Nets hold off Grizzlies at Barclays

Brooklyn jumps back to .500 with narrow victory

November 5, 2024 By John Torenli, Sports Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Dorian Finney-Smith celebrates his go-ahead 3-pointer during the Nets' victory over the Grizzlies in Downtown Brooklyn Monday. AP Photo by Seth Wenig

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On Election Day eve, the Brooklyn Nets made all the right choices just as the polls were closing at Downtown’s Barclays Center.

Dennis Schroder and Cam Johnson scored 20 points apiece and Dorian Finney-Smith’s fifth 3-pointer put the Nets ahead to stay Monday night as Brooklyn moved back to .500 with a 106-104 win over the Memphis Grizzlies in front of 18,808 fans on the corner of Atlantic and Flatbush.

With the game knotted at 101-101 and 90 ticks remaining on the clock, the Nets swung the ball around until Cam Thomas found Finney-Smith for a 26-footer with 1:13 left.

“I can see him fight defensively, but also see the shot go in. Nobody deserves it more than him. So I’m happy for him,” Nets coach Jordi Fernandez said of Finney-Smith.

Schroder, who has led Brooklyn in assists in each of the last seven games, grabbed a rebound off a miss by Ja Morant and took it to the hole himself for a driving layup that made it 106-101 with 32 seconds remaining.

Jaren Jackson Jr.’s 3-pointer with 29 seconds to go pulled Memphis within two, but Santi Aldama misfired from beyond the arc at the buzzer, leaving the Grizzlies (4-4) to lament their second loss to the Nets (4-4) in less than a week.

Schroder buried 7-of-15 shots, including a pair of 3-pointers, and handed out six helpers as Brooklyn completed a 2-1 homestand that began with last Friday’s 120-112 victory over Chicago.

“I think today we covered for each other. We pressured full-court. We didn’t do that last game against Detroit very well,” said Schroder, referring to Sunday’s 106-92 loss to the visiting Pistons.

Point guard Dennis Schroder is averaging career highs of 19.9 points and 7.4 assists through Brooklyn’s first eight games this season. AP Photo by Seth Wenig

“Everybody was in the right spots,” added Brooklyn’s speedy point guard, who is averaging career highs of 19.9 points and 7.4 assists.

Johnson, who had 26 points in the matinee loss to Detroit, finished 8-of-11 from the floor, including 3-of-4 from 3-point range.

The 6-foot-8 forward put up at least 20 points in back-to-back games for just the third time since arriving here in the 2023 deadline deal that sent Kevin Durant to Phoenix.

Morant finished with 25 points, including a pair of highlight-reel slams, and Zach Edey added season highs of 25 points and 12 rebounds for Memphis, which suffered a 119-106 home loss to Brooklyn last Wednesday.

Finney-Smith scored 17 points and Thomas and Jalen Wilson added 13 apiece for the Nets, who will open a three-game road trip Friday night in Boston.

High-flying center Nic Claxton had 10 points, a team-high eight boards, three assists, two steals and a blocked shot in his first start of the year for Brooklyn, which held Memphis to 8-of-30 shooting from beyond the arc.

The Nets nailed 13-of-36 3s and turned 14 Memphis turnovers into 17 points, helping to offset a 44-37 rebounding advantage for the Grizzlies, who outscored Brooklyn, 66-48, in the paint but had a two-game win streak snapped.

Center Noah Clowney (hip) and versatile guard/forward Ben Simmons (back) sat out for the Nets, who could have used their size along the interior to offset Memphis’ big men.

Ultimately, it didn’t matter as Brooklyn found a way to even its record and continued to shake off the stigma of being a team in rebuilding mode.

Tip-off Friday in Boston is slated for 7:30 p.m.

Memphis star Ja Morant was unable to prevent the Grizzlies from suffering their second loss to the Nets in less than a week. AP Photo by Seth Wenig

NOTHING BUT NET: The Nets are still waiting for power forward Trendon Watford (hamstring) to make his season debut. Fernandez indicated over the weekend that the 6-foot-8 Louisiana State alum could be nearing his first action of the year. … After visiting Boston Friday, the Nets will be in Cleveland Saturday to complete their third set of back-to-backs in the early going. The trip will end Monday in New Orleans before Brooklyn returns to Barclays next Wednesday to host the Celtics.