Pistons 99 – Nets 103

Tyshawn Taylor took to the mic pregame and asked all Nets fans to wear black for playoffs.  The regular starters began the game for Brooklyn.  Joe Johnson hits his first three. He’s energizing Nets with 5 points, a three and an assist to start the game and Nets up 10-9.  Greg Monroe has 7 rebounds midway through first.  A double technical was called on Reggie Evans and Andre Drummond while no one was looking after the play.  Deron Williams  tosses the alley-oop to Gerald Wallace! 20-18 with 2:40 left in the 1st.  Both teams are struggling from distance. Pistons are shooting an abysmal 0% (0-4) and Nets are shooting 33% (1-3). Nets lead 24-18, late first.  Nets take their biggest lead of the game with a Williams 3-pointer – Up 9 pts, 29-18 after one.  Lopez with 10 points.

Nets lineup to start the second: C.J. Watson, Keith Bogans, Jerry Stackhouse, Kris Humphries, Andray Blatche.  Nets match their biggest lead of the game with an Blatche free throw. Up 13 pts, 33-20 early second.  Off of Bogans’s dish, another bucket for  Blatche. He’s knocking down the open jumper early for Nets, now has 6 points.  Nets match their biggest lead of the game with a Bogans layup to go up 15 pts, 43-28 midway second.  Nets are dominating the boards. They’ve got 21 rebs (8 off 13 def) vs 13 rebs (4 off 9 def) for Pistons.  Evans leads with 6 rebounds.  Wallace back in the game, as P.J. had hinted pregame he might get some work. In now are MarShon Brooks, Mirza Teletovic and Tyshawn Taylor for Brooklyn.  Teletovic  with back to back 3s and the Nets lead 58-45. 1:29 left.  Nets shoot 53 percent for the half and outrebounded  the Pistons 20-18 while Brooklyn had 16 first half assists.  Nets lead 60-48 at half.

[blockquote]PJ – Good to get a win and we got out of it healthy.  The main thing was to get the guys who didn’t play the other day some minutes. Starters got 20 minutes.[/blockquote]

Starters are back out here for the Nets to open the third.  Nets came out shooting well and Johnson with a nice jumper. Nets lead 69-54.  Pistons playing like they’re already on vacation.  Another assist for Williams. He’s hot with 2 assists, three points and a rebound to start third.  Wallace has been picking Pistons pockets, racking up 3 steals while keying the Nets defense.  Lopez with a big dunk to give the Nets their biggest lead.  Nets are winning 75-59 midway third.   Williams, Johnson and Lopez all leave the game for what should be the final time this regular season.  Monroe is in foul trouble, still on the floor w/ 4 fouls. He played fine w/ 11 pt (5-10 FG), 11 rebounds and 4 TOs in 26 min.  It’s 83-66, Nets, as we head to the 4th quarter of Brooklyn’s regular season finale.  Lopez with 20 points and 9 rebounds.

Nets bench is outplaying Pistons bench. They have more pts 35-25 and more rebs 7-4. Led by A. Blatche w/ 10 points, 2 rebounds and a steal.  Nets are cruising against Pistons, up 15 pts, 85-70 early fourth.  This game hasn’t been close since late first. Stackhouse finding his corner three stroke again.  Timeout on the floor. Nets lead 93-78 with seven left in the fourth.  Monroe has a double double with 12 boards, 12 pts and 3 assists.  Pistons losing 97-80, middle fourth.  Nets have managed to catch the Pistons with 21 turnovers apiece now. Yeah, it’s been that kind of game.  UGLY.  Blatche drills a corner 3-pointer.  Nets are cruising to victory, up 15 points, 103-88 against Pistons with 3:41 left. Not so fast.  Pistons with an 11-0 run to end it and make it close but the Nets win their 49th game if the year 103-99.

Season Series: BKN 4-0

12/14 – DET 105 @ BKN 107

2/6 – BKN 93 @ DET 90

3/18 – BKN 119 @ DET 82

4/17 – DET 99 @ BKN 103

LEADERS:

Points – Lopez – 20

Rebounds – Evans – 11

Assists – Williams – 6

STAT OF THE NIGHT: The Nets had a horrible game with 23 turnovers but also had a solid 28 assists and 13 steals to offset turnovers.

GAMECHANGER:  Brook Lopez looked playoff ready scoring 20 points and grabbing nine rebounds in only 20 minutes and set the tone for Brooklyn.

BOXSCORE REPLAY