Player grades: Mikal Bridges scores 26 as Nets lose to Cavaliers 118-95
NEW YORK — The Brooklyn Nets welcomed the Cleveland Cavaliers to Barclays Center on Thursday after the 2023-24 trade deadline passed and lost 118-95.
For the Nets, Mikal Bridges had 26 points and five assists while Cam Thomas had 17 points and four rebounds. Trendon Watford had 15 points off the bench and Jalen Wilson had eight points.
For the Cavaliers, Donovan Mitchell had 27 points and five rebounds while Evan Mobley had 14 points, 12 rebounds, and two blocks. Jarrett Allen had 14 points and Darius Garland had 14 points.
In the first half, Cleveland started this game trying to put Brooklyn away early by using Mitchell to hit almost any shot he could think of in his attempt to end the game early. The Nets fought back in the second quarter and outscored the Cavaliers thanks to the efforts of Bridges.
In the second half, the Cavaliers started the third quarter like they did the first as they tried to put the game out of reach before the Nets had a chance to get themselves settled. It worked as Brooklyn found themselves down 31 points before they knew it and the Nets were unable to claw their way back into the game.
Here are your Nets player grades following Thursday’s loss:
Ben Simmons: D
Like the rest of his teammates, Simmons had a tough time keeping up with the buzzsaw that has been the Cleveland Cavaliers as of late. It was clear that when he started this game, it was to be the point guard of the offense and the power forward on the defensive end of the floor. He had a good overall performance on the offensive end of the floor even though he could have been more aggressive over the course of this game. It seems that the Cavaliers were playing Simmons for the pass and as a result, he wasn’t able to create much with that type of defensive coverage.
Cam Thomas: C-
Thomas had another tough night on the offensive end of the floor as he was clearly the main focus of Cleveland’s defensive gameplan in this one. Thomas did everything he could to shake free from the Cavaliers’ defense, but with the way that Cleveland was playing him and being willing to sell out on him, Thomas could not find many openings where he did not have a hand in his face. He is also still having an issue of getting to the free-throw line, but that seemed to be more of him still needing to earn the respect of the whistle.
Mikal Bridges: B
Bridges had a solid performance in this one as while he wasn’t particularly efficient from the field, but he did a good job of getting to his sweet spots on the floor. It’s clear that Bridges is still getting accustomed to being one of the main options within Brooklyn’s offense and as such, he’s still showing signs of growth in certain areas, such as driving to the rim on a consistent basis. He did a good job of passing the ball and making things happen on the drive so that is a promising part of his growth as an main offensive option.
Jalen Wilson: B-
Wilson earned the first start of his career and he made his minutes count. While Wilson did not have the most efficient overall shooting night, he was lights out from three-point range. He obviously has a ways to go in terms of his offensive game, but Wilson has shown so far that he has what it takes to be serviceable at the NBA level. Where Wilson has excelled so far has been the effort that he puts out on the floor and how willing he is to make the right basketball play.
Nic Claxton: C
Claxton had his share of struggles in this one as he couldn’t get much to go at the rim thanks to the presence of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. He did have some good looks when he did get the ball in his hands, but it looked like his touch just wasn’t there no matter who was there to defend him. Claxton did a good job of rebounding the basketball, but other than that, he did not make much of an impact on the defensive side of the ball outside of an impressive stop on Donovan Mitchell early in the game.
Dennis Smith Jr.: A
Smith played well in this one as while he did not have the most efficient offensive game, the pressure that he was putting on the rim was key to the Nets getting some crucial offensive rebounds and second-chance points. Outside of his passing, which he did a great job of, Smith also did some of the dirty work by mixing it up on the boards and playing some spectacular defense. The amount of energy that Smith expends on a nightly basis is infectious and he has a way of being a defensive force unto himself.
Trendon Watford: A
Watford had arguably his best game of the season in this one as he played more minutes than he has in some time due to injuries and trades bringing the number of available players down to a minimum. Watford did a great job of getting to the basket and using his unique blend of agility and craftiness to get past his defender and have some nice finishes at the rim. He also did a good job of rebounding the basketball along with making some impressive defensive plays in this one as they could be an opening for him to show what he can do on a more consistent basis.
Noah Clowney: C+
Thanks to the amount of injuries and trades that took players away from the Nets, Clowney found himself in a position to not only get some minutes, but to get more minutes than he could know what to do with. While his three-point shot in game needs some work, Clowney did a good job of catching the ball cleanly when it was passed to him and also showed some good concentration trying to finish at the rim. In all, he showed that he has improved in his feel for the game and eventually, when his body catches up to where he is in his development, he will be a consistent contributor on both ends of the floor.
Keon Johnson: C
Johnson did not play much in this one as he looked to be the furthest away from any of the other young players that the Nets have had in the G League this season. With that being said, even in 11 minutes, what popped was Johnson’s athleticism on both ends of the floor and where his shooting ability could take his game if he is able to improve it enough to use it in the game. Johnson’s defensive ability was apparent in this one as he found a way to impact the game with how easy he glides in the air to block shots and contest shots that he can’t get to.
