1. This was the definition of a game where it’s simply just not your night sometimes.
The Nets played well throughout much of this game, repeatedly building 8-10 point leads against the Wizards, only to see Washington fight and claw its way back into the game. Then, in the fourth quarter, the Nets couldn’t hit a shot over the final six minutes – going 0-for-8 during that stretch – while the Wizards got some improbable hot shooting from Drew Gooden, who was out of the league less than three weeks ago but went 8-for-11 to score 21 points against the Nets – including hitting a go-ahead 3-pointer over Andray Blatche with less than three minutes remaining.
Then, with the Nets trailing by three with less than a minute left, the Wizards missed a shot that led to the ball being tipped about five times in a row, only to eventually fall into the hands of Trevor Ariza, who laid it in and effectively ended the game.
It’s not the kind of loss that should erase the success the Nets have had in recent weeks, or even their wins over the Raptors and Heat from earlier this week. Instead, it’s one where the bounces simply didn’t go their way, which happens sometimes.
2. He’s floated under the radar as usual, but outside of a dud against the Heat Wednesday, Joe Johnson has returned to form recently.
Johnson was good once again Saturday versus the Wizards, finishing with 16 points and seven rebounds while shooting 7-for-12 from the field and 2-for-3 from 3-point range. He’s now scored at least 14 points in six of the last seven games, and made at least 50 percent of his 3-pointers in five of them.
When Johnson has it going offensively, as he has recently, it opens up a lot of other things for the Nets, freeing up room for spot-up shooters around the perimeter as well as forcing teams into creating one-on-one matchups for Deron Williams and Paul Pierce, among others. The Nets will be hoping this stretch Johnson has doesn’t mirror the one he did back in January, when he scored at least 20 in five out of six games before falling off significantly because of tendinitis in his right knee.
3. Williams still hasn’t dunked this season. He tried hard to late in the second quarter against the Wizards, though, on this drive late in the first half (insert the video here from here, please: http://thebrooklyngame.com/gif-close-deron/ ).
Williams has looked more explosive since the All-Star Break, a possible sign of the platelet rich plasma treatment and cortisone shots he had on both ankles back in January. And, while this play didn’t work out the way he wanted it to, it’s a good sign to see him take off and try to make a highlight play.