They’re just nine games in, but we’re pretty sure that the Brooklyn Nets are surprising a lot of people. Normally, a 4-5 card isn’t impressive, but nothing was really expected from a team that has Jeremy Lin, who’s still out with an injured hamstring, and Brook Lopez as their best players. So, 4-5 sounds really good.
In the most recent win, they routed the Suns, 122-104. The team had a balanced attack, as six guys scored in double figures – 11 different players scored for the Nets. Second-year forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson has the best stat line of the night, scoring 20 points, 13 rebounds, and four assists.
Sean Kilpatrick, who’s in his third team in three years, is providing the team a big lift in scoring, just like what he did in the second half of last season. The 27-year-old is currently averaging 15.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists this season. As for Lopez, the team’s star center, he’s contributing in scoring too, with 19.3 points per game. However, a 5.5 rebounds per game average for a seven-footer like him is really unacceptable; he has to be a lot better on the boards.
Against the Clippers on Monday, they’ll need to have that team effort they had in the previous game, and triple it, because they will be facing one of the best defenses in the league.
Brooklyn is 1-15 SU (5-11 ATS) in their last 16 games on the road.
The Clippers are now winners of six straight, and are beating teams pretty good. In their nine wins this season, three were 20-plus point blowouts, while the other five were by 11 points or more, It’s a defensive masterpiece that should be putting the whole league on notice.
The latest display of great D was shown Saturday night. In the 119-115 win, they held the Timberwolves to 36.4-percent shooting, and punished them with an all-around offense. Six guys scored in double figures, four of which has 18 or more points.
As they host the Nets in their next home game, there should be no worries. Expect rebounding machine DeAndre Jordan and freight train Blake Griffin to control the paint and have the Nets’ bigs confused all throughout the night. The Clipps are only allowing their opponents to shoot under 25 percent in attempts that are taken within three feet of the basket.
Offensively, they should be able to show that they are too much. It would be uncharacteristic for Chris Paul not to distribute the ball well to shooters JJ Redick and Jamal Crawford, as well as hustle guys Wesley Johnson and Luc Mbah a Moute.
Writer’s Prediction
The Clippers (-16) win another game by 10-plus points, but doesn’t cover.
