Nets hope to ride O’Neale’s hot hand again

Shoot for season-high fourth straight win vs. Charlotte

November 30, 2023 John Torenli, Sports Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Royce O'Neale looks to continue his hot shooting and help the Nets to their season-high fourth straight win vs. Charlotte Thursday in Downtown Brooklyn. AP Photo by Noah K. Murray

Share this:

Royce O’Neale has risen from key reserve to vital scorer this week, thanks in part to the Brooklyn Nets’ ongoing carousel of injured regulars and mostly due to his own uncanny dead-eye shooting.

The 30-year-old power forward will look to continue his recent mastery from beyond the arc and help the Nets grab their season-high fourth straight win Thursday night when they host the struggling Charlotte Hornets at Downtown’s Barclays Center.

Though it was denied a spot in the quarterfinals of the NBA’s first-ever In-Season Tournament Tuesday due to a point-differential tiebreaker with Group C East stage-winner Boston, Brooklyn (9-8) still rolled to a 115-103 victory over Toronto behind O’Neale’s uncanny touch in the clutch.

The 6-foot-6 Baylor alum drained a career high-tying six 3-pointers for the second straight game, four of which came in the fourth quarter when the Nets needed them most.

With injured regulars Cam Thomas, Ben Simmons and Dennis Smith Jr. sidelined, O’Neale once again provided a long-range boost for Brooklyn.

He drained a trio of 28-foot 3-pointers within a minute span of the final period to give the Nets a 94-89 lead and connected again from 23 feet out with just under two minutes left to create a 106-100 cushion.

“Without a doubt, the right time,” Nets coach Jacque Vaughn said of O’Neale’s aerial display. “He just continues to do it and continues to be an unbelievable teammate.”

Having hit six 3-pointers on only one previous occasion in his six previous NBA seasons, O’Neale has remained modest about his recent shooting surge.

“Being in the gym, keep shooting,” he said of his 12-for-22 performance on 3-pointers the past two games.

O’Neale went 7-for-11 overall and 6-for-10 from beyond the arc in Sunday’s 118-109 win over the Bulls here, spearheading the Nets to an NBA season-high 25 3-pointers made.

“A person that I love. I love coaching him,” Vaughn continued to gush about O’Neale. “When he gets the right opportunity he takes advantage of it, and boy did he make some timely shots for us.”

Mikal Bridges has had Royce O’Neale behind him during the shorthanded Nets’ recent winning streak at Barclays Center. AP Photo by David Zalubowski

With his roster at less than full health throughout the campaign, Vaughn has relied on “Bench Mob” standouts like O’Neale and Lonnie Walker IV to provide extra punch.

Walker led the team in scoring in three games earlier this month and O’Neale has amassed 44 points, 18 rebounds and 12 assists during the Nets’ 3-0 start to this five-game homestand.

That has taken some of the pressure off Brooklyn’s leading scorer Mikal Bridges while Thomas, Simmons and Smith Jr., heal up.

“We need him,” Bridges said of his red-hot frontcourt mate after watching O’Neale’s fourth-quarter performance. “I mean, especially at the end.

“If it wasn’t for him, it wouldn’t be that close or we wouldn’t be up,” he added. “Royce shoots the heck out of the ball. Just happy he’s making my job easier, getting me some easy assists.”

O’Neale was also part of Brooklyn’s dominant effort along the boards on Tuesday, grabbing seven rebounds off the bench. All five of the Nets’ starters pulled down at least eight caroms with Bridges snagging a team-high 10.

“Our guys rebound the basketball,” Vaughn noted. “I think our starting five at least had eight rebounds a piece, so that’s impressive against a long athletic team.”

The Hornets (5-11) will limp into Barclays following Tuesday night’s 115-91 loss to the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

The defeat was Charlotte’s second straight and sixth in eight games.

It also sent the Knicks to Las Vegas for a shot at the NBA Cup as the East’s wild card while denying the Nets a chance to grab that coveted spot.

Rookie Brandon Miller scored 18 points and fellow first-round pick Mark Williams had 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Hornets, who had their lowest point total of the season.

“Our effort was really good tonight. Our purpose of play was not,” Hornets coach Steve Clifford said. “That’s what we have to learn from.”

Charlotte suffered a 133-121 loss to visiting Brooklyn on Oct. 30.

Thomas, who has been out since Nov. 8 with an ankle injury, put up 33 points that night and is expected to make his much-anticipated return in Thursday’s rematch.

He has been upgraded to probable while Simmons (back) remains out with a nerve impingement. Smith Jr. (back) is listed as questionable.

The Nets haven’t won four straight games since reeling off 12 in a row from last Dec. 7 to Jan. 2.

Brooklyn will wrap up this extended homestand Saturday night vs. Orlando.

The Nets expect to have Cam Thomas back from an ankle injury Thursday night when they host the Charlotte Hornets. AP Photo by Erik Verduzco

NOTHING BUT NET: Spencer Dinwiddie has led Brooklyn in scoring in each of the last two games, putting up a combined 47 points. … After hosting the Magic this weekend, the Nets will visit Atlanta on Wednesday.