The Nets lined up pictures of Brooklyn’s Barclays Center right near the Orlando Magic’s locker room last night. They rolled out new lights and exploded some fireworks for introductions.
And then they unleashed one of their tired old defensive productions.
If they were trying to impress Dwight Howard, they likely failed, but if they wanted to show him how much they needed him, then the Nets had an unqualified successful night. Howard finished with All-Star numbers, 20 points and 17 rebounds, but the most damning numbers for the Nets were Orlando’s 53.6 percent shooting and its point total. So when the recruitment was over, the Magic left with Howard in tow and a 108-91 victory at the Prudential Center.
Howard drew an overwhelmingly positive reception from the crowd. Some fans hoisted three giant cut-out heads of Deron Williams, MarShon Brooks — and Howard.
“I just have fun with it,” Howard said. “It’s a humbling experience. I wish more people can see how it feels to go into another arena and have big faces and posters.
“In every arena it feels good to have a great reception, not only here but everywhere I go. I really appreciate [it].”
“I’m so jealous. I might not re-sign here after that,” deadpanned Deron Williams (23 points, eight assists, but seven turnovers) about his good buddy Howard, whom the Nets hope he can lure to Brooklyn— and dread the scenario of Howard luring him elsewhere.
Of course, the addition of Howard could mean the subtraction of Brook Lopez, who played his second game after returning from a broken right foot. Lopez scored 15 points with four rebounds in 28 minutes. Did the Howard reception bother him?
“I don’t have any feelings,” said Lopez, who admitted getting his legs was a problem as the game progressed. “I’m a basketball player.”
Though this certainly wasn’t all Howard — the Magic shot 13-of-29 on 3-pointers and placed seven guys in double figures, including Glen Davis (16 points) who hit his first seven shots with Howard on the bench with foul trouble — he certainly flashed his Superman form to overcome the Nets (10-25, 3-13 at home), who got a career high 24 points from Brooks.
“[Howard’s] the type of player, any time you go to the basket, you’re aware of where he’s at,” Williams said. “You’re thinking about ‘Is he around the corner?’ That’s the kind of impact he has on the defensive end.”
Fresh off their spirited 100-92 victory over the Knicks and Linsanity at the Garden Monday, the Nets laid a defensive egg early and trailed, 34-17, after Orlando (22-12) shot 62.5 percent in the first quarter. Williams provided a glimmer of third-quarter hope for the Nets, who were without Kris Humphries (strained calf, but should be back after the All-Star Game) and thus trotted out their 17th different starting lineup. Williams tossed in 12 points in 2:01 to get the Nets within eight, 67-59, but a subsequent 12-2 Magic burst erased all doubt.
As has been the case all season, Howard is the story line for the Nets, and fans chanted “We Want Dwight” at several points.
Coach Avery Johnson said he doesn’t expect the plot to change, certainly not by the March 15 trading deadline.
“I think that’s the way it’s going to be, and we’re going to have to manage it,” said Johnson. “[General manager] Billy [King] and I laugh all the time at how sometime between March 1 and March 15, his phone’s just going to be blowing up and going crazy all night long. I just told him I’m glad he has that job. … So I know, as a coach, and I can speak for a lot of coaches, we’re going to be glad when March 16 rolls around.”