The Brooklyn Nets (0-2) did not have the kind of showing that they expected to have in their season-opener at the Charlotte Hornets, but they had a chance to redeem themselves at home on Friday. Granted, Brooklyn would be facing a much-tougher opponent in the Cleveland Cavaliers (1-1) and while the Nets got their act together in the second half, it was too little, too late.
Despite a fourth quarter comeback that had Barclays Center jumping for joy, the Nets lost to the Cavaliers 131-124. Guard Cam Thomas led the way for Brooklyn to the tune of 33 points and nine assists while forward Michael Porter Jr. wasn’t that far behind him with 31 points and eight rebounds of his own as the Nets were looking to win their first game of the season in front of their home crowd.
It seemed that Brooklyn fell behind by as many as 25 points due to some familiar weaknesses in terms of defense, especially in transition. The Nets did not look like themselves in the first half, but the second half showed them slowly figuring out how they wanted to play so with that being said, here are the Nets player grades following Friday’s loss to the Cavaliers:
Ben Saraf: D
Saraf did not have much of an impact on the offensive end as he didn’t look for his shot at all or try to set up his teammates outside of what the offense designed for him. With how much the ball was in his hands, Saraf did a better job of not turning the ball over, but his control over the pace of the game and his ability to defend across positions will need some improvement.
Cam Thomas: A
Thomas had a slow start to this game as he couldn’t find his rhythm looking for his shot within the flow of the offense, but he found his way in the second half with the ball in his hands. Thomas struggled with his three-point shot, but he was able to get to his sweet spots in the mid-range and more to the point, he shouldered the load of setting up his teammates to some impressive results.
Terance Mann: C-
Mann had a solid offensive game as he looked comfortable shooting the ball when it came his way, but his impact on the offensive end wasn’t anything to write home about. Mann had some solid plays on the defensive end of the floor, but the Cavaliers were on the kind of offensive tear that almost no defender would have been able to stop, Mann included.
Michael Porter Jr.: A
Porter looked to have recovered from Wednesday’s season-opener when he couldn’t buy a bucket as he seemingly couldn’t miss against the Cavaliers on Friday. Porter hasn’t seen a shot yet that he doesn’t like and while that’s okay given his role on this Brooklyn team, it was impressive to see him look for his teammates when his shot wasn’t there. Porter will eventually have to embrace being more active on the defensive end at some point.
Nic Claxton: B
Claxton had a rough go of it in this one as he didn’t have an answer for defending Jarrett Allen and he had plenty of trouble finishing at the rim with Allen and Evan Mobley lurking in the paint. Claxton is normally automatic near the basket, but against Cleveland, he had to find a way to regain his touch while dealing with the physicality. Claxton was active on the defensive end of the floor to compensate for his rough shooting efficiency.
Ziaire Williams: A+
Williams has been shooting the three-pointer at such an amazing clip since the preseason began and he only showed more of that on Friday against the Cavaliers. Williams seemingly couldn’t miss from anywhere on the floor, especially from three-point land and his increased offensive contribution has been pleasant to see for the former Stanford Cardinal.
Noah Clowney: C+
Clowney had some nice moments in this one as he is slowly figuring out how to use his strength to his advantage without getting into foul trouble or playing outside of his skill set. Clowney did a good job of rebounding and passing the basketball and while he turned the ball over more than head coach Jordi Fernandez would like, the third-year forward looks to be settling in to his role in the rotation.
Day’Ron Sharpe: C-
Sharpe got himself into some foul trouble early in the game as he struggled to defend the rim without fouling, but he seemed to regain his footing in the second half and was able to get back to how he normally plays. Due to the time that he spent on the bench, Sharpe didn’t light up the stat sheet, but he found a way to stay in the game and that shows growth for him.
Egor Demin: B
Demin had himself a solid performance against the Cavaliers as he couldn’t miss from three-point land, which factored heavily into the Nets making their comeback in the second half of this game. Demin still has to grow as an offensive player, especially when it comes to handling the ball, but if his improved shooting continues, his offensive impact will be felt all the same.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets player grades: Cam Thomas drops 33 in 131-124 loss to Cavaliers
Reporting by Sharif Phillips-Keaton, Nets Wire / Nets Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
