Nets Are Scorching

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Hornets 24/7 | At The Hive

In most instances I don’t like to use +/- for a one game sample size, but Terrence Williams +/- of +26 during yesterday’s  win against the New Orleans Hornets is a very telling stat.  T-Will was the one player on the Nets who made things go.  Sure he only had 14 points (7-13 shooting), but his shot selection was real impressive.  I think my favorite play was on a fast break in the first half where Williams pushed the ball all the way into the lane where he hit an eight foot jumper.  Earlier in the year, the 8-footer would have been a three pointer (as noted by Marv Albert and Jim Spanarkel), and that really shows the growth Terrence Williams had made throughout the year.  Where Williams really shined last night though was when he was passing the ball.  T-Will racked up 14 assists to go along with his 14 points, with a lot of them coming off the dribble.  The pass off the dribble might be the hardest one for NBA players to make, and Williams makes it look easy.  The ability to pass it off the dribble instead of gathering oneself and then making the pass allows for the pass to get their quicker, giving the player who makes the catch more time to get the shot up.

As Williams told Ben Couch, he wasn’t the only one who played well:

“It wasn’t only me,” Williams said. “I did some things, but you’ve got to credit my teammates – they hit the shots. I would say that I had a little energy tonight, but that’s my job. When you come off the bench and you’re the energy guy, you’ve got to come in with energy.”

The Nets’ depth has been their biggest problem this year, but for one night, it was really sparked the team.  All 11 players who got in the game for the Nets (Trenton Hassell was the only active player who didn’t play) scored, with 8 of them getting into double figures.  The second unit played very well against the Hornets, especially in the third quarter.  The Nets were in one of their patented 3rd quarter funks, but then the bench came in and closed the third with a little 6-0 run that expanded the Nets lead from 7 to 13, effectively putting the game away.

Some more thoughts after the jump:

• The Nets haven’t had many blowouts, but this was perfect timing for one.  The Nets have another winnable game tomorrow, and with Brook Lopez being the starter who played the most minutes (27), the Nets shouldn’t be too fatigued.
• That block by Devin Harris in the third quarter really shows you the type of player he his.  While he isn’t the most vocal guy, he is somebody who always leads by example.
• Speaking of blocks, the Nets had 10 of them, as Kris Humphries lead the way with 5.
• In the game preview, I talked about wanted to see the Nets push the pace, and they did, with much success.  The Nets had 40 transition points compared to the Hornets 11.
• With Terrence Williams leading the way, the Nets set a team-record for most assists in a game this year.  The Nets had 34 of their 46 baskets assisted.  The Nets were moving the ball effectively the entire game, and that number really shows you how well they did.