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Lopez, Nets streaking toward playoffs

Center Continues to Dominate as Brooklyn Wins Fourth Straight

April 1, 2015 By John Torenli, Sports Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week Brook Lopez continued to drive the Nets toward the playoffs with another great all-around performance Tuesday night in Downtown Brooklyn. AP photo
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Brook Lopez may want to invest in a heavy-duty, extra-large backpack as he continues to carry the Brooklyn Nets toward their third consecutive playoff berth.

The Eastern Conference’s reigning Player of the Week resumed his recent tear Tuesday night in yet another “must-win” game for the postseason-hopeful Nets.

Lopez scored 24 points, ripped down 11 rebounds, blocked a pair of shots and handed out two assists in Brooklyn’s season-high fourth consecutive victory, a 111-106 triumph over the Indiana Pacers in front of 16,756 fans at Downtown’s Barclays Center.

After averaging 28.8 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game last week, Lopez began his quest for a second straight Player of the Week honor by drilling 11-of-17 shots against the Pacers.

His feed to Joe Johnson for a game-sealing 3-pointer in the final minute boosted Brooklyn 1 ½ games in front of Indiana in the quest for the final playoff spot in the East entering Wednesday night’s tilt at Madison Square Garden against the league-worst Knicks.

The Nets also clinched the tiebreaker over the Pacers should the squads finish deadlocked for a postseason berth.

Lopez, who can opt for free agency this summer via a provision in his contract, is elevating his own stock should he choose that option, as well as Brooklyn’s chances of returning to the playoffs.

But as always, Lopez is concentrating on the here and now, rather than the not-so-distant future.

“I think the ball’s just been moving really freely the last number of games,” Lopez humbly noted when asked of his late-season prowess. “You can see everyone’s really comfortable on the court. Everyone’s been jelling and playing well together.”

With only nine regular-season contests remaining, the Nets (33-40) are one-half game in front of ninth-place Boston after improving to 8-2 in their last 10 contests.

They will not play the Celtics again, nor do they own the tiebreaker advantage over Boston, meaning they still do not control their own playoff destiny.

But earlier last month, it appeared the postseason was a moot point in Brooklyn’s plans. The Nets had dropped five consecutive games, including four in a row at Barclays, to fall 3 ½ games behind the four-team pack chasing the final few precious spots in the playoff hunt.

Having struggled to find a cohesive bond and regular lineup throughout the season, first-year head coach Lionel Hollins finally sees his team going in the right direction at just the right time.

“You tell me. It seems that way. We’re more together,” Hollins said. “Let’s put it that way. We care more about each other. When you have adversity, you just pull together and keep fighting.”

Deron Williams had 11 points, eight assists and six rebounds, Johnson finished with 21 points and Alan Anderson led the “Bench Mob” with 20 points for the Nets, who squandered a 33-15 first-quarter lead but managed the game brilliantly down the stretch.
“It’s just a mentality, I guess, a sense of urgency,” Williams said of the Nets’ strong play of late. “Realizing we have a chance to make these playoffs and we’re just trying to make a push.”

Thaddeus Young, who has played a major role in Brooklyn’s resurgence following his arrival from Minnesota in a trade deadline deal, returned to the lineup after missing the previous two games with a hyper-extended knee.

The power forward contributed eight points, seven rebounds and four assists in nearly 40 minutes of playing time.
 
After visiting the Knicks, the Nets will be back in Brooklyn Friday to host Atlantic Division-leading Toronto and travel to Eastern Conference-leading Atlanta on Saturday for what is suddenly looking like a potential first-round playoff series preview.

But as they have learned throughout this tumultuous and oftentimes frustrating campaign, the Nets can ill-afford to look past any opponent in their quest to return to the playoffs.

“We’ve got a game [Wednesday] night,” Williams reminded everyone. “There’s still a lot of basketball to be played.”

To a man, the Nets are hoping a “a lot more basketball” means playoff basketball for a third straight season since their arrival in our fair borough.

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