Brooklyn Nets Face Elimination and Uncertainty

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

GAME FOUR
Boston Celtics

vs.

Brooklyn Nets

FROM

Flatbush Avenue

Nets Continue Battling Themselves

We've seen this before ... this is nothing new; there's no need for an overly technical breakdown of the situation.  

All can be boiled down to ball possession: it's been a season-long issue that stems back to last year.

In game three, the Nets and Celtics achieved the same points from behind the arc and free throw line.  Both even shot 50% from the field.  Rebounds and assists were also reasonably balanced.  But Boston had seven more possessions than Brooklyn and squeezed out a six-point margin of victory.  

In most games, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving outscore this discrepancy.  Sure, the Nets had six players score in double-digits.  But when KD and Kyrie are not on their game, this happens.  Durant was limited to just 11 FG attempts, and Kyrie was 0/7 from behind the arc; both scored just 16 points.  Instead, Bruce Brown led the Nets with 26 points and eight rebounds, while Patty Mills' and Nic Claxton's efforts off the bench went for naught.

Meanwhile, Jayson Tatum led the floor with 29 FG attempts and 39 points, and Jaylen Brown followed with 23 points.

Flatbush is now down three games to none for so many reasons and more than several people to blame. 

Game four is Monday night at the Flatbush Avenue gym.

Go down fighting, will ya ...

Brooklyn Nets: Flatbush to Beantown

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

The Brooklyn Nets are coming!  The Nets are coming!

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION

ROUND ONE

BROOKLYN NETS

vs.

BOSTON CELTICS

Ben Simmons is a non-issue.  

But Goran Dragic, Patty Mills, and Seth Curry's respective performance is.  The same goes for Andre Drummond, Nic Claxton, and Bruce Brown, who stands to be the most essential contributor not named Kyrie or Kevin.  

Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant have undertaken the responsibilities of facilitating and distribution.  Irving is still dishing out his regular 6.6 assists per game.  However, Kevin Durant averaged 6.4 assists for the season but averaged 7.8 assists over the final ten games.  Six times during the regular season, KD posted double-digit assists.  Four of those occurred over the last thirteen games.  He then dished off eleven times in the play-in game against Cleveland.  

Irving and Durant will create their own shots and get their points.  Durant dropped 55 points against Atlanta earlier this month and scored 37 points the last time Flatbush faced Boston.  Kyrie averaged 30.8 points over his final thirteen games, highlighted by his 60-point night against Orlando and three other games of at least 40 points, and posted a game-high 34 points against the Cavs.

Thus, the onus is on Dragic, Mills, Curry, Drummond, Claxton, and Brown to compete, defend, and convert.  Let me say that again: they need defensive stops and conversion points at the other end.  Flatbush routinely permits the opposition with more attempts per game.  So they need to contest Jayson Tatum throughout and bring Boston's overall shooting percentage down.  I'd even consider giving LaMarcus Aldridge some minutes for some requisite personal fouls.  

The Nets can't have Kyrie and Kevin accounting for upwards of and beyond 70 points and still come up short.  It's happened before.

Therein lies Brooklyn's ability or inability to advance through the conference playoffs.

Brooklyn Nets: Flatbush Wraps Up Homestand With Win Over Hawks

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

YEAR TEN

WEDNESDAY

Hawks   104

NETS    117

FINAL

Joe Harris Takes Turn Filling The Big Three Void

I'll keep saying it till I'm blue in the face: this is the Joe Harris needed by the Nets in Kyrie Irving's absence.  According to the lineup card, Joe Harris is the defacto number three.  Along with Kevin Durant and James Harden, only Harris has started all eight Net games to date.

Joe tied with Bruce Brown for third-most shots against the Hawks with ten, but more importantly, Harris was 6/8 from behind the arc for a season-high 18 points and six defensive rebounds in 34 minutes - the Nets' second-most floor time.  His previous high was 15 points against Miami.

Harris has now scored in double-digits in five of eight starts with an average of 11.9 ppg.  But it's his lack of consistency that is so maddening.  That being said, he has yet this season to put together three consecutive double-digit scoring performances when we all know he's capable.  We'll see what transpires in Detroit.

For the seventh time in eight games, Kevin Durant led the Nets with a game-high 32 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in 36 minutes.  This marks the third time he's eclipsed 30 points and the first time since scoring a season-high 38 points on Oct. 24 against Charlotte.  James Harden matched KD in minutes and pulled in with 16 points and a floor-high eleven assists.

Flatbush got blasted on the boards by a margin of ten and got outscored in the paint by 20 points.  But they did a far better job of ball distribution which helped the Nets convert nine more three-point attempts than Atlanta.  It also helped mask the fact that for the seventh time in eight games, the opposition has not only exceeded 90 shot attempts per game but has likewise outshot the Nets in every game to date.  Even in the one game when Brooklyn held Detroit to just 79 shot attempts, the Nets still only finished with 72 attempts of their own.  

The opposition has hoised up 747 shots for an average of 93.3 per game; the Nets have attempted 674 total shots for a rate of 84.2 per game.  As the season marches onward, if you factor in potentially improved shooting percentages by Brooklyn opponents, then ... then there will be issues.  But that's for Steve Nash to figure out.

Blake Griffin and Bruce Brown continue starting games together.  Brown finished with ten points in 31 minutes.  However, Griffin's scoring struggles remain ongoing.  He was 2/7 from behind the arc and 1/1 from the line for seven points but secured four offensive rebounds and seven overall.  I know he's trying to transform his game, but truth be told, Blake's transition to a three-point shooter is not exactly going well.  Fill the center role and stick with the mid-range stuff and rim rockers when opportunity allows.  Otherwise, hanging around the perimeter is Joe Harris' job.

Patty Mills added 14 points and was second on the team with six assists, and LaMarcus Aldridge dropped ten points in 17 minutes, both off the bench.

Brooklyn wins their third consecutive game at Barclays Center and wraps up their homestand with a 4-2 record.

Next stop: Motor City.

Brooklyn Nets: Flatbush Can't Take The Heat

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

YEAR TEN

WEDNESDAY

Heat  106

NETS   93

FINAL

The Plot Thickens

Loss, win, loss, win, loss ...

Coming off last season's hamstring injury and offseason rehab, James Harden admitted after Wednesday's game against Miami that he is still not playing at 100%, partly explaining his early-season performance.  

It's also clear due in part to rule changes involving "natural basketball motions," Harden is not garnering the type of whistles he's accustomed to.  From 2012 through 2020, Harden averaged 10.4 free throw attempts per game.  He is presently averaging just three attempts per game.  Harden opened the season with four attempts against both Milwaukee and Philadelphia.  But has since only attempted one against Charlotte and three shots each against Washington and Miami.  That's just 15 free throw attempts in five games.  For someone who has averaged 8.7 free throw attempts over his career, this presently marks a career-low dating back to his second season with Oklahoma City.

The Nets, for a fifth consecutive game, were outshot by the competition.  All five Brooklyn opponents have exceeded 90 shots per game.  Miami attempted 96 shots giving the opposition an average of 96.2 per game.  Meanwhile, Flatbush is averaging just 87.6 shots for a discrepancy of 8.6 shots per game.

Kevin Durant notched his third double-double with a game-high 25 points and eleven rebounds in 37 minutes.

Only Durant, Harden, and Joe Harris have started all five games, and for the first time this season, Harris finished top three in team scoring.  With 15 points in 35 minutes, he finished second behind Durant.  Joe put up 15 shots, also second to Durant, ending up 5/11 from beyond the arc.  

• Joe Harris surpassed Jason Kidd to become the franchise leader in converted three-pointers.

Blake Griffin has started four of five games.  He started the first two games alongside Nicolas Claxton.  When he was held out in the first game of back-to-back nights, Claxton and Jevon Carter started against Charlotte.  In consecutive starts now, Coach Nash has gone with Blake Griffin and Bruce Brown.  Against Miami, Brown finished with twelve points, five rebounds, and three steals in 35 minutes.

Flatbush starters outscored Heat starters (72-71) by one point.  The benches, however, proved a mismatch.  Miami's Dewayne Dedmon and Tyler Herro joined for 28 points as the Heat bench outscored Brooklyn's by (35-21) 14 points.  Patty Mills was just 1/9 from the field and 0/6 from three-point range.

Miami also obliterated Brooklyn on the boards.  They secured 17 offensive rebounds, which helped pad their 48-34 point advantage in the paint.  The Nets had virtually no second-chance opportunities, securing just four offensive rebounds.  All told, Miami outrebounded the Nets by a ponderous 62-42 margin.  Coach Nash says the Nets were too hasty in getting back on defense.  But that strikes me as dead air; it's hardly an excuse for just four offensive boards.  Miami secured 45 defensive rebounds against 38 for the Nets.

Brooklyn Nets: Flatbush Earns First Home Victory

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

YEAR TEN

MONDAY

Wizards  90

NETS    104

FINAL

No Wizardry In Victory Over Washington

Flatbush evened their record at home with a victory over the Washington Wizards.  

Unlike their previous games, the Nets got off to a hot start, outscoring the Wizards 38-20 in the first quarter.  But while the outcome was never in doubt, this game did more to cover up some underlying defects than bolster my perception and expectations.

After the first quarter, the rest of the game is a matter of interpretation.  Brooklyn was outscored 70-66 over the final three quarters en route to a 14-point margin of victory.

Washington became Brooklyn's fourth straight opponent to exceed 90 shots, whereas Monday's game marked only the first time the Nets eclipsed 90+ shot attempts in a game.  However, their aiming registered a season-low 42.6% from the field.  In fact, the Nets are shooting just 44.2% through their first four games.

Once again, Kevin Durant led the floor with 25 points in a game-high 35 minutes after scoring 38 points in 36 minutes on Sunday.  His minutes in the upcoming game against Miami will be a curious matter.

James Harden is still clearly out of sorts.  He was 5/17 (29.4%) from the field and a mere 1/7 from beyond the arc, with only three free throw attempts.  However, he led the floor with nine assists while old friend Spencer Dinwiddie led the Wizards with six.

The next tier of starting players remains the team's unknown variable.  

Bruce Brown hardly played in the first two games of the season, but we knew he would not sit long.  After just four minutes against Milwaukee and sitting out at Philly, Brown played 27 minutes off the bench against Charlotte, then started Monday against Washington, finishing with 14 points in 30 minutes.

This was Coach Nash's third different lineup in four games.  Kept out of Sunday's game, Blake Griffin was a cold 1/7 from the field but secured a team-high nine rebounds in 19 minutes.  Joe Harris finished with 11 points and eight rebounds.  However, he was 3/11 from beyond the arc and 3/12 (25%) overall - 19.2% below the team's present field goal percentage.

Patty Mills led the bench effort with 21 points in 23 minutes.  It's his second 20+ point effort and his third game in double-digit scoring.  

After starting three straight games, Nicolas Claxton contributed six points and eight rebounds with a team-high +21 in 16 minutes off the bench.

Brooklyn Nets: Flatbush Fails to Protect Their House

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

YEAR TEN

OPENING DAY

SUNDAY

Hornets   111

NETS        95

FINAL

After Three Games, We Can Speak of Trends

The tenth opening day in Brooklyn Nets history will be a difficult one to forget.  

After splitting games at Milwaukee and Philadelphia, Flatbush fans were left stung by a listless fourth-quarter effort en route to a ponderous loss against the Charlotte Hornets at Barclays Center.  It's a game poised to remain swollen in our memory all season long.

After a recurring slow start, the Nets took a 58-50 lead into halftime.  The meltdown ensued post haste.  Charlotte outscored the Nets 29-20 in the third to seize a one-point lead, then in the fourth quarter, blew them out by a 32-17 margin.  All told, Brooklyn was outscored 61-37 in the second half, a margin of 24 points.  Thus, there were issues on both sides of the court and everywhere in between.

Kevin Durant led the floor with 38 points in a game-high 36 minutes, being asked to do everything.  James Harden was the only other Net in double-digits with 15 points and a game-high eight assists.  However, Harden likewise turned the ball over eight times.

Otherwise, Flatbush Avenue reeked of lethargy.  They totaled just 12 shots from the free-throw line, four by Nicolas Claxton.  The Hornets had eight more assists, four more rebounds, four more blocks, seven more fastbreak points, and most glaring, 14 more points in the paint.

Wait ...

Charlotte marks Brooklyn's third straight opponent to lead the game in total shots.  The Nets have so far been outshot by a 290-259 overall margin.  All three opponents have exceeded 90-plus attempts.  Whereas the Nets have been limited to 86.3 shots per game, Kevin Durant averages 26.6% of those.

Speaking of which, six Brooklyn players took more shots than Joe Harris, who finished with seven points in 28 minutes.

Brooklyn's bench got outscored by a 39-27 margin.  Patty Mills was ice cold, shooting 2/10 from the field and 1/6 from three in 32 minutes.  LaMarcus Aldridge led the bench with nine points in 22 minutes, and Bruce Brown added eight points in 27 minutes.

This was Coach Nash's first lineup change in three games.  Jevon Carter started replacing Blake Griffin with back-to-back games, who is due to start Monday against Washington.  Carter was 1/7 from the field for three points in 26 minutes.   

When Blake Griffin returns on Monday, I'm curious to see if, after three straight games, Nicolas Claxton continues in a starting role.

Brooklyn Nets: Resilient Effort at Philadelphia Results in Season's First Win

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

FRIDAY
NETS      114

SIXERS  109

FINAL

Nets Give Flatbush Fans Attitude Adjustment With Win Over Sixers

Two games, same lineup, same slow and sloppy start.

At halftime, I took a look at Twitter and saw everyone clamoring for Bruce Brown, myself included.  He did not play - coach's decision.

But then, in the second half, the Nets started playing defense.  Through the second half of last season, the Nets fell into a habit of falling behind early, coming back before the half, and taking leads in the third.  These first two games got off to somewhat similar starts, but unlike against Milwaukee, this contest favored the Nets.

Coach Nash is still doing what in pre-season he could not: better understand what he's working with.  We know Bruce Brown will not sit for much longer.  For now, Brown is seen as a known variable, other players not so much, and that's what Coach Nash is trying to figure out.  Meanwhile, after trailing most of the night, this lineup on this night showed their coach some resiliency.

Joe Harris needs to hit more three-pointers like the one he nailed at 7:50 of the fourth.  However, poor transition defense resulted in a ten-point deficit with 5:32 left.  After Patty Mills cut the Nets deficit down to two points, Brooklyn turned the ball over on a 24-second violation.  Durant later drew a charge, and Harden scored on the ensuing inbounds play again, tying the game at two.

An 11-0 run and LaMarcus Aldridge scoring 13 of his 23 points in the fourth propelled Brooklyn late in the fourth.  They seized a 111-109 with 15.2 seconds left.  With Durant, Harden, Aldridge, Harris, Patty Mills on the floor, Durant was fouled on an inbound and converted both free throws giving the Nets a four-point lead.  The Nets, who took their first lead in the fourth, finished on a 16-1 run to end the game.  Philadelphia, who led by seven at halftime, was outscored 29-18 in the final session.

Either James Harden is not getting whistles, or he might be working with Coach Nash to figure out this new cast.  He finished with 20 points and eight assists.  Against the Bucks, Harden had just four attempts from the line and the same against the Sixers.  For now, that's an acute deviation from his usual game.

But the Nets turned things around when KD became the facilitator.  Kevin Durant posted a triple-double with 29 points, 12 assists, and 15 rebounds, all game highs, in 37 minutes, and cycling back to my point about Harden, KD was 10/10 from the line.

Joe Harris represented himself well with 14 essential points and five rebounds in 33 minutes.

Too much cannot be said of LaMarcus Aldridge, who matched both Philly starters Tobias Harris and Seth Curry with 23 points in 23 minutes off the bench.  He was 10/12 from the field and a perfect 3/3 from the line.  Patty Mills was again a sparkplug off the bench with eleven points and a +31 in 30 minutes.  All told, Brooklyn's bench outscored Philly's by a 44-23 margin.

Unlike game one's shot disparity, Philly only outshot Brooklyn by a 91-88 margin.

Blake Griffin is still trying to find his way, going 1 for 6 from the field and scoreless in five attempts at three.

Brooklyn Nets Fail to Buck The Trend in Season Opener at Milwaukee

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

Look What The Milwaukee Bucks Did to Flatbush, Again!

Going up against Brook Lopez and Giannis Antetokounmpo, I was somewhat surprised to see Nicolas Claxton starting over, say, LaMarcus Aldridge, James Johnson, and/or Paul Millsap.

That's not a criticism of Claxton, who scored twelve points with seven rebounds in 24 minutes.  With so many new faces, this team still is learning how to play alongside one another.  Therefore, Claxton has seniority and lineup experience.  So, I'm not begrudging Coach Nash's decision.

However, the trio of Aldridge, Johnson, and Millsap joined together for a grand total of two points, three assists, and six rebounds, with none on the offensive boards.  Meanwhile, Giannis finished tied with a game-high 32 points and led the floor with 14 rebounds.  Said another way, Antetokounmpo outscored all players mentioned above by five points and outrebounded them by one.

The game result was the Nets getting outrebounded by a factor of ten.  Milwaukee secured 13 offensive rebounds and 54 boards overall.  A microcosm of Brooklyn's interior play was Antetokounmpo pulling down five offensive boards, which matched the entire Nets team.  Otherwise, defensive rebounds were almost equal, but possession was far from that.  Throw in twelve turnovers and Milwaukee attempted 21 more shots than Brooklyn.

Kevin Durant canceled out Giannis with 32 points of his own and eleven defensive rebounds.  James Harden and Kris Middleton cancel each other out with 20 points apiece.  Claxton and Jrue Holiday also canceled each other out.  Patty Mills scored 21 points in 29 minutes, while Pat Connaughton scored 20 points in 30 minutes, both coming off the bench.

Afterwhich, the scales favored the Bucks, who had six players scoring in double-digits while the Nets had four.  Milwaukee got 15 points off the bench from Jordan Nwora, and Grayson Allen added ten.  Joe Harris picked up where he left off with nine points in a team-high 31 minutes (yeah, that's a dig), and Blake Griffin was limited to six points in 23 minutes.

James Harden distributed a game-high eight assists, but the Bucks did a better job overall with 25 team assists versus 19 for the Nets.

But the true listlessness of Brooklyn's season-opening game was punctuated by 13/23 (56.5%) from the free-throw line.  On a side note, Giannis was afforded nine opportunities from the line, but Durant and Harden together were limited to ten.

Tuesday's opener indeed brings interior defense, physicality, and other more outstanding issues into the spotlight, but this was only game one.  Coach Nash still needs time to reestablish a cohesive rotation. 

Thus, all other criticisms are at this moment put on hold.  

Brooklyn Nets Tenth Season On Flatbush Avenue Begins

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

YEAR TEN

Year Nine ended with the franchise's highest ever NBA winning percentage.  Otherwise, the Long Island Nets sandwiched a franchise-best .690 win percentage in between two ABA championships.

There are several obvious reasons why I believe today the Nets are not defending NBA champions.  I suspect James Harden's early-season conditioning at Houston caught up to him after seizing the point position in Brooklyn.  I still believe Kyrie Irving (sprained ankle) was undercut during the conference semifinals by Giannis Antetokounmpo and because Kevin Durant has big feet.

That last part was said by Kevin Durant in jest, but the upcoming 2021-2022 season is no joking matter.  As the doors swing open for Barclays Center's tenth NBA season, Sean Marks has a small window of opportunity.  Kevin Durant recently signed a four-year extension.  But James Harden had until Monday, October 18, 2021, to pick up the option on his contract and (for a known amount) extend his time on Flatbush Avenue through the 2023-2024 season.  News of his decision is pending.  Harden otherwise becomes a free agent at the end of this season, although he already expressed a desire to stay in Brooklyn.

Speaking of decisions, let me be clear: my opinion about Kyrie Irving doesn't matter.  Whatever Sean Marks says and does is where I stand.  In strict basketball terms, I'm only interested in uniformed players.  I'll embrace his presence if and when he returns to the floor.  Otherwise, ya can't begrudge people for their personal beliefs.  

I'm more interested in who or how many it takes to fill the void.  Sean Marks imported a lot of new faces.  But my attention remains frustratingly fixated on one person in particular.  Without going through the whole rigmarole, I'll pick up with last season's playoffs against the Milwaukee Bucks:

1. After just 0:43 seconds into Game One, the Nets lost James Harden.  With Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving still on the floor, Joe Harris stepped up with 19 points and a +6 in 34:18 minutes.
2. James Harden is out in Game Two.  With Durant and Kyrie on the floor, Joe Harris added 13 points and +25 in 30:20 minutes.
3. Harden likewise misses Game Three.  But Joe Harris scored just 3 points with a -11 in 36:38 minutes.
4. After spending just 17:17 minutes on the floor, the Nets lose Kyrie Irving in Game Four to an ankle injury - out for the series.  With Harden and Irving both out, Joe Harris scored 8 points with a -17 in 38:04 minutes.
5. A compromised James Harden returns in Game Five and continues playing out the series.  Joe Harris contributed a mere 5 points with a +3 in 37:02 minutes.
6. In Game Six, Joe Harris scored 9 points with a -25 in 36:27 minutes.
7. In the decisive Game Seven, Joe Harris scored ten points with a -1 in 46:55 minutes.

... and this is my problem.  Over the final five games when the Nets needed Joe Harris to step up most, he averaged just 7 points and a -10 in 39:12 minutes.  I'm not entertaining a particular shot he may have made or his celebrated shooting percentage from three.  With James Harden or Kyrie Irving out of action, sometimes both at the same time, Joe Cool went ice cold.  Now, 30-years old, entering his sixth season with the Nets, he is essentially faced with the same situation and circumstances ...

... except for the off-season and those vying for his playing time.

In July, Sean Marks, with the 27th overall selection in the 2021 draft, selected guard Cam Thomas out of LSU.   Marks signed free agent Patty Mills and DeAndre' Bembry in August.  Mills won a championship with the 2014 San Antonio Spurs and has averaged 10.0 points in 23.1 minutes, playing primarily off Gregg Popovich's bench for the last six seasons.  Sean Marks also traded Landry Shamet to the Phoenix Suns for 26-year old point guard Jevon Carter and center Day'Ron Sharpe.

LaMarcus Aldridge played in just five games upon last season's acquisition.  He last participated in a regular-season game on April 10 and soon after was diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat forcing him into retirement.  If the 36-year old is indeed feeling up to the task, he can be a tremendous asset on defense.  LaMarcus played in three of four preseason games, and in the finale against Minnesota, scored 16 points in 24 minutes off the bench.  He was 4/8 from the field and a perfect 8/8 from the line.  Newcomers and fellow 36-year old Paul Millsap, James Johnson, and returnees Nicolas Claxton and Blake Griffin together should ably handle the four and five spots.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Bruce Brown.  He, above and beyond every complimentary player discussed here, can perhaps best recover potential points lost in Kyrie Irving's absence.  In his first season upon his acquisition from Detroit, Brown averaged 8.8 points in 22.3 minutes through 65 of Brooklyn's 72 games.  

But that doesn't nearly tell the whole story.  Brown scored 20-plus points three times with a season-high 29 points in February against Sacramento and scored double-digit points 24 other times.  Bruce Brown finished the season very strong.  Thirteen of 27 total double-digit performances came in his first 40 games, whereas 14 came in his last 25 regular-season games.  Meanwhile, five of his six double-double efforts occurred in his last eleven regular-season games.  Hopefully, there's more of that to come.

With Kevin Durant and James Harden leading the way, this team absolutely can bring an NBA championship to Flatbush.

So, here we go ... let's do this.  Hopefully, year ten will be the best season of all.

Go, Brooklyn.