Brooklyn Nets 134-117 Golden State Warriors: 5 hits and flops from James Harden's passing clinic in the Bay
The Brooklyn Nets had their offense on full display tonight, tallying 135 points in a blowout victory over the Golden State Warriors. The Nets improved to 16-12 with the win, holding down the third spot in the Eastern Conference standings.
The Brooklyn Nets' offense was led by the passing of James Harden, who finished with a season-high 16 assists to go along with 19 points. The Nets had six players finish with 10 or more points tonight, outpacing the Warriors every step of the way.
Hits and flops from the Brooklyn Nets' offensive outburst
While the Brooklyn Nets' offense can be overpowering, the Golden State Warriors defenders were simply unable to slow down the tempo of James Harden and the Nets. Kevin Durant tallied 20 points while Kyrie Irving grabbed 23 of his own, giving the "big three" a combined 62 points on the night.
Now, let's take a look at the 5 hits and flops from the Brooklyn Nets' huge victory:
Hit: James Harden (Brooklyn Nets)
The star of the evening was James Harden and his outstanding passing. The Nets' newest member was dropping dimes all over the court, facilitating the Brooklyn offense with 15 assists.
With all of the weapons featured on the Brooklyn Nets' roster, James Harden can draw attention from defenses and trust his teammates to receive a pass and convert.
The Nets have looked very strong offensively since Harden assumed this role as a facilitator.
Flop: Golden State Warriors defense
The Golden State Warriors have struggled to fill the void in the paint with James Wiseman and Kevon Looney out. The Brooklyn Nets bigs out-rebounded the Warriors 44-37, exposing their need for a big man. Draymond Green tried to fill in but finished with just 7 rebounds and 8 points.
The Golden State Warriors are in need of an answer to their center problem. Any team could benefit from more size, and a new addition could provide the spark that the Warriors currently need.
Hit: Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets)
Through all of the unusual things endured by Kevin Durant this season, he still manages to step on the court and dominate. Whether he has missed 5 games or 30 games, when Durant steps on the court, he makes his presence felt.
The star power forward scored 20 points on 42% shooting, helping the Nets to their 16th victory.
Flop: The Golden State Warriors' 3-point shooting
Although they have become known as a prolific 3-point shooting team, the Golden State Warriors shot an abysmal 28% from beyond in the brutal loss.
Stephen Curry was just 2 of 9 from three, and the Warriors' starting five finished the game with just 4 three-pointers.
As they prepare to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers on February 15th, the Golden State Warriors will hope to see their shooters' touch come back in time for tip-off.
Hit: Joe Harris (Brooklyn Nets)
While the Warriors struggled from three, Joe Harris was hitting jumpers as usual. The silent sniper finished with 15 points on 55% shooting, knocking down 3 of 6 shots from range.
Harris earned the respect of the league after winning the NBA 3-point contest and has continued his sharpshooter legacy with big numbers in Brooklyn. He provides a great option for the "big three" to look for if they get swarmed by defenders.
The Brooklyn Nets will continue their fight for the top spot in the Eastern Conference when they play the young stars of the Sacramento Kings on February 15th.