The Nets are considered the favorite to win the championship. Under the leadership of James Harden and Kevin Durant, the Nets once led the Eastern Conference. However, after Durant's return, the Nets lost to the 76ers, Clippers and Grizzlies, swallowing a three-game losing streak.
The Nets recently lost to the Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers, Clippers and Grizzlies have a record, ranking and lineup configuration that is inferior to that of the Nets. In Ben Simmons' absence, the 76ers still beat the Nets 110-102 on Dec. 31.
With Card Jr., George, Batum, Zubac, Marcus Morris and Haltenstein sidelined, the Clippers narrowly beat the Nets 120-116 on Jan. 2.
The Nets were beaten by the disorganized Clippers
On Jan. 4, the Grizzlies, who had no All-Star players on their team, beat the Nets 118-104 to give Brooklyn a three-game losing streak.
Defeated by the 76ers, Clippers, and Grizzlies, the Nets have swallowed three straight losses. The Nets' rankings are currently down to second in the East and are at risk of being overtaken by the Bucks.
The Grizzlies beat the Nets
The Nets were blown cold and swallowed 3 consecutive losses, exposing 3 shortcomings! Harden KD Chizan Irving, Nash emphasis on defense!
The Nets, in the process of 3 consecutive losses, exposed 3 major shortcomings. First, the rebounding protection ability is insufficient. In the game against the Grizzlies, the Nets were crushed by their opponents in all aspects of rebounding data. The Nets rebounded, trailing their opponents by 28 points 33-61. In frontcourt rebounding data, the Nets trailed their opponents 8-23.
The Nets' rebounding ability is not protected enough
For that game, Nash continued to rotate with 8 players. The Grizzlies, on the other hand, rely on a strong defense and excellent impact, continue to score in the box. With 9:30 left in the final quarter, the Nets were already 28 points behind. Nash, the player at the end of the bench, abandoned the son to admit defeat. The bench, led by players such as Jevon Carter and Thomas, who rarely played, once forced the point difference to 10 points, and even saw the hope of reversing the opponent.
The Nets' exposure to insufficient rebounding ability is mainly due to two reasons. First, Nash's use of an eight-man rotation led to a lack of energy on the court; second, the Nets' core lineup lacked athleticism.
The Second Biggest Shortcoming Exposed by the Nets' 3-game Losing streak is the excessive number of mistakes. In the loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, the Nets made 17 turnovers, while the 76ers made only seven turnovers across the team. The Nets' two biggest possession players, Durant and James Harden, both need to play more cautiously. In Irving's absence, no one on the Nets can share the burden of Harden and Durant's possession of the ball.
James Harden with Kevin Durant
The Third Weakness Exposed by the Nets' three-game losing streak is the lack of a stable pitcher. With Joe Harris sidelined by injury, Patty Mills became the Nets' best shooter. However, in the last 3 consecutive defeats, Mills has not performed well on the offensive end, and the state has fluctuated significantly.
Against the 76ers, Mills shot 2-of-10 from the field and 1-of-8 from three-point range, scoring just 5 points and scoring 3. In this battle, Mills's shooting percentage and three-point shooting rate were only 20% and 12.5%, respectively. In this campaign, the Nets shot 7 3-pointers with a 26% shooting percentage.
Nets Patty Mills
In the loss to the Clippers, Mills scored 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting and 5-of-9 from three-point range. However, although Mills performed well, he was forced to go off the field in the final quarter because of 6 fouls. With Mills off and the Nets shooting poor, the Clippers managed to turn the tables in the final quarter. In that game, the Nets shot 11 3-pointers with a 33 percent shooting percentage.
In the game of the fiasco against the Grizzlies, Patty Mills scored 0 points on 0-of-6 shooting and 5-of-5 from three-point range. In this game, the Nets shot 9 3-pointers with a 29% shooting rate.
During the three-game losing streak, the Nets' long-range shooting efficiency was not ideal, and the shooting rate was around 30%. Mills played well and became a barometer of whether the Nets could win. The Nets, who placed the offensive responsibility on the outside line on Mills alone, just exposed their shortcomings in the unstable scoring on the outside line and the lack of pitchers.
Mills was under intense pressure on the offensive end of the perimeter
After swallowing three consecutive defeats, Harden and Durant both praised Kyrie Owen. According to previous reports, Irving is likely to make a comeback in the Jan. 6 Nets game against the Pacers.
Harden said, "Irving has a special talent ... His return will definitely bring some sparks to the team, which is very special. ”
Durant, Harden and Irving
Durant said: "He (Irving) will bring us new energy, but most importantly, he is an efficient player, he can put pressure on defenders, he is also a good defender..."
Irving's top singles ability, good long-range shooting ability, excellent ball control ability, excellent passing ability and breakthrough ability can solve many problems that the Nets have on the offensive end. At the same time, it can also release the pressure of James Harden and Kevin Durant's possession.
Irving's return helped the Nets end the losing streak. However, Irving, who has been absent for a long time, still needs time to find the best form of the game.
Nets backcourt giant Kyrie Owen
After the game, Nets head coach Steve Nash was also interviewed. Nash said, "Believe it or not, we're a defensive team. We win defensively. ”
Nash with Irving, Durant, Harden
It is worth noting that the Nets led by Irving, Harden and Durant last season played a historic level of offensive efficiency during the regular season. With three top scorers Harden, Irving and Durant, the Nets' firepower on the offensive end is unmatched. Nash, however, is obsessively emphasizing defense. It seems that Nash's ideas are not completely consistent with the team's configuration and playing style.