Fans attending Thursday's Brooklyn Nets-Miami Heat matchup shouldn't have been expecting an offensive masterclass. The product they received was as far from it as one could imagine.
The Nets fell 106-95 to the Heat at Barclays Center, shooting 38-of-98 (38.8 percent) from the field and 11-of-49 (22.4 percent) from three. Both teams struggled to generate offense for much of the night while bludgeoning each other on the inside. After his team attempted just 11 free throws compared to Miami's 19, Jordi Fernandez had an interesting take on the game's officiating.
“I thought for the most part, they called a good football game out there because it was not basketball,” Fernandez said. “It was physical on both ends, and I'm happy with that. I think that we drove enough times that we should have gotten the same amount of free-throws. But, it is what it is. I still think that the officials did a good job and let us play the same way. We just got penalized a little bit more than they did. At the end, we're fouling a little more because we're doubling.”
The Nets had turned in a season-best 4-2 stretch before the loss. However, their offense was hit with a reality check against the Heat's third-ranked defense.
Nets' offense falters during loss to Heat with difficult stretch ahead
Brooklyn Nets guard Egor Demin (8) drives to the basket against Miami Heat guard Davion Mitchell (45) during the first quarter at Barclays Center.
Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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Michael Porter Jr. has carried Brooklyn's offense during the team's recent success. He struggled to get going against Miami's hounding perimeter defense, posting 28 points but shooting 10-of-24 from the field and 5-of-14 from three.
Meanwhile, Noah Clowney came back to earth following a breakout stretch, turning in his worst shooting performance of the season. The 21-year-old was 0-of-9 from three during the loss. Egor Demin also struggled while being guarded by Davion Mitchell, posting 14 points and one assist on 5-of-18 shooting from the field and 3-of-12 from three.
All six of the Nets' games during their 4-2 stretch came against losing teams. Their loss to the Heat was the first of a six-game stretch that features five matchups against teams with winning records.
Brooklyn will host the Toronto Raptors on Sunday, followed by matchups against the Philadelphia 76ers and Minnesota Timberwolves next week.