Nets Win 110-105 Nail Biter Against Pistons Minus Deron Williams

At some point, the losing that the Brooklyn Nets have been exhibiting lately has to stop right?

It's only fair.

Going into tonight's game, the Nets were on a three-game slide, having lost to the likes of the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Toronto Raptors and the Miami Heat. All three of these teams are aiming for superiority in the Eastern Conference.

There's no shame in struggling against those teams, but when you're playing three players in excess of just under $300 million dollars, we would expect this team to win more often than not, right?

Tonight's opponent, the Detroit Pistons, can force three overtimes with the New York Knicks (not a good thing at all) sporting a wonderful and respectable (5-22).

For the Nets facing the Pistons didn't look good since Deron Williams and Brook Lopez would sit-out this evening both nursing a strained right calf and a lower back strain respectively. As it turned out, it didn't matter.

The Nets beat the Pistons, like they were supposed to, albeit a nail-biting, 110-105 win snapping their three-game losing streak.

The Nets improved to (11-15) on the season while the Pistons regressed to (5-23).

Sorry Detroit, but who cares.

The Nets jumped out to a comfortable lead in the first quarter striking early and often against the Pistons.

In the first quarter alone, the Nets shot 60% from the field due to a consistent effort in moving the ball around the perimeter.

Jarrett Jack, who started tonight in D-Wills place along with Joe Johnson and Kevin Garnett, each did their part in finding their teammates for 10 assists in the first quarter, which helped the Nets secure an early double digit lead heading into the second, up 28-18.

That score alone gave me the impression that this could be a laugher for the Nets, but it wasn't.

For some reason, losing teams have a lot of pride when they have nothing to play for other than the lottery and the Pistons struck back.

Struck back meaning 33 points scored in the second and outscoring the Nets by eight points.

In the final two minutes of the second, the Nets blew a nine-point lead.

The wrath of D.J. Augustin, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Andre Drummond, who combined to score the last seven points of the second quarter, was just too much for the Nets to handle, as their lead shrunk to two, owning a 53-51 advantage over the Pistons heading into halftime.

Up next was the most important half which decides the final outcome of every sporting event, and the Nets had their hands full against the lowly Pistons, down the stretch.

To begin the fourth quarter, the Nets made it very clear that they wanted a smooth final 12 minutes and in the end almost blew it.

They looked like the Knicks in some stretches, but eventually left the hardwood with a result the Knicks have a hard time securing these days.

A win.

Darrius Morris contributed a solid performance in limited minutes, finding Mason Plumlee on the break for an alley-oop, which erupted the sellout crowd of 17,732 in attendance, giving the Nets an 85-80 advantage with a little over 10 minutes left in the 4th.

Then Teletovic finds the basket and Johnson finds Plumlee for an easy stuff right under the rim.

Tight defense and a couple more plays later courtesy of Morris, Plumlee, and Teletovic have the Nets staring at a 15-point lead with 5:47 remaining in the final quarter.

The Nets took control of the game with a little over six minutes left in the 4th, but Nets Head Coach Lionel Hollins prefers his players to be uncomfortable, having to deal with the situations that arise in a possession-to-possession game because that's what Hollins enjoys the most: competition.

"I think if I were playing, I would prefer to be in a close game than in a blowout," Hollins said during his post-game press conference and his wish was granted by the Basketball Gods, without question.

The sense of urgency with the game near its final moments signaled the Pistons as the comeback effort was in full effect.

Mr. Pope, assisted by Brandon Jennings drained a three-point shot cutting the Nets lead to 12, 98-86 with 5:15 remaining in the 4th.

Kennedy Meeks penetrated the paint for two of Detroit's 42 points inside, now down 10, 98-88 with 4:44 left.

Mr. Pope drained another three, Drummond attacked the basket with ease and Meeks and Jennings came up successful when it mattered most to put the Pistons in a position for an upset, down four, 102-98 on a Jennings step-back jump-shot at the 1:19 minute mark.

It gets worse in what follows because this is what scary movies are made of.

Drummond had his way on the low-post as the Nets failed to confront the big-man with a physical defensive presence inside, which almost cost them the game when Jennings found Drummond for an easy two, as the Pistons trailed the Nets by two, 104-102 with 41.2 remaining till the final buzzer.

The Pistons fouled without many other options sending Johnson to the line where he sunk both free-throws, putting the Nets up 106-102, 12.5 seconds left.

Pope sinks yet another three bringing the Pistons to within one, 106-105 with 9.8 seconds remaining.

Detroit fouls again sending Johnson to the line where he adds two more points to his 16-point effort and a couple seconds later Garnett ends the Pistons threat corralling a rebound and sinking a pair of his own when fouled.

"It's what it is," said Hollins regarding the Nets having to work hard for tonight's win in his post-game press-conference.

"It's what competition is all about," he continued.

In the win, Jack starred for the Nets recording his first double-double of the year with 15 points and 10 assists complimented by Plumlee, who has excelled in Lopez's absence, posting his own double-double in 21 points and 12 rebounds.

Brooklyn Nets guard Jarrett Jack

"I thought that he did a great job of being poised and getting us in stuff," said Hollins regarding Jack's performance.

"Tonight he knew that he was going to play a lot so he was really good."

What's more important in the grand scheme of things for the Nets is the fact that they had six players score in double figures along with Jack and Plumlee, which included Garnett, Johnson, Teletovic and Bojan Bogdanovic who all scored, 10, 16, 13 and 14 respectively.

They also shot 52.6% from the field.

As for the other team, Pope had fun lighting it up from the perimeter with a team high 20 points while Drummond continues to develop into one of the better young big guys in the NBA with 18 points.

"He's big, and he's strong," said Plumlee speaking on behalf of Drummond's presence in tonight's game.

Fortunately for the Nets, Drummond's exploits weren't big enough to prevent the Pistons from dropping their fourth-straight game.

In a game in which the Nets had to have they delivered.

With trade rumors surrounding the centerpieces of this team's core, wins are their only option, losing is not.

Trade Rumors Swirl Nets May Deal Williams to Sacramento Kings

Maybe it's too late for the Nets roster to save themselves as management has talked with the Sacramento Kings in a potential block-buster trade that will relocate their 98 million-dollar man in Williams.

If that's the case, tonight, the Nets exhibited a team that won without the services of that man.

It is only one game, but a win is a win right?

In this video What's The 411Sports reporter, Gregory Alcala gives his account of Brooklyn Nets Media Day, which was held on Friday, September 26, at the Brooklyn Nets Practice Facility in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Greg told the What's The 411Sports panel of Bianca Peart, Glenn Gilliam, and Chris Graham that the themes of the day focused on health, motivation, and redemption. The Brooklyn Nets players appeared to be revitalized and ready to go. Brook Lopez is ready to play without restrictions, Deron Williams feels some improvement, and to a man, the respect for Lionel Hollins is palpable.

Watch Video About Brooklyn Nets Media Day

Kevin Garnett told the vast number of reporters in attendance that head coach Lionel Hollins has a presence, and as Hollins was the first member of the Nets franchise available for the press, I acknowledged exactly what Garnett was referring to. Hollins' press conference wasn't just filled with the generic "This is what we're going to do..." soliloquy, it was honest, very honest, straight forward, and relaxed. Hollins is a stand-up guy and answered every question from a relaxed state, as if he is incapable of being rattled. When asked how he was going to deal with the personality of one Deron Williams, who has been labeled "a coach killer,"

Hollins's simply answered with a smirk: "I have the reputation of being a player killer...".

Hollins wasn't just insightful regarding what he has in-store for this current blend of veterans and journey-men, he was actually quite funny.

Check out Greg's full article here.

I've been waiting for the fall season for a reason. This particular time of the year is usually associated with leaves on trees changing colors, the beginning of yet another academic calendar and the resolution of summer. For me personally, it means NBA basketball is back! The Brooklyn Nets kicked off its media day at the Nets Practice Facility in East Rutherford, NJ on Friday, September 26th. It was clear, it is a new day in Nets land. Nothing but positive messages filled the air on a beautiful day revolving around all things Brooklyn Nets, and I was a part of that experience.

Newly-appointed head coach Lionel Hollins addressed the media first followed by Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Kevin Garnett and Brook Lopez. The remaining players on the roster spoke in groups of four, separated by 10-15 minutes each.

No one was allowed to shy away from the microphone, as this day was for the media. During his press conference, Kevin Garnett told the vast number of reporters in attendance that head coach Lionel Hollins has a presence, and as Hollins was the first member of the Nets franchise available for the press, I acknowledged exactly what Garnett was referring to. Hollins' press conference wasn't just filled with the generic "This is what we're going to do..." soliloquy, it was honest, very honest, straight forward, and relaxed. Hollins is a stand-up guy and answered every question from a relaxed state, as if he is incapable of being rattled. When asked how he was going to deal with the personality of one Deron Williams, who has been labeled "a coach killer,"

Hollins's simply answered with a smirk: "I have the reputation of being a player killer...".

Hollins wasn't just insightful regarding what he has in-store for this current blend of veterans and journey-men, he was actually quite funny.

In referring to what has impressed him the most from the group of guys at his disposal during early scrimmages, Hollins expressed that the most impressive thing from these scrimmages was that he himself looked good coaching from the sidelines, which was received well from the media correspondents. On a serious note, Hollins shared his coaching thought process, indicating a system that involves everyone, as well as, highlighting that he likes the fact that his team has a number of guys with experiences and accomplishments that he can rely on to be in the forefront and lead. The keyword in the discussion of the team for Hollins is toughness. Hollins articulated that he wants his team to be tougher, more aggressive and compete harder. This should not serve as a shock coming from a residential Western Conference Head Coach for the majority of his coaching career.

One person who symbolizes toughness is Kevin Garnett who seemed upbeat, prepared for the season while noting that although he is entering his 20th season, there is still something worth playing for.

"The mindset has to be Championship or nothing..." Garnett said during his conference session.

Garnett still believes he has something to offer at the tender age of 38 but noted that the Nets success will solely be based on the core three guys in D-Will, Lopez and Johnson. The main focus of D-Will's conference session was health, which at this point in his career is essential to any success the Nets hope to enjoy this season. Williams is recovering from ankle surgery on both of his ankles, an injury that affected his performance the previous year which might've been his most disappointing.

"I don't think I'm 100% yet just because I've only had one month but, I'm pretty close," Williams said. "I'm getting strength. I'm getting confidence on it, I've played 5-on-5. I feel like I'm at least 20% better than I was all of last year."

On the new head coach: "He's going to be great for us in what we're trying to do here and I'm excited to play for him," Williams said.

Johnson, the team's second leading scorer also weighed in on coach Hollins hoping that he is the primary voice for this team going forward into the future.

"This is my third year here, and every year we start with a different coach," Johnson said. "Hopefully this one turns out a little better with us getting off to a great start."

Johnson also took a playful shot at former head coach Jason Kidd hinting that they hardly practiced at all. It will be the exact opposite with Hollins, as he plans to challenge guys and put them in tough situations during their practice sessions.

The most integral member of the Nets starting-5 in Lopez, scheduled to speak to the media last provided the answers to questions that the media in general all shared.

When asked how his body felt, Lopez stated: "I feel great right now, I'm not looking for any restrictions, I'm just ready to go."

For Nets fans, that should be encouraging. He also talked about what coach Hollins expects of him as a center, which is an enhanced effort in rebounding the basketball.

"It's just a matter of increasing my effort," Lopez said. "It's not just boxing out but going to get the rebound after and focusing on offensive rebounding."

All in all, the core pieces of the Nets franchise which includes coach Hollins revealed how much of a responsibility it is to be who they are having their own press conferences while the remaining players of the Nets roster held their media sessions on four tables positioned outside of the press conference space. Johnson described newly acquired point guard Jarrett Jack as the x-factor of this team, and while he was available I asked what he believes he can bring to this roster.

"Just energy man," Jack said. "I think pushing the pace, trying to get easier quicker baskets in transition or off turnovers, I think that is something that I can provide."

Brooklyn Nets point guard Jarrett Jack

I also asked Jack how he felt when he received the news that he was coming here to which he replied: "I was happy, I was all smiles," Jack said. "I think as basketball players we all wonder about playing in a big city, under the bright lights, in NY so I was chomping at the bit to get this opportunity."

Very rarely do you hear athletes state the desire to play in New York and with his answer I have to take Jack for his word. Mason Plumlee, now a gold medalist talked about his summer competing in Spain but targeted Vegas, Chicago and NY as the best part of the trip. Plumlee added that those three locations tested him the most as he was one player in a large group of NBA hopefuls battling each other for a roster spot on Team USA, a situation that you cannot simulate. Due to that experience alone, Plumlee is a player to watch for the Nets going forward. Plumlee is also looking forward to playing under Hollins with the ambition of becoming a better NBA player.

The Nets finished 44-38, second in the Atlantic division under first-year head coach Jason Kidd. Under the guidance of Hollins I believe the Nets will be revamped. They will be rejuvenated. They will have a viable opportunity in playing for first place in the Atlantic Division, but it all boils down to the same individuals who held their media session ahead of everyone else. There's a reason why Hollins, Garnett, Lopez, Johnson, and D-Will were scheduled ahead of the rest of the roster in a secluded area stationed on the Nets practice court. They are the core pieces to which this franchise has built its foundation on. The Nets can't progress if Lopez doesn't have a bounce back year, which I believe he will. Lopez was the leading scorer for the Nets last season albeit missing the majority of the season, averaging 20.7 points, better than D-Will and Johnson. Go figure. The Nets can't progress if Johnson is incapable of reminding us why he is a 7-time All-Star. Johnson averaged 15.8 points per game last season, his lowest points total since his 4th year as a pro. D-Will has to prove he is healthy and Garnett has to keep his commitment to the Nets all while sustaining his health. Last but not least, Hollins has to prove that he can corral this group for the greater good, and from listening to his words, I have no doubts that he will be successful. These are exciting times in the NBA world and on the east coast for one particular team, it all began on Friday, September 26th at the Nets Practice facility in East Rutherford, NJ. That team is the Brooklyn Nets.

Newly-minted Brooklyn Nets head coach Lionel Hollins was on hand to support the team's point guard Deron Williams' 5th Annual Celebrity Dodge Barrage. Held at Basketball City near the South Street Seaport, the charity event is Williams' signature fundraising event to support the Point of Hope Foundation.

Brooklyn Nets point guard Deron Williams talking with reporters at his 5th Annual Celebrity Dodge Barrage. Photo Credit: Clyde Davis/What's The 411 Networks

All proceeds from the event will benefit the Point of Hope Foundation and Brooklyn's League Education and Treatment Center which will utilize the funds to expand the existing playground that will be named the Deron Williams Playground after completion.

Brooklyn Nets teammates that were in the house included Jarrett Jack, Andrei Kirilenko, and FIBA World Cup gold medalist Mason Plumlee. This was Mason's second year at the dodge ball charity event and he fully expected to be a repeat dodge ball champion.

WATCH VIDEO WITH COACH HOLLINS

This one really hurt. riding a - game winning streak and creeping closer to the final playoff spot, the New York Knicks faced the Cleveland Cavaliers knowing the team they are chasing (Atlanta Hawks) had already lost earlier in the day. That news seemed to bolster the Blue and Orange from the very beginning as they jumped out to a 34-27 first quarter lead paced by Carmelo Anthony's 12 points.

The bench kicked in scoring a combined 17 points between Pablo Prigioni, Tim Hardaway, Jr. and Shannon Brown to take a 1- point halftime lead. For a change it appeared that New York regained the home court confidence they established last year. Then, Cleveland led by Jarrett Jack's (31) and Dion Waiters' (22) points played with the mindset that if they can't make the playoffs, neither should the Knicks.

The comeback began with the Cavs outscoring the Knicks 28-23 in the third getting within 7 (84-77). Then, New York could not hit a shot and could not defend the pick and roll. They missed 13 shots while turning the ball over 5 times. Meanwhile, Cleveland took advantage on the inside, scoring 40 points in the paint. They shot a ridiculous 77% in the second half erasing a 17-point deficit after a Jack 3-pointer with 3:54 left gave them their first lead of the game.

Waiters scored his last points with a trifecta and Anderson Varejao victimized the Knicks with yet another pick and roll ending in his slam extending the lead to 6 (100-94). A J.R. Smith jumper and 2 Anthony free throws got the Knicks within 2 (102-100) but that's as close as they would get.

As a unit, the Knicks knew they blew an opportunity to not only extend their winning streak to 8 but to get within 2 games of the Hawks. Especially knowing they are about to embark on a 5 game western swing that starts Tuesday night against the Kobe-less Lakers.

Head coach Mike Woodson wanted this game as a springboard to the upcoming trip.

"This was like a getaway game for us to get us set up for the road," he said afterwards. "We didn't close it out. So we got to go on the road and win all 5 if we can."

Center Tyson Chandler (4 points) coming off the game against Philadelphia in which he scored 17 points in the win gave kudos to Jack.

"Jarrett Jack took control of the pick and roll in the second half. He made some tough shots especially down the stretch."

The New York Knicks have 12 games left in the regular season, eight of them on the road. If they do make the playoffs, they will face either Miami or Indiana. They will be facing teams that are still jockeying for playoff positions. That's why games like last night was one they could not afford to lose.