The Brooklyn Nets are hoping their bench can give them a boost when they play the Golden State Warriors on Monday night in San Francisco, especially as they’re on the second night of a back-to-back.
Noah Clowney had a strong performance, making five 3-pointers and scoring 18 points, while Shake Milton added 10 points in a 108-103 win over Sacramento on Sunday. The Nets’ bench combined for 44 points in the game, helping them start their three-game road trip with a win.
Jalen Wilson contributed seven points, including an important free throw late in the game, and Keon Johnson added six. The Nets’ bench players helped cover for the starters, playing a total of 101 minutes during the first game of the back-to-back.
Brooklyn’s bench outscored Sacramento’s reserves 44-9, which played a big part in the win.
The Nets’ trust in their bench is also helping the team adjust to new head coach Jordi Fernandez’s fast-paced style. Starter Cameron Johnson talked about the team’s progress, saying, “We’re gonna pick up and guard; we’re gonna ball-pressure. We’re gonna shoot threes and we’re gonna run. We’ve done a good job of that so far. Not perfect. Room for improvement. But I’m excited about the direction this team is headed.”
After winning just 32 games last season, the Nets have now won two of their last three games, including Sunday’s tough victory in Sacramento after almost losing a 19-point lead.
Monday will be Brooklyn’s first game against the Warriors this season. Golden State has been strong at home, winning five straight games, including victories over Dallas and Memphis, which helped them take the top spot in the NBA Cup’s Western Conference Group C. They have already secured a spot in the NBA Cup semifinals in the West.
The Warriors clinched that spot with a 112-108 win over New Orleans on Friday, but they struggled on Saturday, losing 104-94 to San Antonio. After the loss, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr wasn’t too concerned. He said, “Keep on keeping on. You move forward. It’s been a great start to the season. Disappointing loss. You learn from it.”
Golden State has now lost two of its last four games, and during that stretch, Stephen Curry’s scoring has dropped from 26 points to 23, then 19, and finally 14 points in the most recent loss. On the other hand, Andrew Wiggins has stepped up, scoring 20 or more points in all four games, hitting 57.6 percent of his shots.
Monday’s game might carry extra significance if the teams continue their recent trend of sweeping their season series. Since the 2015-16 season, each two-game series between these teams has ended in a sweep, with Brooklyn winning both games in 2022-23, while Golden State got revenge last season.
In their last meeting in San Francisco last December, Cam Thomas and Curry put on an exciting performance, with Thomas scoring 41 points and Curry finishing with 37. However, Golden State’s bench had the upper hand, outscoring Brooklyn’s reserves 30-13 in that game.
