Nets struggled on both ends, but to their credit, held Cavs to 91 points

On Monday night, at primetime, the Golden State Warriors handed the Cleveland Cavaliers their worst home loss of the season, 132-98. Unfortunately for the Brooklyn Nets, the Cavs were their next opponent. It was fun for Brooklyn and all of the fans in attendance who paid to see the stars that Cleveland has to offer, but not for the home team expected to defend their home-court.

From the opening tip to the final buzzer, the Cavs came to Barclays Center on Wednesday night and handled their business, beating the Nets, 91-78. It was exactly what the doctor ordered for the Eastern Conference leaders and while the Nets were within striking distance for the majority of the first half, the Cavs made their statement late in the third and never looked back. After Thomas Robinson’s layup cut the Cavs lead to 10, 63-53 with 4:41 left in the 3rd, Cavs reserve Matthew Dellavedova answered with a two of his own. Moments later, LeBron James added a three with three minutes and a half left in the third.

Dellavedova’s jumper kick-started a 10-2 run, increasing what was a harmless 10-point lead to an 18-point uphill climb for the Nets. To begin the 4th, the only Cavs starter in the game was J.R. Smith. For Lebron, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, their night was over. After scoring just three points against the Warriors, Love found his footing and rebounded in a big way.

He scored 17 points like Lebron and also grabbed 18 boards for the second time this season.

“I was just happy with Kevin going out there with a great mindset and getting back to his normal self,” Cavs head coach David Blatt said regarding Love’s bounce-back game. “Those are the kind of games he’s been giving us since the beginning of the year and for me, that is normal Kevin Love.”

He also assisted Lebron on his first two points of the game; a breakaway tomahawk slam. And the highlight play was the result of the vexing Cavs defense the Nets dealt with all night long. The Cavs scored 16 fast-break points and 19 off of turnovers they caused.

“Well, Coach has been pushing us about pushing the tempo, pushing our pace, getting up the floor, and I think we did that tonight,” Lebron said who also had five assists, just under his regular season average of six.

From the start, you could sense the urgency from the opposing team who looked like they were out to prove something and it would be difficult not crediting Golden State’s loss as inspiration.

“I’m sure it had something to do with it, but mostly it had to do with our guys reaching down and recognizing we had to get back on track right away,” said Blatt post-game. “It’s painful to get knocked down but it’s shameful to not get back up if you get knocked down. To the guys’ credit, they got back up and played a terrific basketball game.”

The Nets wish they could say the same. They only allowed 91 points to clearly the best team in the Eastern Conference but the offense wasn’t there.

Outside of Brook Lopez’s 16 points, Thaddeus Young chipped in 14 and Donald Sloan added 12 and nine assists. Wednesday’s loss signaled the Nets fourth straight and interim Head Coach Tony Brown continues to look for answers.

“I didn’t think it was our best effort since I have taken over,” Brown said post-game. “I don’t know if it was just because it was Cleveland, I don’t know, but clearly we can do better on both ends of the floor.”

If playing the best team in the Eastern Conference doesn’t rev you up to play, then what will?

Since Lionel Hollins was dismissed as the Brooklyn Nets head coach, the Nets have shown fight but against the Cavs they did not put forth the kind of effort they displayed against the Toronto Raptors, their previous game. As the offense went, the Nets went and the inability to get a rhythm going in the first half sealed the Nets fate for the remainder of the game.

After Cleveland, the road gets tougher. The Nets will host the Utah Jazz on Friday night who are fresh off of a tough OT loss to the New York Knicks and will then welcome the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat. Nets’ fans expect wins, but more than wins, they expect a fight. It’s up to the Nets to decide whether that will be the norm going forward no matter how rough their season continues to be.

VIDEO DISCUSSION: Will LeBron James play less minutes in the 2015-16 NBA Season?

The Cleveland Cavaliers want to cut Kyrie Irving and Lebron James’s minutes next season.

Signing Mo Williams and Richard Jefferson is a move that could help the Cavs do just that.

Is this a smart move and will the Cavs gain an advantage when other teams follow suit?

VIDEO DISCUSSION: J.R. Smith signed a two-year deal with Cleveland worth more than $10 million

J.R. Smith will return to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Smith’s deal is for two years and worth more than $10 million. The second year of Smith’s contract will be a player option. Should the Cavs have signed J.R.?

Justin Harper Comes to Brooklyn Nets after playing the 2014-15 season in Italy

The Brooklyn Nets signed forward Justin Harper, General Manager Billy King announced today.

Harper (6’10”, 225) joins the Nets after spending the 2014-15 season with S.S. Felice Scandone in Italy’s Serie A. Originally selected with the 32nd pick (second round) of the 2011 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers, Harper was dealt to the Orlando Magic on draft night. He appeared in 14 games with the Magic during his rookie season, averaging 1.4 points and 0.9 rebounds in 6.0 minutes per game. He also saw action in one postseason game.

Following his rookie season, Harper competed for the D-League’s Idaho Stampede (2012-13) and Hapoel Tel Aviv of the Israeli Premier League (2013-14) before landing in Italy. Most recently, Harper was a member of the Phoenix Suns’ entry in the 2015 Las Vegas Summer League. A four-year player at Richmond University, Harper’s collegiate career culminated in his selection to the All-Atlantic 10 First Team as a senior.

VIDEO Discussion: Brooklyn Nets opens its 2015-16 with its only home game against the Chicago Bulls on October 28

The Brooklyn Nets will open its 2015-16 season at the Barclays Center on Wednesday, October 28, when they entertain the Chicago Bulls, with tipoff at 7:30 p.m. The home opener will be the Bulls' lone appearance in Brooklyn this season.

The Nets will welcome the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors to Brooklyn on Sunday, December 6 at 6:00 p.m., which will tip off a six-game homestand, the longest of the campaign. The homestand also includes an afternoon contest on Saturday, December 12 versus the Los Angeles Clippers at 5:00 p.m.

In addition to the game against the Clippers, the Nets will host four other afternoon contests over the course of the upcoming season. The Nets will entertain the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday, December 20 at 1:00 p.m., the Washington Wizards on Saturday, December 26 at 4:00 p.m., the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, January 24 at 3:30 p.m. and the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday, April 3 at 1:00 p.m.

Brooklyn will host the Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, January 20 and Thursday, March 24, while the San Antonio Spurs visit the borough on Monday, January 11, with all three contests starting at 7:30 p.m.

updated: August 24, 2015

VIDEO: NBA Playoffs Round 2, some surprises; Paul Pierce drops the mic

What’s The 411Sports anchors Glenn Gilliam and Gregory Alcala are talking about the 2nd Round of the NBA Playoffs

VIDEO: Cleveland Cavaliers Aired an Offensive Commercial During Time-out

The Cleveland Cavaliers organization (not the players) are banished to the What's The 411Sports Dog House because of an inappropriate ad that aired on its Jumbotron during a recent Cleveland Cavaliers playoff game against the Chicago Bulls.

In view of the domestic violence cases in professional sports, particularly in the NFL, the ad was insensitive and cringe-worthy.

Trouble could be looming, as dark cloud hovers over Cavs

The Cleveland Cavaliers re-signed some of its top free agents including Iman Shumpert, Kevin Love and Lebron James. Curiously, the Cavs have yet to sign Tristan Thompson, and failing to do so won’t bode well with the king moving forward.

New York Rangers to Meet Tampa Bay Lightning; Phil Jackson May Be Unhappy With Isiah Thomas’ Presence at MSG; and lots more!

Watch the video of What's The 411Sports Episode 34:

Featuring What's The 411Sports hosts Glenn Gilliam and Gregory Alcala; and special guest panelist, Jason E. Schott, Reporter/Assignment Editor at BrooklynFans.com.

What’s Poppin’

Congratulations to the owner of American Pharoah; jockey, Victor Espinosa; and of course American Pharoah for winning the Preakness on the heels of winning the Kentucky Derby. Triple Crown madness is starting already!

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The New York Rangers needed extra time to beat the Washington Capitals, 2-1, in game 7 of the 2nd of the NHL playoffs. The Rangers have advanced to play the Tampa Bay Lightning for the Eastern Conference Championship. How good are the Rangers chances to advance to the Stanley Cup Championship round?

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According to The New York Daily News, New York Knicks president, Phil Jackson, is not happy with Isiah Thomas being named president of the New York Liberty and given a stake in the women’s professional basketball team.

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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has decided to hear New England Patriots QB-Tom Brady’s appeal regarding his four-game suspension associated with deflating footballs during the AFC Championship game against the Indianapolis Colts. However, the NFL Players Association says no way to Goodell’s reigning over the arbitration proceedings. What does this mean for Brady?

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NY Mets Manager Terry Collins speaks out. After suffering a four-game sweep by the Chicago Cubs, the Mets received a passionate speech by manager Terry Collins revolving around the issues the ball-club’s struggles as of late.

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Jason, as a reporter for www.Brooklynfans.com, you know that soccer is drawing huge crowds in New York, but like hockey, it is not a media darling. Give us a synopsis of the soccer picture in New York and what will it take for soccer to be a breakout star?

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The WNBA suspended Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner and her wife, Tulsa Shock Forward Glory Johnson for seven games for their roles in a domestic dispute last month. WNBA president Laurel J. Richie said in a statement on the league’s website:

"WITH CONSIDERATION OF ALL THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THIS MATTER, WE ARE SUSPENDING BRITTNEY GRINER AND GLORY JOHNSON EACH WITHOUT PAY FOR A PERIOD OF SEVEN REGULAR-SEASON GAMES. BRITTNEY AND GLORY'S CONDUCT IS DETRIMENTAL TO THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE WNBA AND VIOLATES APPLICABLE LAW."

Under The Radar

The Cleveland Cavaliers won game 6 against the Chicago Bulls to advance to the eastern conference finals round and J.R. Smith took to Instagram to take a jab at the New York Knicks. Smith posted side-by-side pics of him and Iman Shumpert in both Knicks and Cavs gear stating:

“ONE MAN’S TRASH…..IS ANOTHER MANS TREASURE”

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The NCAA Men’s Basketball Rules Committee announced that it would recommend shortening the shot clock from 35 seconds to 30, increase the restricted area arc in front of the basket from three feet to four feet, and three other changes aimed at reducing timeouts.

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File this one under sports meets pop culture. While the Washington Wizards John Wall was sitting on the sideline during Game 4 against the Atlanta Hawks, J.R. Smith, who won the NBA fashion show during the NBA All-Star Week, took to twitter to comment on John Wall’s suit.

#JWall your suit tho! #Turrrbile #WorstThenCrCharlesDraftSuit

John Wall retorted according to Adam Mcginnis from truth about it:

"I LOVED MY OUTFIT IN GAME 4," WALL TOLD MCGINNIS. "I DON’T CARE WHAT DECISION NOBODY MAKES, I AM GOING TO BE ME. I AM GOING TO WEAR WHAT JOHN WALL IS COMFORTABLE WITH. THE ONLY SOMEBODY WHO SAID SOMETHING BECAUSE HE WON A FASHION CONTEST, ONCE."

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Springfield Gardens High School, the high school that the late New York Knicks player Anthony Mason attended, named its gymnasium “MASE COURT”, in his honor.

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And in memoriam, just two days after the death of pro golfer Calvin Peete, winner of the 1985 Players Champion, we have lost yet another pioneering African-American golfer.

African-American Golfer's Digest reports that Pete Brown, first black golfer to win on PGA tour, died on May 1st at 80-years old.

Brown was among those who blazed the trail for Calvin Peete and Tiger Woods.

In the Dog House

Greg Alcala stated: I picked the Cleveland Cavaliers to beat the Chicago Bulls in round 2 of the NBA playoffs, but I am putting the Chicago Bulls in the Dog House for not showing up in Game 6.

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Glenn Gilliam stated that he is putting the NFL in the Dog House. According To NJ.com, The National Guard has made deals with 14 NFL teams to honor the veterans of this country from 2011 To 2014.

According to federal contracts from the Department of Defense, the National Guard spent over $5 million to teams during that time span.

U.S. Senator Jeff Flake ripped the entire practice carried out by the National Guard.

“THOSE OF US GO TO SPORTING EVENTS AND SEE THEM HONORING THE HEROES,” SAID FLAKE. “YOU GET A GOOD FEELING IN YOUR HEART. THEN TO FIND OUT THEY’RE DOING IT BECAUSE THEY’RE COMPENSATED FOR IT, IT LEAVES YOU UNDERWHELMED. IT SEEMS A LITTLE UNSEEMLY…IT JUST LEAVES A BAD TASTE IN YOUR MOUTH.”

Pipeline:

Come cheer on KEISHER “FIRE” MCLEOD-WELLS AKA KEISHER THE BOXING DIVA, as she goes for her second professional title championship belt on Saturday, May 30, 2015 at the Resorts World Casino in Queens brought to you by New Legend Promotions.

Tickets can be purchased through www.KeisherMcleodWells.com or call Gleason's Gym AT (718) 797-2872 or (646) 537-5059

The French Open, held in Paris, France, IS May 24-June 7, so if you’re not booked already, it may be too late!

The 2015 NBA Draft is on June 25th.

Nets Still Underachieving; Cavaliers Poised to take Round 1

The NBA playoffs are on and poppin'!!! In this segment, Glenn Gilliam and Gregory Alaca are discussing the status of primarily the Eastern Conference in Round 1: Atlanta Hawk vs. Brooklyn Nets; Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics; and Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls. Lastly, the two talked about Tom Thibodeau and Scott Brooks' job security.