Nets vs Bucks Recap: Joe Clutch

The All-Star break has passed and it is time for basketball to resume. The Nets opened up the second half of the season against the Milwaukee Bucks, whom they have lost to 13 straight times. Riding off momentum from two big wins against the Indiana Pacers and the Denver Nuggets before the all-star break, the Nets carried the momentum to tonight's game. Joe Johnson ended the game with a clutch buzzer beater in overtime giving the Nets a 113-111 win. They are now on a three game winning streak.

If there were an award for best first half team, the Nets would have gotten that award tonight. Though the defense was lackluster, the offense stepped up big time and led the Nets to a 61-51 lead at halftime. The Nets really had trouble with the Milwaukee back court tonight, as they have all season with smaller, faster back courts. Brandon Jennings was hitting what seemed like any shot he took and absolutely blew the Nets defense apart. That continued in the third quarter.

 It was more of what Gerald Wallace likes to call "typical Nets basketball" in the third quarter. Jennings went off, scoring 16 of his 34 points in that third quarter while the entire Nets team would score just 19. But things turned around in the fourth quarter. The defensive intensity stepped up huge for the Nets while the offense came back to life after that third quarter. After falling behind 105-102 with 7 seconds left in regulation, Joe Johnson did what he does best and nailed a game tying three pointer with 1.8 seconds left to send the game into overtime. 

Overtime rolled along and the Nets immediately fell behind 111-108. But the big play of both Keith Bogans and, you guessed it, Joe Johnson brought the Nets storming back into the game. Bogans would hit a three to tie the game up at 111, and that set it up for that guy Joe Johnson to break out his Iso-Joe and hit the game winning buzzer beater. This was Joe's fourth game winning shot this season. The previous ones came against the Detroit Pistons, Washington Wizards, New York Knicks, and now the Bucks.

Joe Johnson led the Nets with 24 points on 10/18 shooting. Deron Williams came back after missing two games with ankle inflammation and put up 19 points and nine assists. Brook Lopez had an off-shooting night, but still put up good numbers scoring 19 points along with nine rebounds and three blocks. The "bench mob" also did it's thing tonight combining for 44 points.

Final Score: 113-111 Nets 
Disappointing Stat(s) of the Game: Only 8 forced turnovers by Nets 
Encouraging Stat of the Game: 44 points from the bench.
Scary Moment of the Game: Bucks taking a 105-102 lead with 15 seconds left in regulation.
Best Moment of the Game: Joe Johnson game winning buzzer beater.

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