Avery Johnson, once asked if he dreamed of a Nets team with Carmelo Anthony, responded, “I dream of the day my center grabs 10 rebounds.”
That center was Brook Lopez, of course, the same center the Nets tried to replace with Dwight Howard several times, the same center they discussed trading to Oklahoma City this season, the same center many thought would not respond to reconstructive foot surgery. The same center who dropped 26 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots on the Hawks on Monday night as the Nets evened their first-round series at two games each with a 120-115 overtime win.