Brooklyn Nets fade away late in spirited loss to Miami Heat, 110-95

If the Brooklyn Nets are going to lose games, then hopefully some of them are entertaining. Or at least, a step up from their putrid loss to the Utah Jazz on Saturday. Given the ultimate aims of this season and in the long-term, the loss itself won’t stick in Brooklyn’s craw, but the 48 minutes of hoop did. Missed threes, turnovers, physical domination by the opponent. Bleh.

The Utah Jazz entered that game at just 6-20, and following Brooklyn’s previous win over the Toronto Raptors, it was a bit of a surprise they didn’t build a winning streak. On Monday night against the .500 Miami Heat, they weren’t favored to win, but with Jimmy Butler out once again, a win was definitely on the table.

And if not a dub, some watchable basketball. After all, Jordi Fernández’s team hasn’t played consecutive stinkers this season. Losses maybe, but not two gag-worthy games in a row.

Indeed, Brooklyn came out firing on Monday. The only problem was Miami came out hotter, shooting 9-of-14 from deep in the first quarter. Some makes were laughable, while others were a result of over-helping, or generally poor defensive decision-making…

Alas, Brooklyn figured it out. After building an early 14-point lead, Miami scored just 44 points in the second and third quarters, and the Nets started to hit jumpers. The game was already watchable, but now it was trending toward a win with Brooklyn making it a see-saw game by halftime.

Ben Simmons continued his strong play early, perhaps enjoying the proximity to his Miami household and lifestyle. Nothing nefarious! Pregame Simmons mentioned the festive time he had tuna-fishing with Keon Johnson the day prior.

Though he took just two shots on Monday, ending his three-game double-digit scoring streak, he did drive the ball with force, creating real opportunities for his teammates…

Simmons dropped nine assists and zero turnovers, and justifiably finished with the highest +/- on the team, winning his minutes.

Two Nets handled much of the scoring, one usual suspect in Cam Johnson and one surprise in Noah Clowney. Johnson played another typical game in this revelatory season for him, making some deep threes and even isolating into some buckets, while Clowney really got his bench going. Not only did he shoot 4-of-10 from deep, but he even asserted himself a bit near the rim…

Clowney and Johnson each scored 19 points, while Keon Johnson drew inspiration from his sunny day aboard the SS Simmons to chip in 15 points.

But the offense couldn’t sustain itself, and once Miami’s shot-making returned in the fourth quarter, the bottom fell out. Cam Johnson briefly left the game to gingerly walk to the bench, and though he did return, it’s doubtful that brief injury scare decided the game.

Brooklyn left so many points on the board throughout the game, it’s just that those chickens came home to roost in the fourth. Nic Claxton and Day’Ron Sharpe shot a combined 4-of-16, either missing layups or more often, settling for tough hooks and floaters, while the Nets shot just 40% from two.

Erik Slater of ClutchPoints caught up with Clax after the game, and the starting center had a dry assessment of his season-to-date…

If it wasn’t the bigs unable to capitalize on the inside, it was the league-worst transition offense that continued to look like the league’s worst transition offense.

Jalen Wilson had two rough turnovers to end transition opportunities in the first half…

…but that problem was spread wide and far. Tyrese Martin dropped a pleasant 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting, and may have been the best Net relative to his role on the night. He, Clowney, and Cam Johnson swished some lovely shots — again, this game was digestible — but the collective decision-making was not…

Said Jordi Fernández. “We shot the three well, but like I said, turnovers into points. Also the shot selection right there. I would have traded some of those midrange into rim shots, hopefully free-throws. We just didn’t get there.”

Bam Adebayo led Miami with 23/7/7, and he was aided by four 3-point shooters who the Nets rarely kept track of. A neck-and-neck game at the start of the fourth quickly turned into a hill Brooklyn had to climb, and then quickly, a quasi-blowout.

The final score won’t indicate that the Nets sucked us in on Monday night. They played hard, they played together, and even the Noah Clowneys and Tyrese Martins of the team showed stuff. It was all you can ask for from an 11-17, rebuilding team. Like their loss against the Utah Jazz, the Brooklyn Nets just weren’t good enough to win.

At least this one was watchable, though.

I’m proud of the guys, the way they played, the fight, the togetherness, how we played basketball. There was mistakes that we have to correct and get better, especially on defense — that 3-point line and how we defend it — but it’s a positive step compared to the Utah game. So I’m happy with some things we’ve seen.” — Jordi Fernández

Final Score: Miami Heat 110, Brooklyn Nets 95

Injury Report

Jordi Fernández provided encouraging updates on two injured Nets, while reaffirming reporters that Dorian Finney-Smith’s left calf contusion, for which he missed his second straight game, is no long-term worry.

As for Cam Thomas and Ziaire Williams, though, Fernández put the two in the same boat in pregame: “They played five-on-five today, and did a great job, so we’ll see how they feel after. That’s part of the process there. And right now it seems like they’re getting close.”

Next Up

Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images

The Brooklyn Nets will have a couple days off for Christmas — the benefits of rebuilding — and then continue this brief road-trip against the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday evening. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET.