Nikola Jokic posts another triple as the Nets fall to the Nuggets
The Nets found a way around a mile-high upset a week ago in Denver.
But their defense was torn apart during a 108-102 loss in Sunday’s rematch.
Brooklyn couldn’t stop early or late as it was blown away by the Nuggets and touched down for the third straight time in front of a crowd of 18,235 at the Barclays Center.
Helpless at that end of the field, they watched Denver put three scorers over 20 points in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter.
They trailed by three touchdowns and the rest of the last period was unwanted time against a Nuggets team that was coming off a loss to the Knicks and downs in five of their last six.
“Yeah, an intense sense of urgency; I think that was the biggest difference for us in the second half [last week]And we’ll need that for four-quarters [Sunday]Jack Vaughn said earlier.
This team played [Saturday]. I’m pretty sure they’re upset they didn’t win, so they come looking for a win. So we’re in the same boat: we’re looking for a win, so it should be a great competition. But a sense of urgency on our part for four quarters.”
The net did not show this urgency.
Two-time MVP Nikola Jokic posted another dominant triple-double with 22 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists.
He flashed his supernatural death, that trademark floatiness and bubbling physique that curling couldn’t match.
Jokic unpinned Cam Johnson and sent the forward onto the court in the dying seconds of a first half that saw the Nets trail 63-48.
Things didn’t get better for them in a second.
Jamal Murray finished with 25 points and eight assists and Michael Porter Jr. He added 28 points, as Brooklyn burned to shoot . 525 and 12 of 23 from behind the arc.
The nets, meanwhile, were pretty cool, managing just 12 of 35 from 3-point range.
As usual, Michal Bridges led the way with 23 points, and quarterback Nick Claxton added 19 points and eight boards.
But Johnson (14 points) and Seth Curry (12 points) were the only others to hit double figures.
The Nets trailed two runs early, after former Nets Bruce Brown found Reggie Jackson for a float drive that made it 37-23 with 10:45 left in the half.
The Nets ran 15-5 trying to get it back, and Claxton’s free throw pulled them within 42-38 midway through the second quarter. But this is as close as it gets.
Murray – who was forced out of the Nets’ 122-120 win in Denver a week ago – was in absolutely fine shape on Sunday. His mid-range stride left the net at 63-46 holes with half a minute left in the half.
The deficit swelled to 22, and it was only a late run that made it respectable.
