


The Nets were in a nip-and-tuck affair with the lowly Cavaliers all night Wednesday, but after three overtimes Brooklyn was finally able to come away with a 148-139 victory in Cleveland. The 148 points the Nets scored are tied for the second-most they've ever scored in a game, and are the most they've ever scored in a road game. >> Box score
Things to know about Wednesday's game
1) When the Nets took a 135-131 lead with 3:08 remaining in the third overtime, that marked their largest lead of the game. D'Angelo Russell hit a 3-pointer to give them that lead before extending it to eight with two consecutive buckets. Russell, who will head to Charlotte for this weekend's All-Star Game, took over at the end of the game as he scored 14 of his 36 points in the third overtime, going 6-for-6 from the field in the final period after struggling earlier in the game.
Russell was 5-for-18 with 12 points in 29 regulation minutes. He then went 8-for-12 with 24 points in 12 overtime minutes to ensure Brooklyn (30-29) took a winning record into the break.
Tags: Cleveland Cavaliers, D'Angelo Russell, DeMarre Carroll

For the last two months, the Brooklyn Nets have drawn notice in a positive light due to their turnaround and emergence into the Eastern Conference playoff race.
Even with a solid last two months, recent results show the Nets are slightly staggering toward the All-Star break.
They hope to head into the break with a winning record Wednesday night when they visit the Cleveland Cavaliers, who entered Tuesday with the NBA's third-worst record (12-45).
Tags: Cleveland Cavaliers, D'Angelo Russell

The Nets put up a fight against the Raptors but ultimately fell short Monday in a 127-125 loss in Toronto after the game was tied 92-92 through three quarters. The Nets (29-29) have lost five of their last six games. >> Box score
Things to know about Monday's game
1) Kawhi Leonard hit a game-winning bank shot for Toronto with 4.2 seconds left roughly 30 seconds after Danny Green hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 125-125. Leonard finished with 30 points and eight assists.
Tags: Allen Crabbe, D'Angelo Russell, Toronto Raptors

When the Brooklyn Nets visit the Toronto Raptors on Monday night, it will be a meeting of teams that are making adjustments on the fly.
Marc Gasol, obtained in a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday, will be playing his second game for Toronto.
Meanwhile, the Nets are working in two players returning from injury -- Caris LeVert and Allen Crabbe. >> Read More

The lowly Chicago Bulls have won just 13 games this season and their latest victory came against the Brooklyn Nets in an astounding 125-106 upset at Barclays Center on Friday night. Brooklyn's rough loss came after the Nets defeated the Nuggets on Wednesday to snap a three-game losing streak. >> Box score
Things to know about Friday's game
1) The Nets completely fell apart at the start of the fourth quarter, when comeback victories have normally been the team's Achilles heel this season. Brooklyn was down 18 points with sloppy plays and shoddy passing diminishing chances of a comeback with 8:09 left in the fourth quarter. A quiet Kenny Atkinson watched on the sidelines as the Bulls, the third-worst team in the Eastern Conference, pulled ahead.
Tags: Chicago Bulls, D'Angelo Russell

When an injured player returns from a lengthy absence, teams often look at it as adding a player via a trade-deadline acquisition.
For the Brooklyn Nets, that player is Caris LeVert.
LeVert will return from missing nearly three months with a right foot injury Friday night when the Nets host the Chicago Bulls
Tags: Chicago Bulls

Nets guard Caris LeVert will return for Friday's game against the Chicago Bulls after suffering a gruesome injury in November that elicited thoughts and prayers from numerous NBA players.
LeVert, who has not played since suffering a dislocated foot on Nov. 12, avoided surgery and suffered only minor ligament damage, and Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson said the team would ease him back into the lineup.
"My feeling is let's just build him up from a physical standpoint," Atkinson said, according to the Associated Press. "From a basketball technical standpoint, I think it's going to take some time quite honestly until he catches his rhythm. I can't tell you how long that's going to be. The most important thing is he's right physically, and we'll build up the basketball part."

D'Angelo Russell now knows who his teammates will be at the NBA All-Star Game next weekend.
The Nets guard was selected Thursday night by Giannis Antetokounmpo during the All-Star draft. Russell will be making his first All-Star appearance, having replaced injured Pacers star Victor Oladipo.
After the starters were drafted, Team Giannis took Russell in the fifth round of the reserves portion of the draft. Russell was taken before LaMarcus Aldridge Nikola Vucevic, Karl-Anthony Towns, Kyle Lowry, and Bradley Beal.
Tags: D'Angelo Russell

The Nets made one move prior to Thursday afternoon's NBA trade deadline, acquiring Greg Monroe and a 2021 second-round pick from the Raptors, according to multiple reports.
But Monroe apparently won't be a Net for long. According to The Athletic, Monroe will waived by Brooklyn, which will reportedly send Toronto cash considerations. Monroe signed a one-year deal with the Raptors last summer worth more than $2.1 million.
Tags: Toronto Raptors

The Brooklyn Nets have been a pleasant surprise in the NBA this season. Seen as a team looking on the outside of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, the Nets find themselves in sixth place in the East (29-27), just a few hours before the NBA's trade deadline.
The Nets' success has transformed them from a seller at the trade deadline to a possible buyer. Entering Monday's meeting, Brooklyn has gone 20-8 in its last 28 games and is fresh off of a successful January that saw the team post an 11-4 record and the fourth-best defensive rating (106.9 points allowed per 100 possessions) in the NBA.
The franchise has several paths it can pivot to as the deadline approaches...
Tags: Allen Crabbe, D'Angelo Russell, Kristaps Porzingis, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Spencer Dinwiddie

After losing three straight games, their longest losing streak in two months, the Nets bounced back Wednesday with a 135-130 win over the Nuggets, who currently hold the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. The Nets won their 29th game, surpassing last season's win total 56 games into the season. >> Box score
Things to know about Wednesday's game
1) As has often been the case this season, D'Angelo Russell led the way for Brooklyn by putting up 27 points, 11 assists and six rebounds. He shot 10-for-23 from the field including 6-for-9 from 3-point range. The All-Star guard's double-double was his sixth of the season, which is a career-high. This marked the second time in his career Russell had at least 25 points and 10 assists; he did it on Jan. 23 against the Magic.
Tags: D'Angelo Russell, DeMarre Carroll, Denver Nuggets

The Brooklyn Nets struggled to contain Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo and for the first time in two months, they are on a three-game losing streak.
Brooklyn's next task is to contain Nikola Jokic on Wednesday night when they host the Denver Nuggets in a matchup of banged-up teams.
The Nets (28-27) are on their first three-game losing streak since dropping eight straight from Nov. 21-Dec 5. They went 20-6 in 26 games before the skid began with a 117-114 loss at San Antonio on Thursday.
Tags: Denver Nuggets

Nets SG Joe Harris' sharp-shooting will be put to the test during All-Star Weekend, as he will represent Brooklyn in the MTN DEW 3-Point Contest on Feb. 16.
The contest expands to 10 players this year, and Harris will be going up against some of the best pure shooters in the game. Here is the field:
CLICK BELOW TO SEE THE OTHER PARTICIPANTS
Tags: Joe Harris

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 30 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists, and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the cold-shooting Brooklyn Nets 113-94 on Monday night.
The injury-depleted Nets missed 19 of their first 20 3-point attempts, making it another easy night for the team with the NBA's best record. Brooklyn finished 5 for 42 (11.9 percent) behind the arc.
Malcolm Brogdon added 16 points and Eric Bledsoe had 15 for the Bucks, who won their fourth straight, all by double digits.
Tags: Milwaukee Bucks

The Nets are hopeful Caris LeVert can return before the All-Star break after he suffered a dislocated foot in November, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, and the 24-year-old guard is making significant progress.
LeVert, who has not played since suffering a gruesome injury on Nov. 12, will soon return to 5-on-5 practice and will practice with Brooklyn's G League affiliate in Long Island on Tuesday, according to ESPN's Ian Begley.
"This is good timing ... it doesn't have to be 40 minutes, (but) it's going to be a big boost for us," Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson said, according to the New York Post's Brian Lewis.

For the first time in over a month, the Brooklyn Nets are on a losing streak.
Now they get an opportunity to break it against the best team in the league.
After losses in San Antonio and Orlando, the Nets host the league-leading Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night.
Tags: Milwaukee Bucks

Nikola Vucevic had 24 points and 12 rebounds, Evan Fournier added 16 points and the Orlando Magic beat the Brooklyn Nets 102-89 on Saturday night.
Aaron Gordon added 15 points for Orlando, which won its second straight. Jonathan Isaac had 10 points and 12 rebounds, and D.J. Augustin added 12 points and eight assists.
D'Angelo Russell had 23 points for Brooklyn, which has lost three of four. Shabazz Napier had 15 points and Ed Davis was the only other Net in double figures with 11.
Tags: D'Angelo Russell, Orlando Magic

Orlando center Nikola Vucevic learned he was going to be a first-time All-Star on Thursday, then celebrated with his third straight double-double in a Magic victory.
His numbers were rather routine for him -- 17 points, 10 rebounds -- but the 107-100 home victory over the Indiana Pacers was something of a rarity for Orlando, which snapped a four-game losing streak.
Vucevic and the Magic (21-31) will wrap up a three-game homestand Saturday against the Brooklyn Nets.
Tags: Orlando Magic

D'Angelo Russell is the engine behind the Nets' resurgence to playoff contention, and after initially missing out, his efforts are now being recognized with a trip to play with the league's best players.
The NBA on Friday announced that the Brooklyn guard was selected by commissioner Adam Silver as a reserve for the All-Star Game, the first time the 22-year-old has been selected as an All-Star. Russell is replacing Indiana's Victor Oladipo, who suffered a season-ending knee injury.
Tags: D'Angelo Russell

SAN ANTONIO (AP) Derrick White scored a career-high 26 points and the San Antonio Spurs rallied in the fourth quarter to beat Brooklyn 117-114 on Thursday night, their 16th straight win at home over the Nets.
Fresh off his seventh All-Star selection, LaMarcus Aldridge had 20 points, including a critical three-point play in the final minute, and 13 rebounds for the Spurs. DeMar DeRozan added 15 points and 10 rebounds in his return from a three-game absence because of a sore left knee.
After failing to make the All-Star Game as a reserve, D'Angelo Russell pressed his case to replace injured selection Victor Oladipo. Russell had 25 points, nine assists and four turnovers in 33 minutes for Brooklyn.
Tags: D'Angelo Russell, San Antonio Spurs

The NBA All-Star reserves were released for both conferences on Thursday night, and the East didn't have Nets standout D'Angelo Russell among them.
Instead, the East reserves include Raptors PG Kyle Lowry, Pacers SG Victor Oladipo, Pistons F Blake Griffin, Magic C Nikola Vucevic, Bucks SG Khris Middleton, Sixers PG Ben Simmons, and Wizards SG Bradley Beal.
But, before Nets fans start to freak out, there is still a chance Russell suits up during All-Star Weekend with Oladipo out for the rest of the season.
Tags: D'Angelo Russell

San Antonio is riding a three-game winning streak built on impressive offensive production when it hosts the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday at the AT&T Center.
But the Spurs shouldn't expect rays-of-sunshine accolades from venerable coach Gregg Popovich.
The Spurs have received just the opposite, especially in the minutes following their 126-124 win over hapless Phoenix on Tuesday. Popovich fumed about his team's play and said it was "fortunate to win the game."
Tags: San Antonio Spurs

When D'Angelo Russell was traded to the Brooklyn Nets, head coach Kenny Atkinson had the biggest development task of his career. Not because Russell wasn't skilled, rather the fact that he was the lottery pick the Nets never had. This was his chance to develop somebody with serious potential. Somebody who fit the script of what Atkinson needed. Somebody who has high character but also has a chip on their shoulder.
Somebody who could challenge Atkinson to be as great as he challenges those around him.
And for Russell, he got a coach who could challenge him to become great and push his limits -- the intangible things you don't see that separate a good player and a great player. Things that categorize players as one who can buy into something special versus becoming a glorified journeyman.
Tags: D'Angelo Russell

NEW YORK (AP) D'Angelo Russell scored 30 points, Shabazz Napierhad 24 off the bench and the Brooklyn Nets beat the Chicago Bulls 122-117 on Tuesday night for their ninth straight win at home.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson had 18 points and Joe Harris had 17 for the Nets, who have won 13 of their last 14 at Barclays Center and seven of eight overall.
Brooklyn started slow in the first quarter, shooting just 8 for 29 from the field, after losing at Boston on Monday night. >> Read more
Tags: Chicago Bulls, D'Angelo Russell

The Nets have two rising stars on their roster.
Second-year center Jarrett Allen and rookie forward Rodions Kurucs were both named to the NBA's Rising Stars Challenge on Tuesday.
Allen, 20, will play for the U.S. team while Kurucs, who turns 21 next week and is a native of Latvia, will play for the World in the exhibition game on Friday, Feb. 15 to kick-start the NBA All-Star weekend.
Tags: Jarrett Allen

The Brooklyn Nets encountered difficulties in scoring against a physical defense, especially at the rim in Boston against the Celtics on Monday.
The Nets hope to produce some improved offense Tuesday night in the second half of a back-to-back set when they host the struggling Chicago Bulls.
Despite the loss, Brooklyn is still 19-6 in its last 25 games, a roll that began with a home win against Toronto on Dec. 7.
Tags: Chicago Bulls

Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart each scored 21 points, and the Boston Celtics beat Brooklyn 112-104 on Monday night to snap the injury-riddled Nets' six-game winning streak.
Aron Baynes had 16 points, Marcus Morris 15, and Al Horford and Terry Rozier each had 14 for Boston, which tied a franchise record with 16 blocked shots and won for the sixth time in seven games. Horford had 11 rebounds.
The Celtics played without star guard Kyrie Irving, who was sidelined with a sore left hip.
D'Angelo Russell led the Nets with 25 points and Shabazz Napier had 20. Brooklyn had won 19 of its previous 24 games.
Tags: Boston Celtics, D'Angelo Russell

Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie underwent successful surgery to repair torn ligaments in his right thumb, the team announced Monday.
The 25-year-old Dinwiddie, who is expected to miss 3-6 weeks, suffered the injury when he fell and landed on his right hand in Wednesday's win over the Orlando Magic.
Dr. Michelle Carlson performed the operation at the Hospital for Special Surgery, the team announced.
Tags: Spencer Dinwiddie

The Brooklyn Nets were often reminded in recent seasons about how they gave up three unprotected first-round picks, plus a 2017 first-round pick swap, to Boston as part of the 2013 trade for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce.
The Celtics turned those picks into Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and one that was used to obtain Kyrie Irving and elevate Boston into the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference.
Now the Nets are moving beyond the trade and getting into playoff contention for the first time in four seasons.
Tags: Boston Celtics

Pelicans star Anthony Davis has requested a trade, his agent told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, and the Celtics and Lakers might already be at the forefront when it comes to a potential deal.
Davis, who has told the Pelicans he will not sign a contract extension, is under contract through the 2019-20 season before being eligible for free agency.
"Anthony wants to be traded to a team that allows him a chance to win consistently and compete for a championship," Davis' agent, Rich Paul, told ESPN while requesting the trade. "Anthony wanted to be honest and clear with his intentions and that's the reason for informing them of this decision now. That's in the best interests of both Anthony's and the organization's future."

Just when things were finally looking up for the Nets, the team took a major blow before doing battle against a crosstown rival.
Brooklyn PG Spencer Dinwiddie will undergo surgery on Monday to repair torn ligaments in his right thumb, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The recovery time is expected to be from three to six weeks.
Wojnarowski adds that Dinwiddie met with two specialists to evaluate the injury, and both recommended he undergo surgery. The 25-year-old previously had his thumb examined by one of the top hand specialists in the country as well, according to Fox Sports Radio's Caron Butler...
Tags: Spencer Dinwiddie

Many wondered if the Nets could play at the same level without Spencer Dinwiddie, and though Brooklyn got off to a slow start, the Nets never looked back in the 109-99 win over the crosstown rival Knicks. >> Box score
Things to know about Friday's game
1) The Nets took the season series finale against the Knicks for the first time since the 2014-15 season. Friday night was Brooklyn's eighth straight win at Barclays Center. After the win, the Nets are on a six-game winning streak.

When they last met on Dec. 8, the Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks were in the opening stages of their current trajectories.
On that night, Spencer Dinwiddie constantly reached the lane and scored 25 points in Brooklyn's 112-104 win in Madison Square Garden. It was the second win in a seven-game winning streak that turned around Brooklyn's season. Meanwhile, it was a week into New York's current skid.
Heading into the final game of the season series, the Nets have a seven-game home winning streak while the visiting Knicks are on a seven-game skid and firmly entrenched as one of the league's worst teams. >> Read More

Yes, July 1 is still more than five months away. Hell, we haven't even hit the All-Star break yet. But it's never too early to start thinking about free agency. Here in New York City, the Mecca of Basketball (that's right), this summer is crucial for the local teams.
This year projects to have arguably the best NBA free agent class ever with players like Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butler, Kyrie Irving, and Klay Thompson all -- in one way or another -- able to hit the open market. With hundreds of other players available this offseason and a league salary cap set to rise to $109 million for the 2019-20 season, even in the dead of winter all eyes are on summer '19.
New York's teams are expected to be big players in free agency, with both the Knicks and Nets possessing ample salary cap space and the ambition to exponentially improve. But which NYC franchise has the advantage when it comes to attracting the best talent? Quintessential New York or the "Coolest City in America?" (At least according to GQ, never mind that Brooklyn is actually a borough). Do players want to restore a storied franchise or be the face of a new movement? Midtown steakhouse or Smorgasburg?
Let's take a look at some of the major factors that will either attract or deter free agents and, thus, determine the future of hoops in the Big Apple.
Tags: Allonzo Trier, Courtney Lee, Frank Ntilikina, Jarrett Allen, Joakim Noah, Kevin Knox, Mitchell Robinson, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Tim Hardaway Jr.

The Nets and Knicks play their final game of the season series on Friday night at Barclays Center on opposite ends of the spectrum.
Brooklyn sits in sixth place in the Eastern Conference amidst a five-game winning streak. New York hovers above last place in a nose-dive that includes a seven-game losing streak. But none of that matters for Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson.
"I think it's one of those rivalries where it doesn't matter the record," Atkinson said. "The record is out the window. It's two New York teams going at it. I always say, my wish is that both of us get really, really good and this game gets more and more important as we go down the line."
Tags: D'Angelo Russell

NEW YORK (AP) D'Angelo Russell had a double-double with 25 points and 10 rebounds, Spencer Dinwiddie scored 29 points, and the Brooklyn Nets edged the Orlando Magic 114-110 on Wednesday night for their fifth straight victory.
Orlando had a chance to tie it at 112 with 3.1 seconds left in regulation, but Nikola Vucevic's basket was waved off after replay review confirmed that the Magic center had actually tipped in the ball while it was still on the rim after Evan Fournier had beaten Brooklyn's Jarrett Allen to the hoop.
Russell, who also had seven assists, hit a pair of free throws with 2.4 seconds remaining to seal it for the Nets, who have won seven consecutive games at the Barclays Center. DeMarre Carroll added 19 points for Brooklyn. >> Read more
Tags: D'Angelo Russell, Orlando Magic

The Orlando Magic get a chance to avenge a bitter defeat when they play at the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night.
With Aaron Gordon watching the final 9:19 from the bench after his back stiffened, the Magic blew a 21-point lead in a 117-115 home loss to the surging Nets on Friday night.
Gordon, who has missed Orlando's last two games, remains questionable for Wednesday. >> Read More
Tags: Orlando Magic

Kenneth Faried had some harsh words for the Nets on Tuesday.
The newly-signed Rockets center ripped his former team, which bought out his contract over the weekend, accusing the Nets coaching staff and front office of "lying" to him and sending mixed messages about playing time.
"It's very frustrating," he said, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. "A lot of, 'We're going to play you when injuries,' and a lot of, 'We're going to play you when in this moment, that moment.'"
Tags: Kenneth Faried

D'Angelo Russell had 31 points and eight assists, and the surging Brooklyn Nets won their fourth straight game by running away from the Sacramento Kings in the second half Monday for a 123-94 victory.
Russell, announced as the Eastern Conference player of the week shortly before the game, made seven 3-pointers. He hit all four 3-point attempts and was 5 for 6 overall in the third quarter, fueling a 22-4 spurt that launched the Nets into the lead for good.
Joe Harris added 19 points and rookie Rodions Kurucs had 16 for the Nets, who won for the 17th time in 22 games.
Tags: D'Angelo Russell, Sacramento Kings

The Brooklyn Nets and Sacramento Kings spent part of their weekend producing thrilling road victories thanks to clutch performances by starting guards.
Only one team will get to experience the satisfaction of getting a win Monday afternoon when D'Angelo Russell and the Nets host Buddy Hield and the Kings.
The Nets (24-23) are returning home after two impressive road wins for differing reasons.
Tags: Sacramento Kings

The Brooklyn Nets officially waived forward/center Kenneth Faried on Saturday, which may expedite the process for Carmelo Anthony to be traded.
The Houston Rockets are expected to sign Faried and insert him into the lineup immediately, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, but must open up a roster spot by 5 p.m. ET on Monday to do so.
While Anthony has not played for the Rockets since Nov. 8, he is still under contract and Houston is "aggressively working" to trade the 34-year-old forward by that deadline, according to Wojnarowski, who also added on Saturday that they do not plan to waive Anthony.
Tags: Carmelo Anthony, Kenneth Faried

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) D'Angelo Russell matched his career high with 40 points and the Brooklyn Nets came back from a 21-point deficit to beat the Orlando Magic 117-115 on Friday night.
Russell's 3-pointer with 27.1 seconds left put the Nets up for the first time since they went ahead 2-0 in the game's first minute. After missed free throws by both teams left Brooklyn with a two-point lead, Evan Fournier missed a shot in the lane that would have tied it for Orlando.
It was the 16th win in 21 games for the Nets, who made 19 of 46 3-point shots.
Tags: D'Angelo Russell, Orlando Magic

The Brooklyn Nets haven't been over .500 all season and were 10 games under at one point.
They will try to get better than even when they play at the Orlando Magic on Friday night.
The Nets were 8-18 on Dec. 5 after they coughed up an 18-point lead after three quarters, losing 114-112 to visiting Oklahoma City as the Thunder's Paul George went off for 25 fourth-quarter points.
Tags: Orlando Magic

The Nets have been a bit of a surprise this season, as they currently own the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. They continue to play good basketball against Finals contenders, like the Rockets on Wednesday night.
Brooklyn defeated Houston on the road in an overtime thriller, and one of the main reasons the victory came in the first place was due to G Spencer Dinwiddie. The 25-year-old is having the best year of his career at the moment, and is solidifying himself as one of the young cornerstones of the team.
In fact, Dinwiddie signed a contract extension earlier this season, which will keep him in a Nets uniform for the near future. So New Yorkers should know about one of the hot, rising basketball stars in town, right? Well, maybe not...

It's October 2012 and the Brooklyn Nets are playing an exhibition game in Atlantic City -- 130 miles away from their new home in Brooklyn. The teams go back-and-forth as a pocket full of fans begin a chant: "Brooo-klynnn"
It was intimidating for the away team. It was "cool" because it replicated a chorus in Fabolous' rap song.
It was organic.
Tags: Jarrett Allen

HOUSTON (AP) Spencer Dinwiddie didn't seem to be nearly as wowed by his late-game scoring for the Brooklyn Nets as he was by the fact that his team got an overtime victory on a night James Harden had a season-high 58 points.
"The man had 60 and we won," Dinwiddie said, shaking his head and only slightly exaggerating Harden's performance. "That's big-time for a young group."
Dinwiddie scored 25 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter and overtime and the Nets spoiled Harden's night with a 145-142 victory over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday. >> Read More
Tags: D'Angelo Russell, Houston Rockets

The Nets (22-23) continued to showcase growth by fending off the Boston Celtics in the fourth quarter of their 109-102 victory at Barclays Center on Monday. Brooklyn again moved within a game of .500, doing so for the third time since Jan. 6. The Nets were last at .500 on Nov. 9.
Guard D'Angelo Russell continues to serve as a linchpin for the injury-ravaged Nets. He scored 18 of his 34 points in the third quarter to help Brooklyn end a 10-game losing skid to the Celtics. The Nets were without guards Shabazz Napier and Allen Crabbe, plus forwards Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Jared Dudley yet persevered thanks in large part to Russell, who has scored 20-plus points in seven of eight games while averaging seven assists over that span.
"There's no fear," Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said of Russell. "He believes in himself. He's got tremendous, tremendous confidence. He's playing really well right now. I think with guys out, we've given him a little more of a green light. We need him to be aggressive. He and I have talked about it, and he was aggressive (Monday). We need him to keep doing that." >> Read More
Tags: Houston Rockets

The Nets are the hotter New York team by a long shot, and they're garnering interest from a number of players. Brooklyn enters Tuesday 22-23, winning nine of its last 10 home games and showing relentless ambition on the outskirts of the Eastern Conference.
If they seek a busy offseason reaping national attention, the Nets need to pick up a star. Brooklyn PG Spencer Dinwiddie decided to speak up on Monday, dancing on the edge of recruiting nine-time All-Star Kevin Durant.

D'Angelo Russell scored 18 of his 34 points in the third quarter and the Brooklyn Nets ended a 10-game losing streak to Boston with a 109-102 victory on Monday night, sending the Celtics to a winless three-game road trip.
With Kyrie Irving nursing a bruised right quadriceps, the Nets blew open the game with a 15-0 run in the third quarter and outscored the Celtics 44-21 in the period.
Jarrett Allen added 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Nets, who have won nine of their last 10 home games. Rookie Rodions Kurucs also scored 19 points.