The NBA regular season continued, with the Nets rushing to challenge the Cavaliers on the road. This season the Nets have a label, that is, it is easy to pull the crotch when playing against strong teams. The Cavaliers have been tough this season, and they have played their best record since James left. The outcome of the game is known to everyone, and the Nets lost the game 107-114.
The Nets' game with the Cavaliers is very representative, and it is also the first game after Durant's absence, this time we will analyze it from different angles to see what points are worth paying attention to. Durant is absent! Nash's strategy was questioned, Harden played for too long, and Irving became the only bright spot. The Cavaliers lineup is more reasonable, and this season is back in the playoffs!
First, Harden has been playing for too long, and Owen has become the only bright spot
Nash sent mills + Edwards + Sharp + Irving + Harden to play the starting lineup in this game, which is the first game the Nets have played since Durant was injured. As far as this game is concerned, the Nets are not without a chance to win, but unfortunately, they wasted a lot of time in the end. Judging from the performance of the players, the starting five scored all in double figures. Mills and Edwards each scored 11 points, Sharp scored 10, Irving had 27 and Harden had 22.
The starting five Tigers all scored in double figures, plus Ade on the bench also double-doubled, and the Nets scored double-digit points in this game. But it didn't make much sense for the Nets to score in double figures, and they lost the game. Harden, as an absolute main force, does not have a high shooting rate on the offensive end, and if it is not a win at the free throw line, it will become sluggish. Of course, Harden's fatal mistake was also very injurious, and it directly buried the possibility of winning the game.
Without Durant, Nash could only pin his hopes on Harden. Nash's use of Harden also reached 40 minutes and 25 seconds, and Harden's playing time was obviously too long. Nash also understands that Harden is a lifesaver, and in a way, the more Nash does this, the more he will ignore the presence of other players. Nash didn't want to get other players into the game at all, leaving the game to the stars. It is also inflexible in the use of personnel, and there are frequent problems.
If there is one bright spot in this campaign, it is Irving. Irving can only play away games, but he does his best. In this campaign, Irving played 37 minutes and 34 seconds, got 27 points, 9 assists and 7 rebounds, and reached a plus-minus of +14 on the court, which was the highest presence in the team. Unfortunately, Irving, who gave his all, did not win, and Nash's dizzy rotation also wasted opportunities again and again. Of course, when you see that Irving's state is not a problem, it is also gratifying enough.
Second, the Cavaliers lineup is more reasonable, and the bench starts are more balanced
Compared to the Nets' lineup configuration, the Cavaliers are more reasonable. The Cavaliers have both inside and outside lines, and the offensive end is reasonable. Judging from the panel data, cavaliers starter Markkanen + Mobley + Allen + Ocorro + Garland scored in double figures. Garland scored 22 points and 12 assists. Garland unleashed his instincts without Sexton, and the team was able to safely hand over the control of the backcourt to him.
The Cavaliers have a strong presence on the offensive end of the starting line, and the players on the bench do not drag their feet. The Cavaliers used four benches, with Osman scoring seven, Love 14, Windler nine and Goodwin seven. Of the four substitutes, only Wendler was on the field with a negative plus-minus, but it was only -1. In fact, this is also in line with the game scene, the Cavaliers rotation lineup did not suffer losses, but took a lot of advantages, the rotation stage is quite strong.
The reason why the Cavaliers have shown great competitiveness this season may be considered by many people to be a maverick three-high play, but in fact, in the final analysis, it depends on a balanced lineup. It's true that the Cavaliers don't have All-Stars, but everyone can play. Different squads have different ways of playing, everyone is a scoring point, and they can share the ball very well. Once the lineup is balanced, the opponent is also very helpless, to put it bluntly, there is no weakness that allows you to directly kill.
On the other hand, the Nets bench, although there are many role players who can get their hands on it, are still almost interesting. The plus-minus of Brown-16, the plus-minus of Griffin-4, to put it bluntly, they are digging pits, and they can't help much. However, Nash can only send them to the court, after all, someone needs to fill the rotation time, otherwise they can only use the main lineup and let the main force bear more injury risks. Durant is already injured and cannot be injured again.
Third, Nash's strategy was questioned, and the Cavaliers poked the Nets' soft underbelly
Sometimes you really don't understand what Nash thinks, knowing that the Cavaliers are a three-high lineup, and as a result, Nash will give you the opposite. The tallest in the starting lineup is Sharp, but only 2.06 meters, and then there is the three-guard formation of Harden + Irving + Mills. Maybe Nash wants to use speed to impact the Cavaliers tower, but the Cavaliers can play the three-high formation this season, and they have already summed up how to deal with the impact of the small lineup, Nash is in vain.
Nash's strategy was a failure and he wanted to play inside, but the Cavaliers' three highs were not wasted, and the Nets only scored 34 points on the Cavaliers' interior. When the inner line cannot be opened, you can only pin your hopes on the outer line. So the Nets went crazy 30 three-point shots, but only 12 hits. Nash wanted to play fast,but the fast-break score was only 13 points. That is to say, all of Nash's coping strategies have been suppressed, and he has not found any opportunity to break the game, and Nash's strategy has been questioned by many people.
Compared to Nash's changeable, the Cavaliers are very clear, and they have been sticking to the way they have studied throughout the season. The Cavaliers know where the Nets' weaknesses are, and the interior defense is even weaker without Durant, so the strategy they developed also poked the Nets' weaknesses, that is, constantly impacting the Nets' internal line. The Cavaliers scored 54 points inside the Nets, which can be said to have directly hammered the Nets. On the other hand, the Cavaliers also made good mistakes, using mistakes to score 15 points.
In addition, the Cavaliers' strategy on the defensive end is also very targeted, that is, blocking the inside line, and the outside line is also trying not to give the Nets a chance. The Nets' offensive focus is on Harden and Irving on the outside, the rest of the players are playing auxiliary presences, and the Cavaliers understand this. The Cavaliers' offensive and defensive strategies are effective, making the Nets uncomfortable at times. Everyone may think that Harden's mistakes are game winners and losers, but in fact, the essence is that they cannot break through the strategies formulated by the Cavaliers, which also makes them frequently at a disadvantage.
The Nets have a lot more to do, and the Cavaliers are returning to the playoffs
The Nets lost the high-end game again, and you can put it down to Durant's absence, but the root cause isn't here, Nash is the most critical presence. Against weak teams, you can rely on the ability of superstars to win, but the high-end game tests the wits of both managers. Nash has nothing to play in this situation, and when he can't play in superstar mode, Nash will give the superstar more weight and increase his playing time.
Durant's injury time is 4-6 weeks, which means that in the next 1 month, the Nets' offensive strength will decline significantly. Coupled with Irving's clear attitude again, in an interview with the media, Irving stressed that he refused to be vaccinated, which means that he still cannot play the home game. There is also news that worries the Nets even more, that is, Harden has moved his mind to leave the team. To some extent, Harden is actually showing his attitude. The Nets have a lot to do, and this season may be their last chance.
The Cavaliers are arguably another surprising team in the East besides the Bulls, and no one thought that the operation of an offseason would allow the team to play such a good record. The Cavaliers' maverick lineup has worked and is also against the trend of the league. The Cavaliers play this kind of card, and there are not many teams that can restrain them. Cavaliers backcourt Sexton was injured, followed by Rubio, but it didn't affect the Cavaliers' footsteps in the slightest, and the team has been holding their ground.
The Eastern Conference has been chaotic this season, with the Cavaliers' winning numbers close to or equal to those of the first echelon. They're unlikely to finish first in the East, but returning to the playoffs is no problem. If this season returns to the playoffs, it's the first time the Cavaliers did it after the end of the James era. In fact, the Cavaliers are much smarter than the last time, and they have completely got rid of james's influence and can declare the completion of the reconstruction.
summary
The Nets' loss is not the end of the world, and the fear is not to summarize after losing. The Cavaliers are still efficient and they have one of the most successful seasons. As for how the two sides will behave next, let's wait and see!