The Brooklyn Nets looked to bounce back after getting crushed by the reigning NBA Champions Golden State Warriors, 114-98,  at the Barclays Center on Sunday evening. Prior to tip off, the Houston Rockets had won three straight including a 120-113 win over the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night.

The Nets outscored their opponents 57-46 in the two opening quarters as three of their starters combined for 40 first half points. Four minutes into the game, Trevor Ariza took a hard fall and took some time to get back up on his feet. He would then be sent to the locker room and not return after being diagnosed with a bruised back.

In the second half, Brooklyn’s lead was up to 18 early in the third frame. As a result, Houston began to climb back and started the fourth quarter down just four. Marcus Thornton, who finished with 32 points in 26 minutes of action, knocked down consecutive back-to-back three pointers to cut the Net lead to just two points in the fourth period. Brooklyn would not allow Houston to take over and fought until the very end with Joe Johnson leading the way. Johnson finished the night with 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting after logging in 43 minutes. He was two assists shy from a double-double.

All five Nets starters finished in double figure scoring. Brook Lopez contributed with 24 points while Thaddeus Young achieved a double-double of 20 points and 12 boards. Bojan Bogdanovic tallied 19 points while Jarrett Jack chipped in 10 points.

Former All-Stars James Harden and Dwight Howard had a quiet night, combining for 20 points. Corey Brewer contributed with 22 points off the bench. Brooklyn recorded season-highs with 27 assists and 57 percent shooting from the field. Both teams struggled protecting the ball and combined for a total of 47 turnovers. The Nets had their way in the paint, having a 56-to-36 advantage over Houston.

Other Key Things To Note

-The Nets celebrated Joe Johnson night with the first 10,000 fans in attendance receiving a Johnson bobblehead.

-On November 11, Brooklyn earned their first win of the season with a victory against the Rockets at the Toyota Center.

-Net rookie Rondae Hollis-Jefferson will be out 8-10 weeks after the team announced he was diagnosed with a sprained ankle. Hollis-Jefferson picked up the injury in Saturday's team practice.   

-Howard celebrated his 30th birthday tonight.

-Despite a Brooklyn victory, Howard is still 12-3 when matching up against Lopez during a regular season game.

-Donatas Motiejunas played his second game after coming back from a back injury.

Up Next

Brooklyn's next opponent will be against the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday, November 10th as they continue their six game home stand. Tip off will be shortly after 7:30 P.M. EST. For Houston, they will square off against the Washington Wizards tomorrow night at the Verizon Center. Gametime is at 7:00 P.M. EST.