Player grades: Cam Thomas scores 33 as Nets beat Pacers 136-133
The Brooklyn Nets visited the Indiana Pacers on Saturday and won 136-133. This was the fourth and final matchup between these two teams this season and the regular-season series is tied at 2-2.
For the Nets, Cam Thomas had 33 points and three rebounds off the bench while Patty Mills had 24 points and six assists. Day’Ron Sharpe had 20 points and 12 rebounds as Edmond Sumner had 20 points and seven rebounds.
For the Pacers, Tyrese Haliburton had 35 points and nine assists as Buddy Hield had 17 points and four rebounds. Myles Turner had 16 points and three rebounds while Oshae Brissett had 14 points and three rebounds off the bench.
In a game where the Nets rested eight players including Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn still had six players in double figures. Not much defense was played in this game by either team, but the Nets were able to limit the Pacers in the second a tad by allowing them to score only 24 points in the third quarter.
The Nets couldn’t hit many 3s, but they did win the rebounding battle 59-30 which includes 29 offensive rebounds. The Nets only had 19 assists as they were relying more on players like Thomas and Mills to hit shots off the dribble or guys like Sumner getting to the rim. Turnovers were an issue for the Nets, but in the end, the 25-11 run Brooklyn made from the middle of the third quarter to the beginning of the fourth quarter was huge.
Here are the Nets’ player grades:
Edmond Sumner: B+
Sumner was electric in the first half. He was getting to the rim at will as no one on the Pacers could match his quickness off the dribble. He also played some pesky defense on the perimeter as he used his long arms to poke at the ball and get into the passing lanes. Sumner cooled off considerably in the second half in terms of scoring, but he was still playing good defense and passing the ball well. However, he made some crucial mistakes fouling jump-shooters, which is a cardinal sin in basketball.
Patty Mills: A
Mills started off this game slowly as he was letting others get their shots. During that time, he was finding his teammates in scoring positions which allowed the offense to keep up with the Pacers. Eventually, Mills got involved on offense as he was hitting jumpshots from all over the court. Mills wasn’t particularly efficient, but he was hitting some shots at critical junctures.
Kessler Edwards: C+
Edwards played some good defense in this game, whether on the perimeter or near the basket. Speaking of near the basket, Edwards did a admirable job on the boards and helping the Nets win the rebounding battle. However, he did look hesitant all night on offense as if he didn’t know when to shoot or when to pass. He made routine plays, such as post feeds to Sharpe, harder than they should’ve been.
Markieff Morris: B+
Morris did a solid job on defense in this game. He had some trouble defending on the perimeter, particularly against the dribble, but he provided good defense on the interior. Morris did a great job rebounding the basketball and boxing out despite being shorter than the Pacers’ big men. Morris was surprisingly active on the offensive end as he was taking some turnaround shots and drawing fouls on his drives.
Day'Ron Sharpe: A+
Sharpe had a wonderful performance in this game. He did a great job rebounding the ball and was crucial in running the floor to beat the bigs of the Pacers and get early post position. Sharpe had a rough start in this game offensively, but after some time, Sharpe did a good job of finishing at the rim and dunking with authority. He was bringing good energy all game long and he was setting good screens before rolling to the rim for lobs. Sharpe also did a solid job of protecting the rim and altering shots.
Yuta Watanabe: B
Watanabe’s jump shot was not on in this game like it was seemingly all season. However, he did a little bit of everything such as playing bigger than he is on the boards. He used his length and quickness to pressure the perimeter players of the Pacers and was able to disrupt the flow of the offense at times. Watanabe also did a good job of constantly moving without the basketball and keeping the ball moving when he didn’t have anything.
Cam Thomas: A
Thomas had quite the night scoring the ball. Essentially, every shot that he put up went in as he was hitting contested jumpers and was nailing floaters all game. There were even times where he used his quickness to get to the rim for some good finishes or to draw fouls. Despite confidently looking for his shot, his shot selection was still a bit questionable, but with the way he was scoring in this game, you can live with some bad shots.
David Duke Jr.: B
Despite not much being in the box score, Duke Jr. had a good game. He wasn’t able to hit many jump shots, but he was able to get to the rim at times for some strong finishes. Duke Jr. also did a good job of helping to rebound the basketball and finding the open man within the offensive scheme. His defense was important in this game as he played a part in slowing down the Pacers’ perimeters when it comes to shooting those threes.
Alondes Williams: C
Williams did not play much in this game, but he did a decent job while on the floor. Williams was active on the perimeter defensively and he was getting his hands in the passing lanes at times. He also did a good job of moving his feet to keep the ball in front of him. However, he was shaky with his ball security and that’s why he did not play much more in this game.
