Here are three thoughts on the Nets’ 88-87 win over the Heat in Miami Tuesday night:
1. There are few true rivalries in the NBA anymore, as the hatred and enmity that came with clashes between teams like the Sixers, Celtics and Pistons in the 1980s and the Bulls, Knicks, Pacers and Heat in the 1990s don’t happen nearly as often as they used to because of the amount of player movement.
But there are a few examples of old-school hatred that still exist in the league, and the most obvious example is the long-standing feud between LeBron James and Paul Pierce.
Yes, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh are all also featured in this rivalry, dating back to Pierce and Garnett’s days with the Celtics — which helped spur the three Heat stars to join forces in Miami in 2010.
But the focal point of the battles between their teams over the years has always been James and Pierce duking it out, a one-on-one competition that has led to some truly spectacular performances on both sides. Pierce may be past the point of being a go-to guy at 36 years old, but he still knows how to summon his best effort when it counts. And, as he’s shown this season, it counts every single time he goes up against James.
And don’t doubt James feels the exact same way. Before Tuesday night’s game, James tried to dismiss the need to make sure the Nets didn’t sweep the Heat this season. But while much of the Heat roster, which was missing Wade and Udonis Haslem, looked like it was sleepwalking through the game, James finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds and six assists and was in attack mode whenever he was on the floor.
Then there was this answer to TNT sideline reporter Craig Sager after the game when he asked James whether the Nets have become Miami’s top challengers in the East.
“Get outta here, Craig,” James said with a sarcastic laugh. “Next question.”
There was no way James was going to give Pierce and the Nets that kind of satisfaction, regardless of whether it is true or not. Though with the Pacers struggling and the Nets now 33-13 since the start of 2014 — as well as 17-5 since March 1 — you can make a decent case they might be.
But just know this: No one can get into the heads of James and Wade like Pierce. And with Pierce on their side telling them, insisting to them, they can go toe-to-toe with Miami, the Nets believe they can.
Now all that has to happen is for the two teams to meet at some point in the playoffs. A second-round matchup is a possibility. If that happens, we’ll find out if Pierce and Garnett have one more victory in them.
2. Lost amid all the deserved attention Mason Plumlee received for his various plays down the stretch was the performance of Marcus Thornton, who again came up big off the bench.
In his latest scoring burst, Thornton poured in 11 of the Nets’ 26 points in the fourth, helping them stay in the game and set up Plumlee’s heroics in the final minute.
Between Thornton, Mirza Teletovic and Andray Blatche (when healthy — he missed Tuesday’s game with an illness), the Nets have three bench players capable of going off at any time.
3. Joe Johnson’s terrific performance was also lost in the shuffle. Johnson made several terrific floaters in the lane, including a difficult one with James guarding him in the fourth. After being injured late last season with plantar fasciitis, Johnson is healthy and playing at a high level going into this year’s playoffs.