Barclays Center
7:30 PM EST
YES Network / MSG Network
INJURY REPORT:
Okafor - QUESTIONABLE (training)
Stauskas - QUESTIONABLE (training)
The Nets have won three of four, and five of their last eight. And Tuesday’s victory came thanks to airtight defense down the stretch. They saw Bradley Beal score a game-high 28 points, but held him to 11-of-33 from the floor and forced him into missing three-of-four shots with a turnover in the final two minutes.
“It was just that I-don’t-care attitude. If you miss, you miss. That used to be my problem in the past, missing shots and then I’d start getting tentative and looking to pass up my shot,” Crabbe said. “Every time I’ve missed a shot, coaches and teammates have told me you shoot the next one.
“It was our defense entirely,” coach Kenny Atkinson said. “We held them to 20 points in the fourth quarter. Our guys really locked in, did a good job on Beal.”
“When we can defend like that even when we’re not hitting shots we’re going to be a good team,” said Caris LeVert, who had 16 points, eight assists and helped harass Beal late.
It’s just pride, really. It comes from within. You can’t teach defense, really. It’s all effort. And I feel like guys are buying in. and then when you get stops and get out on the break you open up a lot of things,” Crabbe said.
