Nets beginning to show confidence in crunch time
Brooklyn Nets forward Mikal Bridges (1) and orward Cameron Johnson (2) celebrate during a time out during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns, Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023, in Phoenix. Credit: AP/Matt York
SAN FRANCISCO — For a brief moment, Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson’s homecoming to Phoenix appeared to end in disappointment.
The Nets’ lead against the Suns Wednesday whittled down from eight to two with seven seconds left. The collapse was averted, however, when Cam Thomas made two free throws with three seconds left.
“It’s a free throw. I was going to make those. That’s nothing,” Thomas said postgame.
Thomas’ response wasn’t surprising given his confidence. But it highlights the Nets getting more comfortable and showing better poise in late game situations during this 7-3 stretch entering Saturday at Golden State.
Since they lost 129-128 to Charlotte, the Nets have won two close games over the Hawks (by one) and the Suns. It’s a slight reversal from how they lost five of their first 18 games by five points or less, including the first two games of the season.
It’s also another improvement for a Nets core that’s just passed 50 games — now 51 — since Bridges and Johnson arrived last season. It’s not just Bridges becoming one of the league’s best clutch-time performers but the entire team learning through experience how to better keep their nerve in tight games.
“This is the opportunity you want to step into and lean into that thing, step right on into it and get it accomplished,” coach Jacque Vaughn said. “And I think our guys are growing in our confidence within each other, knowing where they're going to be on the floor. And what each other can do.”
Vaughn’s giving his team more confidence as well by letting his team figure it out. He didn’t call timeout on the Nets’ final possession against the Hawks nor did he do it versus the Suns after Cam Johnson was fouled with seven seconds left.
Both times it paid off. Bridges hit a game-winning shot against the Hawks and Thomas made his free throws.
It also helps having Spencer Dinwiddie being another calming presence late in games. In that Hawks win, the 30-year-old veteran scored 11 fourth-quarter points, including seven consecutive Nets points at one stretch.
He had a three-pointer and a layup in the final two minutes agains the Suns to push the lead to eight before the Suns made their run. He did nearly turn it over on the inbounds pass prior to Thomas being fouled but it was his steal after that turnover that set up Thomas’ final free throws.
“His timing has become, you know, instrumental for us,” Vaughn said of Dinwiddie, “Seeing how the flow of the game is going, seeing what coverages are being forced on Cam and Mikal, and then being able to capitalize on that.
"It's just his intellect of knowing when and where that timing is needed. And he's been great at using that timing.”
Those are things the Nets can build on from the last 10 games. It’s not just getting wins against mostly sub-.500 teams but learning how to finish games better so it can be easier doing so against better teams.
Evan Barnes covers the Nets for Newsday. He previously covered Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
