BROOK BY ITS COVER: The Pistons’ Chris Wilcox has to foul Brook Lopez during the Nets’ 89-74 win in front of Mikhail Prokhorov last night in Newark. (AP)
Forgive the Nets if they are hauled in for putting sugar, sand or vegetable oil in the fuel tank of a certain private jet.
They just don’t want owner Mikhail Prokhorov heading back to Russia.
The Nets raised their record to 5-1 when the Big Boss Man is in the building by putting their best defensive clamps of the season on the Pistons last night, when they surrendered a season low in points in their 89-74 victory that gave them consecutive wins for the first time in a month.
The triumph also was their 12th of the season, equaling last year’s total. Suffice to say Prokhorov, who sat in the second level, didn’t eyeball any of last season’s sludge.
The Nets, who welcomed back Anthony Morrow from a 17-game hamstring strain absence, won both games since Prokhorov arrived for his shocking Wednesday press conference, declaring the attempt to trade for Carmelo Anthony null and void.
“It’s good having him in the building and getting a chance to spend some time with him,” said coach Avery Johnson, whose gang will try for three straight tonight against the Mavericks. “Guys understand he’s made a significant investment, and we want to see that his investment brings a good return.”
For one night, it was a great return and it came from the defense, especially in the fourth quarter, when the Nets (12-31) made Detroit (15-28) play Nets-like offense. The Pistons shot 33.3 percent — a season low for a Nets opponent — and were particularly wretched in the fourth quarter, bricking 12 of 15 shots. And leading the defense was Devin Harris, who has three fourth-quarter steals and a block to go with 12 points and nine assists.
“Devin had a block — is it his birthday?” Kris Humphries, who tallied his 13th double-double of the season with 11 points and 12 rebounds, said jokingly. “He also took a couple charges. Those plays are huge for a team.”
Ten straight points from Morrow helped the Nets bury the Pistons. After missing his first four shots, he then hit four in a row — a 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter and then in the fourth two 20-footers sandwiching another triple to put the Nets up 12. The Pistons, led by Tayshaun Prince’s 16 points (on 6-of-17 shooting), were in no shape to catch up.
“I just wanted to get those first few shots out of the way and just kept plugging,” Morrow said. “I was glad I could contribute.”
“Anthony basically put the game away for us with his 3-point shots,” Johnson said.
Harris made sure it didn’t get away. He had steals. He took charges. He hustled back and rejected Will Bynum after committing a turnover. His hustle and defensive gems were “worth three game balls,” Johnson proclaimed.
“I’m just trying to make the plays to get us over the top,” said Harris, who also noted reaching the 12-win benchmark doesn’t mean much to everyone, “only the guys that were here last year.” “We don’t want to give up any layups.”
They don’t want 6-foot-7 good luck charm Prokhorov going home after tonight’s game, either. The Nets had not had back-to-back wins since Dec. 19-21. They haven’t won three in a row since a four-game streak from Jan. 31-Feb. 7, 2009.
“They were very similar,” 15-point scorer Brook Lopez said of the two wins, including the upset of Utah Wednesday. “We swung the ball a lot, hit the open man. We played fantastic defense.”
And they played rumor-free. For weeks — months, actually — they played with the specter of the Anthony rumors. General manager Billy King apologized to the team for its public nature.
“He was just letting us know that he appreciated our professionalism,” said Morrow, who claimed Johnson’s calm and reassurance during the ordeal helped.
Maybe as much as the aura of the owner.