Nets topple depleted Spurs 103-89

Photo credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke

It's easy for teams to take games like tonight for granted. The San Antonio Spurs were beyond depleted tonight, as they were without Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Kawhi Leonard, and Boris Diaw. Even without those guys San Antonio put up a serious battle, but the Nets were just too much for them as Brooklyn took it 103-89. This now puts the Nets three games below .500, and three games behind Toronto for first place in the Atlantic Division.

It's easy to say that things didn't get off to the best start in this game for the Nets, as they shot just 33 percent from the field in the first quarter, led by Deron Williams' 1/6 shooting. It looked like the depleted Spurs were going to man-handle the Nets, but Brooklyn turned their slow start around. After trailing by as many as 12, the Nets came back to take a 40-39 lead at halftime.

Brooklyn was scorching from the field in the third quarter, as they put up 35 points on 73 percent shooting. Their lead grew to seven thanks to the likes of Alan Anderson, Shaun Livingston and Deron Williams. The whistles started blowing in the fourth quarter, though, and the Nets were in the penalty with 9:30 left to play. It was the play of Anderson that kept the Nets rolling, leading them to their second straight victory. he finished with a game-high 22 points on 9/15 shooting.

Deron Williams left the game for a short time after banging knees with Danny Green, but he eventually returned and made six of his next eight shots in the game. He finished with 16 points and eight assists, but the real story is his +11 and his 7/14 shooting after that 1/6 start in the first quarter. After admitting to not having much confidence, he looked to have found some tonight after he returned to the floor.

I can't press this enough: Shaun Livingston, with the Nets, has become exactly what he was expected to be all along. He stuffed the stat sheet again tonight, putting up eight points, five rebounds, four assists, and four blocks.

After their slow start to the game, the Nets finished off shooting 49.5 percent from the field. Another thing we have seen them struggle with is rebounding, but that wasn't an issue tonight as they out-rebounded the Spurs 53-38.

The return of Andrei Kirilenko was huge for the Nets tonight. They are definitely a better team with him on the floor, and we saw exactly that tonight. His lock-down defense, high energy, passing ability, and rebounding are the keys to the Nets' success, and they'll only go as far as Kirilenko's health will allow them to go.

Final Score: 103-89 NETS
Most Disappointing Stat of the Game: Joe Johnson eight points on 4/10 shooting
Promising Stat of the Game: Alan Anderson 22 points on 9/15 shooting
Scariest Moment of the Game: San Antonio taking a 12 point first quarter lead
Best Moment of the Game: Mirza Teletovic taking flight in the fourth
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