the Hospital for Special Surgery and the Barclays Center in Brooklyn

Dr. Riley Williams III, Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Surgeon, at the Hospital for Special Surgery, and Brooklyn Nets Medical Director and Team Doctor, spoke with What’s The 411Sports’ Keisha Wilson and Mike McDonald about a wide range of topics.

Role as Brooklyn Nets Team Doctor

Dr. Williams’ primary goal as Brooklyn Nets Team Doctor and Medical Director is the health and well-being of the Brooklyn Nets players, which involves managing injuries and getting the athletes back into action. Dr. Williams also focuses on preventative strategies such as nutrition, sleep, and mental health around the stress of being a professional basketball player. Dr. Williams’ responsibilities extend beyond Brooklyn Nets athletes, to management and executives.

Dr. Riley Williams III on Why He Chose to Be a Doctor

Dr. Williams explains that he grew up in Los Angeles south of Compton and was looking for a way out of the neighborhood. He had an affinity for the sciences and medicine made sense because he could see a clear path for a career. You do well in college, you go on to medical school. You do well in medical school; you get to do an internship and residency, and ultimately a job.

Dr. Riley Williams III on Helping Brooklyn Nets’ Players Avoid Banned Substances

Dr. Williams explains that the NBA has a very clear and explicit policy on banned substances. If an athlete takes a banned substance, there is no response, the athlete is banned. Dr. Williams reviews the NBA's banned substance list annually and he and his colleagues do their very best to keep Brooklyn Nets players out of harm's way.

Dr. Williams on Managing his Daily Schedule

Dr. Williams explains how he juggles his responsibilities of family, private patients, the Brooklyn Nets and the Red Bulls soccer team.

Dr. Riley Williams III on Yale University's Men's Basketball Team Making NCAA Tourney

Although basketball and sports were not a priority while he was a student a Yale, Dr. Williams is excited that his alma mater made it into the NCAA tournament. He also reminded us that Jeremy Lin went to Harvard and he is still playing in the NBA, so although Harvard and Yale are Ivy League schools, there is still good basketball played at those institutions.

Dr. Riley Williams III on the Outlook for the Brooklyn Nets

Dr. Williams believes that now that the Brooklyn Nets are immersed into Brooklyn, good things are coming. He is also happy to see clarity surrounding the team’s leadership.

Dr. Williams roots for the Brooklyn Nets, follows Nets Daily, and can see that at Brooklyn Nets home games, Brooklyn Nets fans are beginning to outnumber fans of other teams.

Dr. Riley Williams III on Brooklyn Nets' Players Transition to Brooklyn

Dr. Riley says that the mid-season move of the Brooklyn Nets training and practice facility from New Jersey to Brooklyn has slowed the transition of Nets players making Brooklyn their home. More time is needed before the players can totally give up New Jersey. Thaddeus Young is the one Nets player that did move to Brooklyn because he has a family. However, more players will probably move to Brooklyn or to southern Manhattan once the season ends.

In this video, Dr. Riley Williams III, Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Surgeon at the Hospital for Special Surgery, and Brooklyn Nets Medical Director and Team Doctor sees that with the mid-season move of the Brooklyn Nets training and practice facility from New Jersey to Brooklyn, more time is needed before the players give up New Jersey. Thaddeus Young is the one Nets player that did move to Brooklyn because he has a family. However, more players will probably move to Brooklyn or to southern Manhattan once the season ends.

In this video, Dr. Riley Williams III, Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Surgeon at the Hospital for Special Surgery, and Brooklyn Nets Medical Director and Team Doctor believes that now that the Brooklyn Nets are immersed into Brooklyn good things are coming. He is also happy to see clarity surrounding the team’s leadership. Dr. Williams roots for the Brooklyn Nets, follows Nets Daily, and can see there is a transition of fans of other teams coming to Nets games because the tickets were cheaper to those who are Nets fans.

In this video Dr. Riley Williams III, Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Surgeon at the Hospital for Special Surgery, and Brooklyn Nets Medical Director and Team Doctor said that although basketball and sports were not a priority while he was a student a Yale, but he is excited that his alma mater made it into the NCAA tournament. He also reminded us that Jeremy Lin went to Harvard and he is still playing in the NBA, so although Harvard and Yale are Ivy League schools, there is still good basketball played at those institutions.