CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Here are my three thoughts on the Nets’ 95-91 loss to the Bobcats on Wednesday night:
1. It appears Alan Anderson surpassed Jason Terry in the Nets’ rotation.
Anderson was good against the Bobcats, finishing with 16 points, a rebound and two assists while going 5-for-10 from the field and 4-for-6 from 3-point range in 28:47. Terry played just 4:25, missing one pull-up transition jumper.
Now, Terry’s absence in the second half could be attributed to him battling soreness in his left knee. He suffered a bone bruise last week in a collision in Sacramento after having arthroscopic surgery on the knee this summer. But Anderson has outplayed Terry to this point – including shooting 43 percent from 3-point range – and when Andrei Kirilenko returns to the rotation, it seems unlikely both of them will be able to play.
That will leave Nets coach Jason Kidd with a tough decision, especially because of his history with Terry. Perhaps Wednesday was the first indication Anderson will have a shot to permanently grab onto that rotation spot if he keeps playing like he is.
2. Pretty much everything is going wrong for the Nets right now, but if you want to pinpoint one thing, it’s in the paint at both ends of the floor.
Without Brook Lopez, the Nets have both struggled to score in the paint — or with any kind of efficiency — and have allowed opponents to have a parade to the rim for one easy basket after another.
That continued Wednesday night, when the Nets allowed the Bobcats – a team sporting a frontline of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Josh McRoberts, Bismayck Biyombo, Cody Zeller and Jeff Adrien – to score 52 points in the paint compared to 34 for the Nets. In all three games Lopez has missed, the Nets have been killed inside at both ends of the floor. With Lopez seemingly close to returning — he is likely to play Friday in Minnesota — his presence will be a welcome one for the Nets.
3. Shaun Livingston has been brilliant this season, arguably the Nets’ most consistent performer. But Livingston struggled Wednesday, going 1-for-5 from the field for two points, seven rebounds, five assists and five turnovers in 26 minutes.
The five turnovers, in particular, are surprising, given Livingston is one of the best assist-to-turnover ratio guys in the league. It seemed he just couldn’t find a rhythm with his teammates, throwing several passes straight into the stands because it appeared he thought guys were going to be in a different spot than they were.
Given how well he’s played, Livingston was due to have a rough night at some point. But with Deron Williams probably out at least for Friday’s game after suffering a re-injury of his sprained left ankle, Livingston will get a chance to redeem himself.