Coming into the game against the Pistons, the Brooklyn Nets' offensive rating ranked 25th in the league.
However, the championship contender brushed away in talk of struggles on that end in their win over the Detroit Pistons. In their 26-point home victory, the team broke the franchise record for field goal shooting efficiency in a single game.
The Nets knocked down 47 of their 72 shot attempts, making their 65.3 percent field goal shooting the best in franchise history. This performance eclipsed the team's previous best of 65.2 percent, which was also set against the Detroit Pistons but way back in 1982.
A near-40 year franchise record has been broken tonight! The Nets shoot 65.3% from the field to top the Pistons 117-91. #NETSonYES pic.twitter.com/JnTi9R2gJZ
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) November 1, 2021
"I thought overall we played the right way," Nets head coach Steve Nash said postgame. "I thought overall we played the right way. We turned it over a little too much but we stuck with it and played the right way."
It's mind-boggling how the team shot the ball so well despite turning it over as many as 19 times. Thus, Nash's level-headed response.
“I think we got a ways to go. In many ways, we’re still trying to analyze adjustments. We got some really, really great pieces to work with. It takes time for coaches and time for the players.”
Kevin Durant was the team's top scorer with 23 on an impeccable 10-of-13 shooting from the field, before he got ejected for 'unnecessary and excessive' contact on Kelly Olynyk while fighting over a screen.
MORE: Fresh off a $25k fine, KD gets ejected vs. Pistons
However, once KD left the court, James Harden took over in what his second consecutive game without any offensive struggles. The Beard recorded his first triple-double of the season with 18 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds which ties him with Larry Bird for seventh on the all-time triple-doubles list at 59.
📼 Highlights from @JHarden13's first trip-doub of the year 📼 pic.twitter.com/Bh8r6AaPVf
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 1, 2021
He had just three free-throw attempts, way off his 19 from the last game but his efficiency from the field was the best in this young season - 66.7 percent (6-of-9) from the field and 57.1 percent (4-of-7) from beyond the arc.
“I’m just playing," Harden said postgame. The confidence in my rhythm and all that is coming back - Game by game, I feel more better. Overall, much better.”
All the talk around Harden's early offensive struggles was his subdued production in the first five games, especially from the free-throw line. He was only averaging 16.6 points and 8.0 assists on just three attempts while in the last two games alone, he's averaging 23.5 points and 10 assists on 11 free throw attempts.
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