Nets exhibit Summer League fight in comeback win over Knicks

LAS VEGAS — Scores don’t mean much in Summer League.

But the Nets hope spunk and spirit might.

The Nets have shown a penchant for digging themselves into deep holes and then clawing their way out.

The latest was a 92-85 come-from-behind victory over the Knicks at Thomas & Mack Arena.

The Nets, who trailed by as much as 21, rallied to improve to 2-1.

“Its fun. It’s not fun to get down double digits like that. It’s not fun to get down as big as we have, that’s a big lead to overcome that,” Steve Hetzel said. “I love how they never stopped competing. Fire and competitiveness, the ball pressure. That’s everything that we’ve asked them to do, and it actually ignited the team. It was fun to be a part of.”

As usual, it was Jalen Wilson and Noah Clowney who led the way, with help from Keon Johnson.

Wilson, a second-year pro playing more like a fourth-year veteran, had another big performance with 27 points, a plus-19 — both game-highs — and some much-needed physicality.

Johnson, an unrestricted free agent looking for a contract, made another strong statement to Nets GM Sean Marks who was seated courtside.

He had 10 points, five assists, and took the challenge by Hetzel to be their best perimeter defender.

“Oh yeah, it certainly pushed me more comfortable on the court, just learning how I can leave my imprint on the game. I feel like every time I step on the court, I’m trying to show that I am that dog that coach has put that label on me. … I feel like whenever I come in and show that dog like you said, it kind of takes up our level of play,” Johnson said, adding, “I feel like I’ve made a decent impression.”

With the score knotted at 83-all, Johnson hit a 25-footer off a Jaylen Martin feed for the go-ahead bucket with 1:06 to play.

Wilson added a 3-pointer moments later to make it 89-83, and the Nets held on.

“It’s getting more aggressive. The first quarter we were too soft, not pressing up, making them feel uncomfortable on offense, not having any pressure [and letting them] offensively do pretty much whatever they want,” Wilson said. “So, after we picked up our aggression on the deepest event, at the second quarter kind of throughout the rest of the game, you just saw the momentum change.”

Brooklyn coughed up nine unanswered Knicks points to fall behind 10-3 early, capped by Jacob Toppin’s dunk on Clowney.

The deficit just swelled for the rest of the first quarter as the Nets shot just 4-of-16, and 2-of-11 from deep.

Meanwhile the Nets let New York hit 12-of-16 in that opening period.

But Wilson and Clowney helped them flip the script in the second.

Disruptive defense forced eight turnovers, and they outscored the Knicks 16-0 on miscues.

Wilson got out and ran the floor, scoring 11 in a 28-15 second quarter.

His bucket sparked a run of 14 unanswered Nets points to close the half and get them back in the game.

The Nets pulled even at 65-all, and the rest was tooth-and-nail until the end.

Jacob Gilyard finished with seven steals.

“Five minutes to go in the second quarter, they took it on themselves. We kept challenging them in the huddle, pick it up. Jalen Wilson and Noah Clowney, their ball pressure, their deflections, just making the other team feel them, just changed the tide for us,” said Hetzel, adding of their leadership, “It’s everything. They’re the leaders of the team, and as they play, everyone else will follow. If they’re doing, it’s no excuse for everyone else to do it.”

The Nets do not make their assistant coaches available to the media, but assistant Juwan Howard spoke with NBA TV during Brooklyn’s Las Vegas Summer League victory over the Knicks.

While the former Miami player and assistant described himself as a Heat “lifer,” he was predictably bullish about the rebuild his current team is starting.

“As we know, my heart is always with the Heat. I’m a Heat lifer,” said Howard. “But at the same token, being with the Brooklyn Nets, this is going to be a new chapter and we’re going to build something special there.”

The 51-year-old is the only member of head coach Jordi Fernandez’s staff that has either won a ring (2012 and ‘13 with Miami) or been a head coach on the NBA or collegiate level (Michigan).

Dariq Whitehead’s struggles from the floor continued in his comeback.

After going just 4-for-24 through his first two games, the Nets’ 2023 first-round pick finished with just one point on 0-for-10 shooting, 0-for-8 from deep.

The Nets do not make their assistant coaches available to the media, but assistant Juwan Howard spoke with NBA TV during Brooklyn’s Las Vegas Summer League victory over the Knicks.

While the former Miami player and assistant described himself as a Heat “lifer,” he was predictably bullish about the rebuild his current team is starting.

“As we know, my heart is always with the Heat. I’m a Heat lifer,” said Howard. “But at the same token, being with the Brooklyn Nets, this is going to be a new chapter and we’re going to build something special there.”

The 51-year-old is the only member of head coach Jordi Fernandez’s staff that has either won a ring (2012 and ‘13 with Miami) or been a head coach on the NBA or collegiate level (Michigan).