The Nets showcased some reasons for the team and its fans to hope for a more successful future Wednesday night.
Perhaps the biggest one came via an impressive performance from rookie Noah Clowney in his second NBA start.
The teenager isn’t one to mention his age when asked about his performance. Instead, the 19-year-old chooses brevity and humility.
After putting up 10 points, seven rebounds, and seven blocks against the Raptors in a come-from-behind 106-102 victory in the home finale, Clowney graciously dismissed the block stat that made him the 12th teenager in NBA history to have at least seven blocks in a game.
“They kept trying to lay the ball up and I kept blocking it. There ain’t much else to it,” Clowney said with a chuckle.
He is the lowest-drafted player (21st overall in 2023) to appear on the rookie-blocks list. He fell just short of tying the franchise record of eight blocks by a rookie, shared by Mike Gminski and Sean Williams.
Clowney spent most of the season developing in the G-League and once the Nets were eliminated from a shot at a play-in spot last week, the power forward’s minutes ramped up to allow the front office a chance to see what he can bring to the team moving forward.
He has not taken the extended opportunity lightly.
In the past three games, he has averaged 11.3 points on 60 percent shooting, 7.7 rebounds, and 3.7 blocks across an average 32.6 minutes.
Additionally, on the night the Nets were eliminated, Clowney dropped a double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds in 17 minutes.
The burst has not come as a surprise to interim head coach Kevin Ollie.
“I gotta give Mu [Mfon Udofia] and all the coaches down in Long Island a big time shout-out because he could have pouted down there, he could have, you know, ‘J Will [Jalen Wilson] is up here, I’m down here, I’m the No. 1 pick.’ He could have had all that stuff going on,” Ollie said.
“But I think they just did a great job coaching him, putting him in situations down there so when we got him he was already set. He knew exactly what we wanted to do, how he can perform, and he came in ready. And that’s what you have to do. You never know when somebody’s gonna knock on your door, and opportunity knocks on the door. Your job is to be ready, and he took on every challenge we gave him.”
Ollie termed Clowney’s big moment Wednesday “one of the best plays all season” coming with 21.6 seconds left in the game.
Wilson inbounded the ball to Clowney, who quickly had it stolen from him by Garrett Temple.
The Raptors’ guard drove down the lane only to meet Clowney’s seventh block, which Dennis Schroder rebounded before he was fouled.
He made both free throws to hold on to the lead.
“He’s a catalyst for us on the defensive side of the ball,” Nic Claxton said. “He’s talking. I hear him out there. I’m also trying to be as vocal as I can be. It’s a good look for us.”
The Barclays Center crowd witnessed more of their rising star, who is signed on a four-year $15.15 million contract, according to Spotrac, and is quickly becoming a “regular” among the group, said Mikal Bridges.
“He’s shown growth so fast. Like I said, when he first got thrown out there, he’s understanding everything and playing really well and playing hard. He’s doing an unbelievable job right now,” Bridges said.
