With DeShawn Stevenson a late scratch last night, January 9, 2012, because of a sore knee, New Jersey Nets rookie MarShon Brooks got the start at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey vs the Atlanta Hawks. Brooks responded by scoring 19 points and grabbing a game and career high 10 rebounds.
Prudential Center where MarShon Brooks will play in 2011-12
Wikimedia Commons
The game was the first double-double in MarShon Brooks young NBA career. Brooks himself was playing with a sore ankle which he said was about 85%. The rookie said he would be good to go in the Denver game Wednesday night after a day off today.
With Rookie MarShon Brooks Starting Nets Scored Over 100 Points for First Time This Season
The Nets lost the game to the Atlanta Hawks, 106-101. The team scored over 100 points for the first time this season, and actually outscored the Hawks, 83-75, over the final three quarters of the game, but that was not enough to overcome a first quarter where the Hawks outscored the Nets, 31-18.
Along with MarShon Brooks play, there were some other positives for the Nets in the game. Anthony Morrow made another four out of six three-pointers. Over the last three games Morrow has now made 13 out of the 23 threes (.565) he's attempted. He had started the season making just 9 of the first 29 threes (.310) he shot.
Morrow has now raised his three-point shooting percentage to .432 on the season. Anthony Morrow is the second best percentage three-point shooter in NBA history, with a career average of .446. That trails the all-time leader, Steve Kerr, by just .0082 percent. If Morrow stays hot from three-point land he will pass Kerr this season. He passed him at one point last season, but then dropped back down to second place.
Nets Made 11 of 22 Threes in the Game
The Nets as a team made 11 of the 22 threes they took vs the Hawks, and also shot 46.8% from the field. But all-star point guard Deron Williams continued a season long shooting slump, making just six of the 17 shots he took from the field. Williams is now shooting just .347 from the field, including an awful .277 from three-point range.
I've been a New Jersey Nets fan since the team moved to New Jersey in 1977. This year's team is definitely struggling without leading scorer Brook Lopez, who is out recovering from foot surgery. The play of rookie MarShon Brooks though has made the Nets watchable. When they get Lopez back from his injury sometime in February, they should be able to start winning some games.
Nets Have Tough Four Game Road Trip Coming Up
Up next for the Nets though is a tough four game road stretch over six days. The trip begins against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, January 11, 2012. After the Nuggets, the Nets play the Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Lakers before they head back home to play Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday, January 14, 2011. Looking forward to that game, as well as the Lakers game on the road.
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