Brooklyn Nets Blog – Page 51 – NBA Blog

Raptors GM sounds off against Brooklyn

Here’s the Toronto Sun with a fun update on the general manage of the Raptors:

The Raptors-Brooklyn Nets series was never going to be a quiet one.

Between the Maple Leafs missing the playoffs eight of nine seasons and the Raptors done by late April for five straight seasons, Toronto fans have been impatiently waiting years for another taste of post-season action.

The Air Canada Centre was bananas from the start Saturday, getting on the visiting Brooklyn Nets, the referees and even Nets coach Jason Kidd. And if that wasn’t enough, scores of people gathered outside at Maple Leaf Square were even more amped up after team president/general manager Masai Ujiri, throwing political correctness out the window, ended an address to the gathered fans in emphatic fashion.

“F— Brookyn,” yelled Ujiri, handing off the mic as he left the stage with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment president and CEO Tim Leiweke, who dropped his head, perhaps thinking, ‘It’s on now.’

Nets guard Shaun Livingston tries to heal up for playoffs

Here’s the New York Post reporting on the Brooklyn Nets, who begin their first-round NBA playoff series against the Toronto Raptors tomorrow:

As the Nets rotated players in and out of the lineup over the final five games of the season in order to be rested and healthy for the playoffs, only one player sat out all five games.

That player was Shaun Livingston, who sprained his right big toe on a dunk attempt in the Nets’ win over the Heat on April 8 in Miami and needed the week off to be back in the starting lineup for Saturday’s matinee Game 1 against the Raptors.

“I definitely needed the time,” Livingston said after Friday’s practice. “But circumstances, I think I would have been able to play through it. I would have just pushed through it.

“I feel better. I got a chance to get on the court for the first time [Thursday], so I feel better. I’m shaking off the rust, trying to get my wind back. There’s going to be a lot of adrenaline … [so I’ll] just try to stay composed and stay in the moment.”

Video: Mason Plumlee gets key block against LeBron James

Watch video of Nets rookie Mason Plumlee blocking Heat star LeBron James with around four seconds left. The Nets won the game, 88-87. This was huge. LeBron felt he got fouled on the play. Notice Joe Johnson swiping at LeBron before Plumlee’s block.

Kevin Garnett returns to action for Nets

Here’s the New York Post reporting on Kevin Garnett, who has finally returned to active duty for the 42-34 Brooklyn Nets. Garnett this season is averaging 6.8 points and 6.6 rebounds in 20.8 minutes per game:

Kevin Garnett had been away from the Nets for so long that some teammates, and even coach Jason Kidd, joked with him prior to Saturday night’s game against the 76ers that he should be treated like a rookie. And despite being in the 19th year of a Hall of Fame career, Garnett admitted to feeling nervous before stepping on the floor.

But after missing 19 games over the last five weeks because of an ongoing bout with back spasms, Garnett looked as if he hadn’t missed a day, let alone a month. Moving fluidly, Garnett finished with 10 points on 5-for-6 shooting to go with four rebounds, an assist and a block in 13 minutes as the Nets earned a 105-101 victory over the hapless Sixers.

“I’ve been working my [butt] off to get back to where I’m at,” Garnett said after coming through the game with no further back issues. “Obviously I’m not to where I want to be but I felt good, I felt strong. … It’s been a journey to get back to this point, so I’m just trying to contribute at this point.”

Video: Joe Johnson scores 32 points vs Rockets

Tuesday in Brooklyn, the Nets beat the Houston Rockets 105-96. Joe Johnson shot 13-of-21 for 32 points in the win. Watch some video highlights of Johnson doing his thing:

Jason Kidd, Gregg Popovich named NBA Coaches of Month for March, 2014

The Brooklyn Nets’ Jason Kidd and the San Antonio Spurs’ Gregg Popovich today were named the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Coaches of the Month, respectively, for games played in March.

Kidd guided the Nets to a 12-4 record in March, and the highest winning percentage (.750) in the Eastern Conference. Brooklyn posted a 9-0 record at Barclays Center and was the only Eastern Conference team to go undefeated at home. On March 12, the Nets defeated the Miami Heat 96-95, which improved Brooklyn’s mark to 3-0 this season against the defending champions. This is the second Coach of the Month award for Kidd this season (January).

Popovich led the Spurs to an NBA-best 16-0 record in March, propelling them to a 58-16 record, tops in the NBA. Eleven of San Antonio’s 16 wins in March were by 10-or-more points, and the Spurs scored 100-or-more points in 13-of-16 games. The Spurs closed the month with a 103-77 road victory over the Indiana Pacers on March 31, and enter April riding a franchise-record 18-game winning streak.

Other nominees for Coach of the Month were Charlotte’s Steve Clifford, Houston’s Kevin McHale, Los Angeles Clippers’ Doc Rivers, New York’s Mike Woodson, Oklahoma City’s Scott Brooks, Phoenix’s Jeff Hornacek and Toronto’s Dwane Casey.

Brooklyn Nets win 13th straight home game

Here’s the New York Daily News reporting on the Nets, who beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 114-99 in Brooklyn on Sunday:

Sunday seemed like just another day at the office, a 13th straight win at the Barclays Center with their victory song, “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, pumping in the loudspeakers after the final buzzer.

The win meant the Nets (39-33) clinched a playoff spot if the Knicks lost Sunday night at Golden State.

Still, coach Jason Kidd wasn’t interested in indulging the prospects of clinching a playoff spot, if only because the circumstances involved the New York team that he’s made it a policy of not discussing.

“No matter what the Knicks do, we could care less,” he said.
NYC PAPERS OUT. Social media use restricted to low res file max 184 x 128 pixels and 72 dpi Andrew Theodorakis/New York Daily News Pierce (r.), here with Kevin Love in his face, shoots 8 for 11 from the field in leading the Nets to another victory.

The Nets, who’ve won 20 of their last 22 games at home, didn’t gain ground in their race for homecourt advantage in the opening round. Still seeded fifth, they remained 2 ½ games behind No. 3 Toronto – which toppled the Magic – and 1 ½ behind No. 4 Chicago – which edged the Celtics.

Kevin Garnett remains out for Nets

Here’s the New York Post reporting on the Brooklyn Nets and injured veteran Kevin Garnett:

Kevin Garnett will miss at least a few more days because of his seemingly never-ending bout with back spasms.

The Nets announced before beating the Timberwolves 114-99 in Brooklyn that Garnett, who had previously been ruled out of his 16th straight game, won’t return until either this weekend against either Detroit at home Friday, at Philadelphia on Saturday or in one of the team’s two games in Florida against the Heat and Magic early next week.

But whenever he comes back, — whether it’s one of those four games, sometime after those or not until the playoffs — Nets coach Jason Kidd said Garnett won’t need any practice time when he deems himself ready to go.

“He just needs to put the uniform on [when he’s ready],” Kidd said. “That’s it.

Brooklyn Nets keep winning at home

Here’s the New York Daily News reporting on the Nets and their success at home in Brooklyn:

Paul Pierce understands the Nets have made this bed with their ugly start and subsequent hiccups.

But, boy, with the way they’ve been playing lately at Barclays Center, Brooklyn could really benefit from home-court advantage in the playoffs.

The Nets won their 12th straight at home on Friday night, profiting from an effective barrage from downtown in a 108-97 victory over the hapless Cavaliers. It snapped a two-game losing streak, and was a much-needed breeze following three straight overtime games on the road.

Still, the fifth-seeded Nets (38-33) didn’t gain any ground in the division race because the Raptors (41-31) toppled the Celtics. The Nets did, however, move to within 1½ games of the fourth-seeded Bulls (40-32), who were blown out by the Blazers.

Jorge Gutierrez fined $15,000 for hard foul on Cody Zeller

Brooklyn Nets guard Jorge Gutierrez has been fined $15,000 for making excessive contact above the shoulders with Charlotte Bobcats center Cody Zeller, it was announced today by Rod Thorn, President, Basketball Operations.

The foul on Gutierrez, for which he was assessed a Flagrant 2 and ejected, occurred with 6:42 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Bobcats’ 116-111 overtime win over the Nets on Wednesday, March 26, at Time Warner Cable Arena.