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How Joe Johnson Can Get Back on Track for Brooklyn Nets

Nov 282012

What’s wrong with Joe Johnson?

With his myriad issues so far this season, perhaps asking “What’s right with Joe Johnson?” would be the more appropriate question. The Brooklyn Nets‘ shooting guard is averaging just over 15 points per game, and his shooting percentage (39.2 percent) is lower than it has ever been since he became a full-time starter back in 2003.

And it isn’t just Johnson’s scoring that has regressed: His per-36 minute averages in rebounds, assists and steals have all declined this year.

This is, of course, the first time in eight seasons where Johnson wasn’t expected to be the alpha male for his team’s offense. As a result of the July trade that sent him to Brooklyn, Johnson was forced to assume more of a complementary role that will take some time to get used to.

He’s no longer “Iso-Joe”, nor should he be on a team that boasts Deron Williams and Brook Lopez, who happen to be two more-than-capable offensive options. Johnson’s usage rate in Atlanta was no lower than 24.6 during his seven seasons with the Atlanta Hawks—if he approaches that number in Brooklyn (he’s currently at 20.9), it probably won’t result in great things for the Nets.

“I’ll get a lot more open shots than what I’m accustomed to,” said Johnson prior to the season in an interview with Howard Beck The New York Times. “I think this will pay big dividends for us, man.”

And while the Barclays Center is named after an organization that deals with dividends on a daily basis, the basketball team that calls the building its home has yet to see much of a return on its summertime investment.

Part of the problem is that the Nets don’t use Johnson often enough in his natural position. In three of Brooklyn’s five most frequently used lineups, Johnson serves as the de facto small forward. And while he’s capable of playing the 3, he’s far less effective on both offense and defense according to analysis done by 82games.com. Johnson’s Player Efficiency Rating is a solid 16.0 as a shooting guard, and only 9.5 as a small forward.

Of course, his slow start could merely just be a regression from the mean. Johnson may be a six-time All-Star, but that doesn’t mean that he’s immune from having a shooting slump. The former Hawks standout shot 36.4 percent through first 10 games, but has rebounded fairly well over the past three contests, shooting 21-for-43 from the field (48.8 percent).

“It’s coming,” said Johnson in an interview with Mike Mazzeo of ESPN New York. “I’m just trying to take what the defense is giving me.”

So how can Johnson speed up the process?

For starters, he needs to fall out of love with the mid-range jumper. Johnson’s field goal attempts at every distance have declined this season with the exception of the jump shots that he has taken from 10-15 feet. Those are naturally low percentage tries for most NBA players, so it’s not surprising that he’s only converting those at a 32 percent clip.

Even more troubling is his lack of shots while in the restricted area. Three seasons ago, Johnson attempted 3.7 shots at the rim per night. In 2012-13, that number is down to just 1.5 per game.

At 6’7″, 240 pounds, Johnson is physically more imposing than the majority of defenders assigned to check him on a nightly basis. The Nets could easily draw up a few sets that would allow Johnson to use his size to his advantage in the post. Atlanta frequently had Johnson set up on the block against smaller shooting guards, so asking him to play with his back to the basket should be somewhat natural, especially since he averaged 1.01 points per possession in post-up situations last season (per Synergy Sports).

Johnson’s shooting chart shows that he’s struggling from pretty much everywhere on the floor this season. But if the Nets make it a point to get him better, higher-percentage shots early in games, Johnson will have the confidence to knock down the jumpers that have become his trademark.

Getting their star shooting guard on track as soon as possible should be the Nets’ No. 1 priority. Despite his struggles, Brooklyn averages 6.3 additional points per 100 possessions with Johnson on the floor, even when factoring in his suspect defense.

And that defense will likely be improved once he’s more engaged on the offensive end of the court. It’s not a coincidence that Johnson’s Defensive Win Shares this season (0.2) are a career low (via basketball-reference.com).

“He’s going to be fine,” said Nets’ head coach Avery Johnson, while speaking to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. “Hopefully we’ll do a better job of getting [him] involved earlier in games.”

(Note: All statistics are accurate as of Nov. 27)

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Deron Williams’ History with Injured Wrist Shows Brooklyn Nets Must Be Cautious

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Nov 272012

According to Mike Mazzeo of ESPN New York, Brooklyn Nets point guard Deron Williams is playing with a sprained joint in his right wrist. The injury was reportedly sustained while Williams attempted to brace himself for a fall against the Los Angeles Clippers on Nov. 23.

For those familiar with Williams, this is not the first time his wrist has been injured and that’s exactly why Brooklyn must be cautious with their superstar.

Williams underwent surgery to remove three bone fragments and scar tissue from his right wrist on April 11, 2011 (via ESPN New York). This creates the concern that Williams has not properly healed from a surgery that was considered to be intensive.

When interviewed about the injury, Mazzeo reports that Williams played it off as if it were minor.

“When I went up against Blake Griffin [to try to dunk the ball] I landed on it. I came down and braced my fall with the right wrist, and I jammed it,” Williams said after the Nets defeated the rival New York Knicks 96-89 in overtime Monday night at Barclays Center.

“…it doesn’t have anything to do with the surgery… I just kind of sprained a joint, so it’s been a little bit sore,” he said.

Although one might be inclined to believe he knows his body best, there is no way around how concerning this injury is. We’re just 13 games into the Nets’ season, leaving 69 regular season games and additional postseason outings for D-Will to aggravate said ailment.

Considering this season is so young, D-Will and the Nets must consider offering the point guard time to rest. This is especially necessary when considering this isn’t D-Will’s first injury of the season.

News of bone spurs in his left ankle became available on Nov. 1 (via ESPN New York).

For that reason, a cautious approach must be taken by the Brooklyn franchise. That is, if they hope to maximize the value of their greatest investment come the postseason.

Direct Impact on Production

For those who believe that Deron Williams will be able to fight through this injury, stop yourself. No matter how powerful Williams’ will to fight through pain may be, there is no way around one very important fact.

This injury is having a direct impact on Williams’ production.

Thus far this season Williams’ solid averages of 16.7 points and 8.9 assists per game are marred by a slash line of .394/.265/.876. No matter how hard fans try to defend his play, this is the second consecutive injury-ridden season that is damaging Williams’ shooting.

According to Mazzeo‘s previously referenced report, D-Will knows it.

“I still haven’t shot the ball well,” Williams said. “I’m just trying to get through these little nagging injuries, so hopefully I can shoot a little bit better and help my team a little bit more. I’m just trying to do the little things, get everybody involved, play solid defense and help my team win.”

The Nets are 9-4 and Williams is doing all he can to overcome his poor shooting performances.

Considering he’s making less than 40 percent of his shots, however, Williams’ performances can be relatively damaging.

Struggling Shooters

The Brooklyn Nets may be 9-4, but they are far from where they desire to be.

The Nets rank 19th in the league with 95.6 points per game. They rank 17th by shooting 44.5 percent from the floor and 23rd at 32.5 percent from beyond the arc.

A major reason is Williams’ shortcomings as a shooter and Joe Johnson’s similar struggles. Johnson has posted an equally underwhelming slash line of .392/.361/.829.

With Johnson continuing to struggle, that makes it all the more important for Williams to step up as a scorer. Unfortunately the wrist injury is preventing Williams from doing so and thus neutralizing an elite perimeter tandem.

A Scattered 28

During the 2010-’11 and 2011-’12 NBA seasons, Deron Williams missed a total of 28 games. This has come over six different periods of time in which Williams has missed multiple games of play.

In other words, Williams has missed extended periods of time throughout each of these past two seasons due to consistent minor injuries.

Sidelining him early in the season and planning his minutes cautiously could lead to a full recovery, which his team could greatly benefit from.

If they don’t, Williams’ poor shooting could continue and the Nets will inevitably suffer.

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Deron Williams on Knicks Rivalry and Nets Future

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Nov 272012

The highly anticipated matchup between the Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks ended in a 96-89 overtime win for the Nets.

The two teams met for the first time in the new Nets’ team history in front of a sold out crowd at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The crowd was electrifying and the game had a playoff feel.

Nets’ point guard Deron Williams scored 16 points, six rebounds and had 14 assists, a team-high that matched the Knicks’ team total in that category. Nets’ center Brook Lopez recorded a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds.

On the other side, Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony led both teams with 35 points and 13 rebounds. Knicks center Tyson Chandler also recorded a double-double by scoring 28 points and grabbing 10 boards.

During the postgame press conference, Williams spoke about the heated rivalry between the Nets and Knicks, the benefits of having a player like Jerry Stackhouse on the team and what it feels like to be in first place.

In the comment below, let us know which team YOU root for: Knicks or Nets?

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Deron Williams Wins NBA Player of the Night After Relentless Effort vs. Knicks

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Nov 272012

The battle for New York officially began Monday night and Deron Williams ensured it was the Brooklyn Nets who struck first.

On a night when Al Jefferson willed the Utah Jazz to victory over the Denver Nuggets and Greivis Vasquez did the same for the New Orleans Hornets against the Los Angeles Clippers, there was Williams.

Brooklyn’s point guard played through a sprained right wrist, among other injuries, to help the Nets overcome a 35-point effort by the New York Knicks‘ Carmelo Anthony.

No, it wasn’t always pretty, but once the overtime buzzer sounded, it became clear his efforts were effective.

Which is all that matters.

Stat Line: 16 points, 14 assists, six rebounds and three steals on 35.3 percent shooting.

There were a litany of occasions when it appeared the Nets were going to fold Monday night. They found themselves down by as many as seven points in a heated fourth quarter, and missed plenty of open shots down the stretch.

But Williams, poor shooting included, was always there to ground them. His shots weren’t falling at a high rate, but he dished out as many assists as the entire Knicks team and more than carried his weight on the glass. His three steals were also indicative of a man on a mission on the offensive end.

And all this came in the midst of a sprained wrist. Let’s not forget about those bone spurs in his left arm either.

Playing despite such injuries is the quintessential form of perseverance; it is the perfect display of a relentless athlete.

Williams knew that there was much more at stake here than a single win. He also understood that a victory wouldn’t shift the New York fanbase ratio in Brooklyn’s favor. But he did understand that winning this game, that beating the Knicks, would send a message.

A message that stated the Nets are here, they’re for real and they’re not going anywhere anytime soon.

I understand that Jason Kidd joined Iman Shumpert and Amar’e Stoudemire on the shelf, but I also don’t care. The Knicks have proved to be a more than respectable team as they continue their self-imposed bout with age and injury, so Kidd’s absence doesn’t take anything away from this one.

And it most certainly doesn’t take anything away from Williams.

He helped hold New York’s starting backcourt of Ronnie Brewer and Raymond Felton to a combined total of 11 points. He logged over 43 minutes despite the slew of injuries that are currently plaguing him.

He found a way to make a world of difference even though he was far from healthy, even though he was anything but at his best.

This is not to be discounted, especially considering no one else on the Nets emerged as a consistent two-way presence.

Brook Lopez and Gerald Wallace put some points on the board, but neither converted on an overwhelming percentage of their shots. Jerry Stackhouse shot at a high rate from the field, but he could only be on the floor so much because of his spotty defense. And let’s not even touch upon the horrid performances of Kris Humphries and Joe Johnson. Neither of them delivered even slightly.

Williams, however, did—on both sides of the ball.

“It’s hard to deny the atmosphere and media buzz behind this game,” Williams admitted (via Jake Appleman of NBA.com) after the Nets claimed a victory.

It’s also impossible to deny that Williams’ valiant effort was the driving force behind Brooklyn’s first ever win over the Knicks.

Follow @danfavale

All stats in this article are accurate as of November 27th, 2012.

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Brooklyn Nets: 4 Reasons They Are Proving Doubters Wrong

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Nov 272012

The Brooklyn Nets have finally revived professional sports in Kings County. It had been 55 years since the last Dodgers game at Ebbets Field when the Nets opened their season in the Barclays Center earlier this month.

A 22-44 team last year, the Nets went all-out in their first offseason away from New Jersey. While aggressively pursuing Orlando‘s Dwight Howard, they brought in C.J. Watson, Reggie Evans, Jerry Stackhouse and re-signed Gerald Wallace.

After the pursuit of Howard failed, they traded for Atlanta‘s Joe Johnson, a move that led to the re-signing of star point guard Deron Williams.

All of these moves coincided with the re-branding of the franchise in a new city. This created considerable hype around the team going into the season, but many felt that the Nets were destined to fall short of their expectations.

However, the Nets look like a playoff team early in the season. What have they done to silence doubters and outperform expectations?

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The Case for the Brooklyn Nets as the Best NBA Team in NYC

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Nov 272012

To Brooklyn fans, tonight’s overtime victory over the Knicks felt a bit like this:

THE NETS WIN THE NBA CHAMPIONSHIP!

— devin kharpertian (@uuords) November 27, 2012

Let us settle down a bit and merely consider the possibility that Brooklyn is the superior NBA team. Based on what little information we have, I would still err on the Knicks’ side. They have better three-point shooters and a better defensive center. They also have a superior perimeter scorer in Carmelo Anthony (Joe Johnson has not impressed so far). But, Monday night’s game delivered some fodder for Nets fans who claim superiority.

One matchup swings decisively in Brooklyn’s favor: They have a much, much better point guard. Raymond Felton conjured bad New York memories of John Starks against the Rockets in his 3-19 semi-implosion. It was difficult to tell whether Felton’s play was the result of overconfidence or sheer terror, but man, he was awful.

It wasn’t just that Felton was missing shots. It was also that he was missing terrible shots, well out of the offensive rhythm. In pregame, noted Knicks fan @netw3rk made the following observation:

IMO Ray gets sucked into these marquee one-on-one matchups. Happened in the Houston game too.

— netw3rk (@netw3rk) November 27, 2012

This is a situation worth monitoring, especially when New York faces tougher tests in the playoffs.

On the other end, Deron Williams was a ubiquitous force:

Deron was off on his jumper, but he more than made up for it with his passing. The 14 assists actually belie his impact, as Brook Lopez (and a few other Net players) missed easy conversions off incisive mid-paint Williams passes. Tonight was a big reminder of just why this guy got, and likely deserves, a max contract.

Speaking of max contracts, Brook Lopez will never be Tyson Chandler on defense (Note: Chandler was incredible on Monday), but he’s making strides as a defender. Lopez has five blocks to pair with a good offensive performance. His preseason signing looked brutal, but he’s played up to it in these first few months.

But the X-factor, and main reason as to why Brooklyn can beat New York, made decisive, winning plays in the overtime. Gerald Wallace didn’t have a perfect game, but then again, his game almost necessitates an element of imperfection. “Crash” is an agent of chaos, a wild player who makes his living tripping over defenders in midair. It’s just the cost of doing business for Brooklyn’s most versatile player.

That versatility could give BK the edge come springtime. Carmelo Anthony had a productive offensive game, but so much of the damage came from the free-throw line (on some cheap calls, quite frankly) and from off-the-dribble three-pointers.

When Carmelo Anthony got the ball against Wallace, life became rather difficult. As a hybrid 3/4 player, Anthony usually finds the mismatch against opposing defenders. Against Crash, another hybrid 3/4, there is no defensive mismatch to be found. Wallace will push right back when Anthony backs him down in the post.

Against Brooklyn, the Knicks might not have the mismatch they usually claim. Since so much of what they do is predicated on Carmelo Anthony breaking down defenses and kicking to three-point shooters (The Knicks shot 28 percent from three on Monday), Wallace could pose a serious challenge to the Knicks’ New York supremacy.

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Visual Proof That Brook Lopez Is Ready to Join the NBA’s Elite Big Men

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Nov 252012

Brook Lopez is already putting together the best season of his young career in terms of points per game, field-goal percentage and field goals made, and all of that suggests that he’s ready to make the jump towards “elite” status.

Lopez is averaging 19.4 points per game this season on 56 percent shooting for the Brooklyn Nets. He’s taken 14.9 field goal attempts per game, making 8.3 of them.

He’s been extremely efficient on the offensive end. This has made him a favorite asset of point guard Deron Williams.

The chemistry between the two is growing each and every game, though there’s already good chemistry there. Just look here at this pick-and-roll between the two.

Williams and Lopez execute that to perfection on a nightly basis. This consistency is just one thing that has propelled Lopez into the “elite” discussion.

Another aspect of his game that is actually helping him is his rebounding.

No, his numbers aren’t the greatest. He’s pulled down just 6.0 rebounds per game this season, 1.8 of which have been offensive rebounds. Even still, he’s getting good position under the paint. He’s just getting a little out-worked.

Not on this play, however. Lopez gets decent position on the defender when going up for an offensive rebound, but it’s his persistence and hustle that gets him this great put-back layup.

Even without great position for rebounds, the NBA‘s elite big men can grab the ball from whatever position they’re in.

Dwight Howard averaged 14.5 rebounds per game last season with the Orlando Magic, leading the NBA. While he had good positioning on most of them, even he couldn’t perform a perfect box-out for every rebound.

It was his hustle that got him those boards.

It’s impossible to be amongst the game’s elite at any position without confidence. Lopez is playing more confidently this season than he has in the past, and that’s showing in his production on the court.

Just take a look at this compilation of Williams’ and Lopez’s games against the Boston Celtics last week. Lopez was demanding the ball in the paint and taking tough turn-around hook shots with defenders in his face.

You don’t do those things without confidence.

This newfound confidence of Lopez’s will be a huge factor in establishing himself as an elite big man in the NBA.

Lopez is in line to have a career season with the new-look Brooklyn Nets in 2012-13. He may even earn himself a berth in the All-Star game if he keeps this type of play up.

*All statistics as of Saturday, November 24

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How to Concentrate the Most Brooklyn Nets Firepower into Reliable Late-Game Unit

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Nov 202012

The Brooklyn Nets have won five straight games, and much of that has to do with their ability to score a ton of points. They currently average 97.5 points per game and sports a plus-five point differential.

Three starters are currently averaging at least 16.0 points per game—Deron Williams, Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez—and Kris Humphries is averaging double figures with 10.0 points per game.

The Nets wins have come in games where they’ve been outscoring their opponents by the time the fourth quarter rolls around, so they haven’t really had all too many games where they’ve had to play catch-up.

Because of this, they haven’t had to play with a potent offense in the fourth. Their current late-game unit is reliable as an all-around group, but there’s a different combination that could be even more potent.

Williams would still be the late-game point guard. He is the team leader on offense, and can run the pick-and-roll with Lopez to perfection. He is also the team’s best passer, and that is a necessity in late game situations.

He’s the team’s second-leading scorer at 18.6 points per game. He also shoots 88 percent from the free-throw line. Having clutch shooters from the stripe is essential in the fourth quarter.

The offense should run through Williams in late-game situations.

At shooting guard, there should be a slight change. MarShon Brooks is one of the best up-and-coming pure scorers in the NBA. His ability to create shots and score from nearly everywhere on the floor would be key in clutch situations.

He’s seen limited playing time lately and is only averaging 8.0 points per game. His dynamic play is too valuable to leave on the bench when in need of a bucket, so he’d have to be a part of this potent unit.

Joe Johnson would slide over to small forward to make room for Brooks. Johnson has struggled with his shot early on—he’s only shooting 36 percent from the floor—but he’s still averaging 16.0 points per game.

The Nets keep feeding him the ball, and it’s only a matter of time before he catches fire.

Johnson is also a very clutch performer. Last season, in the final five minutes of games, Johnson’s shooting percentage went from 43 to 49 percent and his offensive rating improved from 101.8 to 113.8.

Johnson needs to be in the lineup in clutch spots.

Power forward for the Nets has primarily been reserved for strong rebounders. Both Humphries and reserve Reggie Evans have been dominant rebounders relative to their playing time.

As the starter, Humphries has averaged 11.6 per game. Off the bench, Evans has 6.8 per game.

In late situations, the unit with the most firepower would not include either. Andray Blatche, the reserve center, has earned himself the right to play in clutch situations.

Coming off the bench, Blatche has dropped 11.8 points per game. While not a typical center, his skills translate well to the four.

He shoots 46 percent from the floor, mostly relying on mid-range jumpers. Given some more playing time, he could average 15.0 points per game.

A controversial signing in the beginning, Blatche has earned himself a prominent role on this team.

At center, none other than Lopez should be in the game in the fourth. He is the team’s leading scorer (18.8 points per game), and is shooting a fantastic 53 percent from the floor.

He has really stepped up big time this season, and could potentially be on his way to his first career All-Star game.

Having a presence in the paint is essential during games, especially during the fourth quarter. With Lopez in the game, there’s always an opportunity to score.

The Nets have been playing well early on. They’re 6-2 and looking to be in good shape in the Eastern Conference. That being said, it’d be smart to have a dominant late-game unit prepared on the off chance that they need some quick points.

This group can get the job done.

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An Inside Look at Brooklyn Nets’ Brand New Barclays Center

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Nov 192012

As someone who began his life in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, and is also a die-hard NBA fan, I’ve been dreaming about the Brooklyn Nets’ home opener since 2005. In the seven years that I have been waiting for this day, I’ve taken photos at 15 different NBA arenas and became a bit of an arena connoisseur. Join me on a photo tour as my passion and profession collide in Downtown Brooklyn.

The last professional sports game played in Brooklyn was on September 29th, 1957. My father was almost 14, living in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn, when his beloved Dodgers went all Hollywood.

Since then, all had been quiet on the Brooklyn sports front until Jay-Z, Bruce Ratner and giant Russian Mikhail Prokhorov landed this rusted spaceship of a stadium on Atlantic and Flatbush Ave.

The stadium opener was scheduled for two days prior. It was supposed to be a knock-down, drag-out fight with the crosstown Knicks for the heart of New York.

Unfortunately, Hurricane Sandy and Mike Bloomberg (the NBA told me to blame him) had other ideas and the game was postponed. This meant the opener then became a game against an underrated Raptors team that was scheduled two days later.

If you look closely, you can see the arena’s scoreboard from the street. I don’t know any other stadium with that. This is the kind of innovative stuff they have going on at this state-of-the-art arena.

Inside it was a beautifully spacious stadium. Everything was a form of matte black, but it was balanced out by a ton of lights to avoid any dark, dingy feeling.

David Stern showed up to deliver a speech before the game. The crowd booed him, but I don’t think they really meant it. Amid the boos, Deron came over and put his arm around David and got a laugh and cheer from the crowd. See, we were just kidding, David, we’re just glad Roger Goodell isn’t the NBA commissioner.

Stern just announced his retirement last week. He will go down as the longest-tenured commissioner in all of sports, with a little over 30 years at the helm. A true legend.

The Raptors’ general manager Bryan Colangelo was in attendance. While his tenure in Toronto got off to a rough start (Rafael Araujo anyone?), Colangelo has been making much better moves as of late, including stashing prized Euro prospect Jonas Valanciunas and stealing Kyle Lowry from the Rockets.

We were also introduced to the Nets’ mascot, the BrooklyKnight. He looked like the love child of Iron Man and a medieval knight. He wasn’t the coolest mascot I’d ever seen, but I’ve seen worse.

Brooklyn Borough President and big time Knicks basher Marty Markoweicz made a speech also. I’m pretty sure he has the most New York accent of all time.

We were really robbed of seeing him collide with the throngs of Knicks fans that undoubtedly would have been here if the original opener not been postponed.

Hearing a Raptors fan saying “Please don’t be a jerk, aye” just didn’t have the same ring.

In a passing of the torch ceremony, Deron and Brook go to half court and exchange jerseys with surviving members of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Jackie Robinson’s wife was supposed to be in attendance at the Nets/Knicks opener, but that was just another thing ruined by Sandy.

Brooklyn’s own Michael K. Williams (AKA Omar from “The Wire”) gave a pregame speech against fan violence. It’s kind of ironic because he spent five seasons on The Wire making violence look cool as hell.

Deron Williams struts down the herringbone court after scoring the first two points in Brooklyn basketball history on a long jumper.

Courtside wait service. Stadiums are getting more and more opulent.

Jonas Valanciunas is able to slip a dunk in. The Lithuanian big man had double-doubled in his first NBA game, but would find much tougher sledding this time around.

New Raptor Kyle Lowry wasted little time lighting the Nets up; he was able to orchestrate an early lead for the road team.

Raptors coach Dwayne Casey seems to have borrowed Nucky Thompson’s carnation for his suit.

Nets coach Avery Johnson stood on the far side of the court, directly in front of one of his bosses, Jay-Z. It must be kind of annoying to have your boss setting three feet behind you while you’re trying to work, even if you boss secretly only owns one-fifteenth of a percent of the company.

“The Brooklynettes” is one of the more clever team specific names for cheerleaders. I wasn’t a fan of their outfits, though—they were trying way too hard to be urban and hip. It was kind of like when Poochie the Dog briefly joined the cast of “Itchy and Scratchy.”

The Lowry onslaught continued.

Remember MarShon Brooks? He went from being a cornerstone of the teams future, to being Dwight Howard bait, to being Joe Johnson’s backup, all in a year. It’s been quite a whirlwind for this young man who’s bent on emulating Kobe (even down to the early career hairdo). One thing we seemed to forget is that he’s a very good two guard in a league with a dearth of talent at that position.

The Nets have the stigma of being a bad team, but they do have a history of success thanks to Jason Kidd. When is trading away Stephon Marbury not the right move?

At this point security came over to me and told me to put away my big camera.

“You can’t use any cameras in here that have a screw on lens,” they said.

I had never heard this before in a stadium. Is this their way of cracking down on uncredentialed photographers like myself? Are they worried that the HD video quality that many cameras now have could lead to unauthorized broadcasts of the game? Is it Jay-Z not wanting people to snap paparazzi shots of Beyonce?

I don’t know what the answer was, but I figured it was time to get my Bourdain on and check out the food scene.

Ugh, twelve ounce Coronas for $9? That’s a $54 six pack. Considering I was able to buy a 24 ounce Corona for $11 in Foxborough two weeks ago, this was a disappointment.

Lucky for me I had filled up on some unfiltered and unpasteurized Zweickle beer at a local German Biergarten before coming to the game.

The Bed Stuy Grill. Bed Stuy is a rough part of Brooklyn where Jay-Z (and my dad) grew up in the projects. Now, he’s bringing that flavor to the masses.

The Avenue K Deli was closed on opening night? Stadium fail.

Wow, they have Habana here, a local Cuban food spot that I love (their Mexican corn is phenomenal)! Unfortunately they didn’t have anything their menu promised aside from nachos. Again, not a great start, food-wise.

There’s sushi, if you’re into getting that kind of thing at sports games. I’m not, so I kept it moving. My embargo against seafood at sports games remains intact.

I was going to buy a Nets jersey (Hump? Brook?), but they didn’t have any available at the team store. Did the concessions people even know they had a game tonight?

This part of Brooklyn was spared the wrath of Sandy, so I’m not sure what is up with the shortages. I know the Nets have a Russian owner, but do their concessions stands have to be as well stocked as a Soviet supermarket back in the day?

One of the most famous Brooklyn eateries is “Juniors,” home to the best cheesecake in the world (and, no, that’s not up for debate). As you can see, the line to fill up on a $8.75 slice of heaven resembles the gas station lines all across the Tri State area.

I bumped in to my old friend David Aldridge who I see at basically every NBA event I travel to.

I settled on the brisket sandwich from “Fatty Cue.” It featured pulled (not sliced) BBQ brisket with a sriracha aioli, pickled carrots and cilantro for a distinctly Vietnamese feel.

It wasn’t the best sandwich I have had at a sports game but I appreciated the creativity that went into it.

Nets fans were having their cake and eating it too, literally.

A Blatche‘d couple. The past year or so, Andray Blatche had become a league wide joke and the former prep-to-pro had seemingly washed out of the league. Similar to Gerald Green last year, the Nets rolled the dice on the big man with an unguaranteed contract (virtually unheard of in the NBA).

I’ve been a Blatche fan since he came into the league and I’m happy to see him getting another chance.

The front runner for “Unofficial Nets Mascot” is this guy, Mr. Whammy. I’m not totally sure what his sign means, but he was very popular with fans and TV cameramen.

I had noticed while ticket shopping that you could get “all you can eat” tickets. Usually at a stadium that means that you are in a section where you are fed a bunch of really generic hot dogs and nachos. To my surprise, these tickets were good at any food stand in the stadium, you just order the food and they scan it.

I see a “Man vs Food” -ish showdown with the Barclays concession stands in my near future.

I hit up Fresco by Scotto for some chicken meatballs. Unlike many sports arenas, the Barclays Center featured a lot of local restaurants, not just generic stadium food from ARAMARK. Bravo Brooklyn.

These were the best meatballs I’ve had at a stadium (not a very high bar to clear).

There was a pre-taped bit with a costumed Reggie Evans, where he told people what Halloween snacks he preferred. Surprisingly the answer wasn’t Chris Kaman’s reproductive organs. It was Starbursts.

Back to the game, the Nets battled back in the second half to take a lead that was at times commanding.

Like many new stadiums, the Barclays Center featured WiFi. Like many new stadiums, the WiFi sucked.

Former Euroleague scorer Mirza Teletovic made it into this ad for B&H Photo, but not into the game. Perhaps he isn’t up to speed with the NBA yet.

Leading the charge for the Nets offensively was Brook Lopez. I’m not only a member of the Brook Lopez fan club, I’m also the president, so seeing him overcoming a myriad of maladies (mono, calcium deposit in his elbow, broken foot) really warmed my heart.

Nice to see the Brooklyn hipster community coming out to support. I really wonder what this would have been like if it was Nets and Knicks fans clashing on the first night? We were all robbed of this experience by a hurricane, mixed with a northeastern, mixed with high tide.

Right behind Avery Johnson you see Ty Ty, childhood friend of Jay-Z, sitting courtside. It’s really amazing that these guys who grew up in Marcy Projects were able to bring a team to their home borough like this.

I grew up blocks away from the stadium (I lived on 175 Lafayette Avenue until I was six) and I share in their delight that Brooklyn finally has a team again.

Native New Yorker Stephen A. Smith looks on as the game winds down.

The score grew tighter than Jim Jones’ pants, but the Nets paraded to the foul line and made their shots. They secured a victory in their highly-anticipated Brooklyn homecoming. Brook Lopez paced the Nets with 27 points while Kyle Lowry finished with a ridiculous 28/8/8 line for the Raptors.

Nucky Casey leaves with a scowl on his face.

On the way out, I noticed a practice court that is visible from the Atlantic Avenue Starbucks. All in all, this stadium is pretty baller. What else would you expect from Jay-Z and an eccentric Russian billionaire?

Nets fans spill out of their rusted house of worship knowing they have just been witnesses to history. Brooklyn is back in a big way.

You could find flaws with the team (no cap flexibility anytime soon, paying Deron and Crash $140 mil instead of just drafting Lillard), but it’s not the time for that.

This city is still in the grips of one of the most serious natural disasters in the country’s history and life is not near returning to normal for most of these people. For a few hours they took a vacation from their power/gas/food/shelter-related struggles and were treated to an amazing stadium and a win for the team that now represents them.

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