|
 "We know we still have a long way to go," Kidd said. "There are a
lot of things we can do with this crowd and being home has been good
to us."
The win is the 12th straight at home for the Nets, and since Dec.
27, the Nets are 19-2 at home, the best home mark in the NBA.
"We're just trying to take care of business," Kidd said. "The guys
are playing extremely well here, feeling very comfortable."
Forward Paul Pierce took advantage of the friendly confines of
Brooklyn, using a big first half on his way to a game-high 22
points.
Pierce led an offense that received significant contributions from
the bench as six different players scored in double figures. Guards
Alan Anderson (13) and Marcus Thornton (10) combined for 23 points
and three assists as the Nets bench outscored Cleveland's 48-18.
"This is a special team," Kidd said. "We have a lot of guys that can
put the ball in the basket and make plays for one another."
With the win, the Nets stay in the hunt for fourth place in the
Eastern Conference playoff race, two and a half games behind the
Bulls.
"If we're going anywhere in this playoffs, we are a team of depth,"
Pierce said. "We have guys that can beat you on any given night.
It's not really surrounded by one particular guy."
The Cavaliers are without guard Kyrie Irving, who has been out with
a strained bicep since March 16. Guard Jarrett Jack served
admirably, as he has for the past two weeks, with nine points and
seven assists, but a Cavaliers offense that had been averaging 104
points per game during a three-game winning streak entering Friday
was stifled all evening.
"At this point, I feel bad for the guys in the locker room because
of the outcome of the game," Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown said.
"I've come to the conclusion of expecting more from us and that's
why it's disappointing to see us play the way that we did tonight."
Forward Luol Deng led the Cavaliers with 20 points and seven
assists.
"I thought we were playing the right way," Brown said. "They just
lined us up and drove the ball right at us."
Leading by double digits for a majority of the game, the Nets, who
had given up a 22-point lead to the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday,
lost what was once a 15-point lead when the Cavaliers pulled within
five toward the end of the third quarter.
[to top of second column] |
There would not be a repeat of Tuesday night for Brooklyn as the
Nets outscored the Cavaliers 23-20 in the fourth quarter to secure
the win.
The Nets have been a side to start hot and Friday night was no
exception. Pierce set a blazing pace for Brooklyn, hitting his first
four 3-point shots on his way to 17 points in the first quarter.
He and Williams combined to score the team's first 22 points (Pierce
17, Williams 5).
"The ball is moving and it's finding the open man," Pierce said.
"Once you knock the first couple down, you feel like you're on fire.
As a scorer, I've done that my whole life. All you need to do is see
one go in."
The Cavaliers climbed back, outscoring the Nets 22-12 to tie the
score as Pierce looked to have re-tweaked his left shoulder, leaving
the game midway through the first quarter. He returned five minutes
into the second quarter.
A 12-0 run from the Nets to start the second quickly re-established
a healthy lead as the bench picked up the scoring, building an
11-point halftime lead.
The Nets can enjoy its homecourt advantage for three of its next
four games before a three-game road trip starting April 5.
NOTES: Cavaliers G Kyrie Irving did not play Friday night as he
continues to nurse a strained left biceps. Irving injured the biceps
on March 16. ... The Nets entered Friday night having lost two
consecutive games. It is the first time since Jan. 27-Feb. 1 that
the Nets have lost two or more games in a row. ... The Cavaliers
were attempting to cancel out a recent four-game losing streak,
having won their last three with victories over the New York Knicks,
Toronto Raptors and Detroit Pistons. ... The Cavaliers are the
second-youngest team in the NBA with an average roster age of 24.5
years old. The Nets are the league's second-oldest club with an
average age of 29.1. ... The Nets are 18-2 at home since Dec. 27,
best in the NBA.
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