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 Here's what else the Brooklyn Nets are at the moment: a last-place
disappointment.
"Tough times right now," forward Kevin Garnett said.
They got tougher Sunday, when reserve Rodney Stuckey scored a
season-high 27 points in the Detroit Pistons' 109-97 victory that
sent the Nets to a fifth straight loss and sole possession of the
Atlantic Division basement.
The Nets, with their enormous payroll and enormous expectations,
fell to 3-10, a half-game behind the New York Knicks, and were
hearing boos at Barclays Center in the second half.
"The ball's just bouncing the opponent's way right now and we've
just got to stay together," coach Jason Kidd said.
Greg Monroe had 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Pistons, who
bounced back from consecutive losses to Atlanta. Brandon Jennings
added 14 points and 10 assists, making all 10 free throws to make up
for a 2-for-10 shooting performance.
"Road wins are hard to get and any time you get a road win it's
huge," Pistons coach Maurice Cheeks said.
Joe Johnson made eight 3-pointers and scored a season-high 34
points, but the short-handed Nets couldn't overcome another cold
night from Paul Pierce and Garnett, who were a combined 7 for 22.
Pierce finished with 19 points, but was 5 of 13 after making his
last two when the game was long since decided. Garnett shot 2 of 9
for four points.
The Nets again played without starters Brook Lopez and Deron
Williams, who have sprained left ankles, and top reserves Andrei
Kirilenko (back spasms) and Jason Terry (bruised left knee).
"It's tough when look at the record, 3-10, 3-11, whatever our record
is, and know we've dug ourselves quite a big hole, no matter if
we've got the injuries or not," Pierce said. "We still feel like
we're talented enough to win these type of games."
They played a strong first half but were undone again by a miserable
third quarter, as they have in all 10 losses.
The Nets had been outscored by 77 points (8.6 per game) in the third
quarters of their first nine losses and they were even worse in this
one, getting clobbered 34-15.
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"We have to be worst team in the league when it
comes to third quarters, and that's not acceptable," Garnett
said.
Leading by seven at halftime, Brooklyn needed less than 4
minutes to fall behind by four after Detroit came out of the
locker room with a 15-4 spurt. Then, leading by one midway
through the period, the Pistons outscored the Nets 17-6 to close
the quarter and take a 78-66 advantage to the fourth.
Stuckey kept the Nets at bay from there, scoring 17 in the
fourth. He came in leading all Eastern Conference reserves with
14.8 points per game and helped the Pistons overcome 4-for-20
shooting from starting guards Jennings and Kentavious
Caldwell-Pope.
"I'm just trying to come in and just be that energy guy that we
need off the bench," Stuckey said. "Just bring energy and
whatever my teammates need me to do. They rely on me to score
some baskets. That's what I've got to do."
Meanwhile, the team with the payroll of around $180 million
after luxury taxes went with the likes of Mason Plumlee and
Mirza Teletovic for much of the fourth quarter before Kidd
finally went back to Pierce and Garnett with about 4 minutes
left.
Brooklyn cut a 16-point deficit to 96-91 after consecutive
3-pointers by Johnson, but Stuckey banked in a jumper, and
Monroe followed Johnson's free throw with a dunk to push the
lead to 100-92 with 2:18 to play.
Nets players made the first four baskets, though the last of
those counted for the Pistons when Andray Blatche tipped it into
his own hoop. Detroit led 23-19 after one quarter.
But Johnson hit all five shots and scored 13 points in the
second, when Brooklyn made 13 of 17 (76.5 percent). A 3-pointer
from Pierce and two from Johnson led the Nets on a 16-5 surge
that turned a one-point deficit into a 51-41 lead.
NOTES: Detroit's Andre Drummond finished with nine points and 10
rebounds, ending his streak of seven straight double-doubles. He
was 1 of 4 after the Nets resorted to intentionally fouling him
in the fourth quarter. ... Garnett tied Hall of Famer Gary
Payton for ninth on the NBA's career list with his 1,335th game.
[Associated
Press; BRIAN MAHONEY, AP Basketball Writer]
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