Nets 93 – Pistons 90

The game started with a Reggie Evans airball.  The Nets showed zero inside presence and multiple turnovers to start game.  Deron Williams got his 5,000 career assist on a jump shot by Gerald Wallace with 8:31 left in the 1st.   Nets immediately dug themselves into a hole shooting 35 percent and with 4 turnovers to go down 17-9 to the lowly Pistons.  PJ Carlesimo got tired of the lethargic basketball that was being played and tried the Bench Mob to see if they could actually score and MarShon Brooks brought a little bit of energy.  Nets shot a torrid 40 percent from the field while allowing the Pistons to shoot 53 percent and the Pistons out rebounded the Nets 12-7 to take a 24-23 lead after one quarter.

Detroit ran off a 10-2 run at the start of the second and once again the Nets looked listless and confused on offense and had breakdowns on defense.  Andray Blatche was hit with a technical for arguing a non-call and it went downhill from there.  Brook Lopez started 0-4 with three rebounds and while Williams had three turnovers in his first 12 minutes of play.  The Pistons just kept running the Nets ragged and built a 12 point lead with five minutes to play 40-28.  The Nets tried to score the ball and were able to make a 7-0 run capped by a Joe Johnson 3-pointer to get within 46-40. at half.  The Nets shot a terrific 35 percent at half going 16-45 while giving up 46 percent to the Pistons.

The second half started better for the Nets as Lopez led the Nets back with six points while Johnson and Wallace each buried 3-pointers.  The 8-0 run allowed the Nets t take a 58-57 lead briefly and gain some confidence as the ball actually went in the basket. Greg Monroe did his best to keep the Pistons ahead with great interior play and ended the quarter with 18 points and seven rebounds.  The Pistons came right back with a 10-2 run before Keith Bogans hit a 3-pointer to cut it to 73-69 after three.

Mirza Teletovic brushed off the cobwebs and entered the game early in the fourth and shockingly threw up back-to-back airballs.  The Nets again took the lead behind good defense by CJ Watson and MarShon Brooks 74-73.  Blatche came on strong in the final quarter scoring and taking a charge while biding time for Lopez to return. The Nets got into the bonus early in the fourth and it helped them get to the free throw line often. Williams was more aggressive and scored four straight points to give the Nets an 86-83 lead with just under four to play.  The Pistons scrapped and clawed but kept putting the Nets on the line and they came through and then Jonas Jerebko hit a 3-point shot to tie it at 88 with .59 to go.  Lopez got the ball with .30 to go and hit the bank shot 91-88 Nets with .17 left. Nets held on for a 93-90 win.

[quote_box]PJ – We only had two turnovers in the fourth quarter and the execution was good. We got to the foul line and took advantage of the fact that we were in the bonus early and then down the stretch we either got a good shot or got fouled.[/quote_box]

GAME CHANGER: The Bench Mob came into start the fourth quarter down four points and immediately ran off a 5-0 run to give the Nets the lead and gain confidence behind Watson, Blatche and Brooks.

STAT OF THE GAME: Nets snapped a 10 game losing streak to the Pistons in Detroit with their first win since March 2006.