Brooklyn Nets: Flatbush is Just Bubblicious

From the desk of: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION 

EASTERN CONFERENCE

2019   PLAYOFFS   2020

ROUND ONE

TORONTO RAPTORS(#2)

vs.

BROOKLYN NETS(#7)

The Nets with Tuesday's victory over Orlando improve to 35-36 (.492), leaving one last regular season game remaining against Portland.  Thursday's goal no doubt is about achieving par.  A victory would certainly add that special exclamation point to an already commendable performance in the bubble, not to mention punctuate consecutive playoff appearances, despite their dearth of top available regulars.

But, beware, the Trail Blazers still have much to play for.  They enter Thursday's action struggling to maintain their eighth place standing in the West.  Portland holds a tenuous half-game lead over the Memphis Grizzlies, who wrap up against the Milwaukee Bucks.  Come Thursday night Brooklyn should expect an intense Blazers effort.  Flatbush clinched their playoff spot a few days ago.  They're 5-2 since restarting play, and 7-2 under head coach Jacque Vaughn.  They take a three game win streak into Thursday's season finale.

TUESDAY

Nets    108

Magic    96

FINAL

Tuesday, as expected, Jarret Allen, Caris LeVert, and Joe Harris, under the guise of injury management, do not play.  Garrett Temple is simply given the night off.  It's worth noting Orlando already has the eight spot locked up.  That said, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot leads the floor with his third 24-point/plus performance in seven games, and his second within a week.  He is matched only by Jeremiah Martin's 24-points, who also distributes a game high six assists off the bench.  Dzanan Musa also has six assists with 17-points.  Rodions Kurucs attempts only four shots in 25-minutes, but along with Donta Hall secures a team high eight rebounds.

Brooklyn's emerging maelstrom, Caris LeVert, since entering the bubble is averaging 22.6 points in 33 minutes.  In just the Nets second game back, Caris scores 34 points against the Wizards.  This past
Sunday against the L.A. Clippers LeVert goes double-double with 27 points and 13 assists.  He has distributed at least seven assists in three of five games, and is averaging 19.4 shots attempts, but a light 6.4 attempts from the free throw line.

I just hope Jarrett Allen's ankle sprain is a minor matter, and that he'll be able to withstand the pounding to come against Toronto.  That's my guy we're talking about.  Three double-doubles in five games back: 22 points and 15 boards against the Bullets; 17 points and 11 boards against the Kings; and most recently 16 points and 16 rebounds against the Clippers.

Meanwhile, Joe Harris is averaging 20.2 points since returning, while averaging 4/7 from beyond the arc for a stellar 57.5% rate of success.

THURSDAY

Portland Trail Blazers  vs.  Brooklyn Nets

  #WeGoHard

Brooklyn Nets Face Big Test Against League's Stingiest Defense

From the desk of: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

Just Not Hard Enough ...

SUNDAY

Nets    112

Suns   138

FINAL

Entering game ten of this still young season, we may now speak in trends.  Look no further than Brooklyn's defensive effort or lack thereof for the Nets 4-5 record and eighth place conference standing.  They rank third in the NBA with 119.8 points per game, but allow 121.7 points per game which ranks second to last.  While some of the names have changed, none of this is new.

There's plenty of fodder from Sunday's 26-point loss at Phoenix to feed off.  Like the Suns game opening 10-1 run; Jarrett Allen's early foul trouble; having no answer for Devin Booker; Ricky Rubio's double-double and a game high 12 assists; allowing Phoenix 19/42 (45%) from beyond the arc; or even Coach Atkinson's inclination to walk the near length of the floor in order to berate an official.

I will just say Sunday's game marks the Nets second double-digit loss, and their worst defeat to date.  In either instance, the Nets failed to score their season average against a defensively viable opponent.  Of Brooklyn's first nine opponents Phoenix and Indianapolis play the best defense.  The Pacers, presently ranked eighth in the NBA in points against, defeated the Nets by ten points in game four at Barclays.  Then Sunday happened.  The Suns, 13th in the NBA in points allowed, deny Brooklyn a 20-point scorer.  Kyrie Irving is Brooklyn's lone starter in double-digits with 15 points on 7/16 from the field.  Otherwise Spencer Dinwiddie leads the Nets with 18 points off the bench.  DeAndre Jordan and Dzanan Musa score in double-digits, also off the bench.

Defensively speaking, Brooklyn's four victories have come against the 15th ranked Knicks; 26th ranked Rockets; 30th ranked Pelicans; and the 23rd ranked Trailblazers.

Otherwise they've sustained one point losses against the 20th ranked Mavericks, and 27th ranked Grizzlies; a four point loss against the 17th ranked Pistons; and the aforementioned double-digit losses against the Pacers and Suns.

Brooklyn next faces the Utah Jazz whom sport the NBA's stingiest defense.  The Jazz are undefeated at home and have allowed just 97.0 points per game.  While the Nets should rightfully be credited with defeating the Houston Rockets, it is the Jazz whom to date represent their toughest match.  If you wanna know how potent the Nets offense really is, let us wait and see how well they click against Utah ... or not.