In his first game since being snubbed for the NBA All-Star Game, Nets center Brook Lopez had game-highs of 28 points and 12 rebounds, adding two blocks. The fact the Nets lost 91-79 to the Mavericks and fell to 12-35 underscored one of the big reasons Lopez didn’t get invited to Toronto.
“He’s a highly skilled center, he can score in a variety of ways and he should’ve been worthy of some votes, but ultimately I think because our record was so poor it might’ve cost him a chance to play in the All-Star Game,’’ interim coach Tony Brown said.
“I was hopeful, but it’s the way it went. I don’t really know exactly who made it, but I know the situation well enough,’’ Lopez said.
When asked if he was on the edge of his couch watching the announcement, he joked, “I was on the plane, just praying.’’
Lopez, the leading center in the East, wasn’t voted in by the fans or picked Thursday night as a reserve, losing out as Andre Drummond, Jimmy Butler, DeMar DeRozan, Paul Millsap, Chris Bosh, John Wall and Isaiah Thomas were selected as reserves. And his team lost Friday despite his own monster performance.
“I just tried to get to my areas where I could score, and the guys did a great job of finding me in those situations. I missed a ton of chippies myself,’’ Lopez said. “But we’ve got to stay confident, all of us. And when we get our shots, take them.’’
Brown coached under Rick Carlisle for five seasons in two stops, first in Detroit from 2001-03 and then in Dallas from 2011-14. And while the Mavericks coach didn’t stump for his protégé to have the interim tag lifted, he showered him with praise.
“Well, he’s done a tremendous job with the team so far,” Carlisle said. “They’re moving the ball extremely well. They’ve had a couple of great wins against New York and Oklahoma City. They were right there against Miami the other night. And Tony’s a guy who’s a very underrated basketball man in our league. He’ll do a great job with this group.’’
Brown said he has lifted many things from Carlisle’s playbook.
“That’s the way the game is now, position-less basketball, much more in places like Golden State — but movement, pace, a lot of ball screens, pick-and-roll, that type of thing where people are rolling to the rim,’’ Brown said. “You’ve got to respect that, and then off of that, you get the ball inside-out to guys for 3-point shots or draw-and-kick situations. We all try to piece some type of flow and pace in our offense, and he’s a good guy to get things from.”
Thaddeus Young (11 points, 10 boards) had his 21st double-double of the season to match his career high from 2012-13. His five steals tied a season high.