The Brooklyn Nets made an admirable attempt to get back to .500 in their second Memphis Grizzlies matchup of 2024-25. The Nets went toe-to-toe against the Ja Morant-led Grizzlies squad and came out on top 106-104. Brooklyn's fighting spirit was on full display on Monday evening, and Dorian Finney-Smith captured the team's effort perfectly.
Finney-Smith had one of Brooklyn's several standout performances. The veteran forward amassed 17 points, six rebounds, three assists, and one steal, shooting a red-hot 62.6 percent (5-for-8) on his three-pointers.
Meanwhile, fellow veterans Dennis Schroder and Cam Johnson had equally if not more impressive outings. Schroder totaled 20 points and dished six assists with Johnson scoring 20 on a 75 percent (3-for-4) shooting from beyond the arc.
Dorian Finney-Smith used the experienced trio of himself, Schroder, and Johnson to get a sharp message across to other teams who think they will have an easier time playing against the Nets:
"Me, Schroder, Cam, we’ve been a part of winning teams… We're going to compete. And if you play against us and you think it's gonna be easy you're in for a rude awakening," Finney-Smith said after the game, per Erik Slater of ClutchPoints.
The Nets appeared to enter a full rebuild after they traded Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks, but make no mistake, Brooklyn still wants to remain competitive.
As Finney-Smith said, the Nets are not just young-talent heavy. They have veteran contributors who know how to win, and their experience will continue to be vital for the team as they build the habits necessary to become a top team in the Eastern Conference.
Nets did two things right against Grizzlies
In addition to their standout individual performances, Brooklyn did two key things in their win over Memphis on Monday.
First, the Nets were more effective from range. They knocked down 36.1 percent of their three-pointers compared to the Grizzlies lowly 26.7 percent mark. Jaren Jackson Jr. seemed like one of the only ones who could get it going, shooting 60 percent on his deep-range shots, including one towards the end of the game that nearly helped the Grizzlies tie things up.
Thankfully, Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Keon Johnson all had accurate nights and boosted Brooklyn's shooting.
Second, the Nets put forth a defensive effort that was just enough to set Memphis back. Brooklyn forced 14 turnovers on the Grizzlies, which included the accumulation of seven steals and one blocks.
Brooklyn improved upon their late collapse to the Detroit Pistons that occurred on Nov. 3. Monday night's win is a promising sign of greater things for a Nets team that will play hard no matter what. Brooklyn will get a chance to show more of what it can do in its upcoming road stretch.