The NBA regular season continues, and the frustrated Nets continue their own road trip. Before the game against the Jazz began, the Nets had suffered a six-game losing streak. For the Nets, their recent slump is not just about the season's record, but also has a series of impacts. The outcome of the game is known to everyone, and the Jazz easily pocketed the victory.
This showdown is also a microcosm of the Nets' season, and this time we will start with the game to see what is going on with the Nets now. Surrender before you fight! Nash couldn't do anything, the Jazz were like a training game, and the Nets were at a crossroads.
First, the Nets surrendered before they could fight, and the rotation was completely chaotic
Before the game began, gossip about Harden was raging. For a team, the biggest fear is not a losing streak, but these off-field factors that affect the team. The Nets themselves have a lot of problems, plus other factors, this game has no suspense at all. From the moment the game began to jump, the Nets didn't think about winning. Since the Jazz established a lead at the beginning of the game, the Nets have not resisted, to put it bluntly, they have surrendered before they can fight.
As the core of the team, Irving should have taken on the heavy responsibility in the absence of Harden and Durant, and the result was seen by everyone. Irving got caught up in aimless singles and became a showman. Irving hit just 6 goals in 20 shots in the whole game, and the plus-minus was -29. Irving didn't want to win, in fact, his comeback itself was a wrong decision. Owen disrupted the original rotation and deepened some contradictions.
Irving, who started, had 15 points, 3 rebounds and 6 assists, and Mills, who took a mini mid-range contract, scored 11 points. The remaining three starters, Clarkston, 0, James Johnson, and Edwards, also had 0 points. Instead, some of the players on the bench became the highlights, such as youngster Thomas. Thomas played the game very efficiently, shooting 11 goals in 19 shots and getting 30 points and 4 assists, but unfortunately the team did not win.
Nash tried to change in the game, but to no avail. Nash's rotation logic itself is very confusing, and when such a problem arises, Nash cannot react at all. Nash is not the kind of coach who teaches according to his aptitude and has no idea what the characteristics of these players are. Nash could only change wave after wave of people to trial and error, but in the end everyone lost their morale. After all, if the main force does not work hard, the role players will not be necessary.
Second, jazz is like a training game, Mitchell is relaxed and happy
As far as the Jazz's lineup for this game is concerned, they sent out the starting lineup of Bogdanovic + O'Neal + Azubuk + Mitchell + Conley, in fact, they also played in the residual team. The Jazz also used the remnants to face the Nets, but they changed a lot. In the execution of coaching strategies, the Jazz are clearly more like a well-trained team. To some extent, when the main force is not there, it is only when the ability of a manager is tested, nash and Snyder go to two extremes.
The whole game jazz played like a training match, even easier than a training game. The Jazz hit 48 of their 85 shots, as evidenced by such a high shooting percentage. On the Nets side, on the other hand, they made 99 shots, but only hit 41 goals. It's interesting to use more shots than the Jazz and score as many goals as the Jazz. When the game hits this point, it's basically impossible to win.
For the Jazz main force, this campaign did not have much attrition. None of the five starters had more than 30 minutes, and it can be said that all the Jazz players played, the most of which was Bogdanovic's 29 minutes and 7 seconds. Mitchell, who returned from injury, clocked out in 21 minutes, and Conley clocked in 22 minutes. The jazz bench players at the end of the game rejoiced, they got a lot of playing time, thanks to the Nets early gun delivery.
Among the players the Jazz played, except for Hughes, the rest of the players had scored points. In terms of player plus-minus, the starting statistics are quite beautiful. Bogdanovic +36, O'Neal +28, Azubuk +23, Mitchell +21, Conley +19. If it weren't for the Jazz ending in the fourth quarter, the game would have gone 30 points to win. The Jazz played one of the most lightest games of recent years while also giving the net a lesson.
Third, Nash has no way to do anything, and the Jazz offensive and defensive ends are suppressed
When the Nets formed a luxurious lineup, although it was generally believed that whoever came to be the manager was the same, no one thought that the Nets would eventually choose Nash, who had no coaching experience, to take charge of the giants. There are certain precedents for rookies like Nas and Cole to succeed, but they are different from Nash. Nash has no assistant coaching and no management experience, relying on the reputation he has accumulated during his playing days, and there is no strategy to speak of. This game against the Jazz is a microcosm of Nash's coaching career.
Nash didn't react when the start was suppressed, and when the score was pulled apart, Nash also didn't adjust. Without Harden and Durant, two strong points that can create offensive opportunities, Nash can only pace on the sidelines or lift the mask up and down. It wasn't that Nash was helpless once or twice, but he really didn't know how to deal with these situations. As a manager, Nash became the net's short board, and the Nets players naturally had no problem.
When it comes to the Jazz's offensive and defensive strategies, they are very clear. The offensive end bullied the Nets into not having an inside line, and they played inside at the beginning. After the whole game, the Jazz scored 56 points on the inside line, which can be said to have hammered the Nets. On the other hand, the Jazz's blocking and dismantling style of play is varied, and Conley's stability and Mitchell's demon complement each other. The Jazz did not hesitate at all when they should play fast, and when they fell into positional warfare, everyone could run out to cooperate, and the timing of the attack was in place.
The Jazz on the defensive end are more targeted, they know that the core of the Nets' offense is Irving, so they send heavy troops to encircle and suppress. The Jazz are also aware of Irving's playing characteristics and do not put the passing organization first. The Jazz locked up Irving, which is equivalent to locking up the Entire Nets. That's how the game progresses, and when Irving can't play, the other players are lackluster. The Nets only scored 29 points in a single quarter, and it was the fourth quarter of the game without suspense.
Fourth, the Nets have reached a crossroads, and the jazz ceiling is not high
Regarding Harden's problem, now the Nets have to solve it. We can also understand Harden's situation, he is different from Durant and Irving. Durant and Irving both have titles in hand, and it doesn't matter if they win another title. But Harden still has a sense of urgency, after all, Harden has not yet won the championship, he has reached the tail of the peak. For a defender player, unless he has a mind like Paul, 33 years old is a hurdle, and there is a big gap between the status before and after this age.
The Nets have come to a crossroads, and what they have to solve now is harden. Now he wants nash to get off class to solve the team crisis, but it is only a symptom, not a cure. Harden's heart is no longer in the Nets, and no matter how it is operated, it will be futile. More importantly, the Nets' problems are rooted in the compatibility of the Big Three and the way the team plays, as well as frequent off-court problems. Maybe a big deal is brewing, just see what the Nets' final decision is.
It's true that the Jazz won the Nets, but the Nets without Durant and Harden are weak, and the game doesn't have much reference. In terms of the strength the Jazz have shown this season, they can stabilize in the top four positions in the West, just like in previous seasons. However, the stability of the regular season does not necessarily mean that they can break through in the playoffs, and the Jazz's lineup structure determines that their ceiling is not very high, and it can never be compared with those teams with giants.
Predictably, the Jazz have no problem playing the second round in the playoffs, but it's extremely difficult to go any further. The playoffs are the stage for superstars, and the Jazz are a star for Mitchell, after all, Gobert has weaknesses. In fact, the lineup that jazz can form is like this, and they can only rely on their own cultivation to piece together the core. In a way, this is the sadness of small market teams, and there is always an insurmountable gap between the champions.
summary
The Nets are also lamenting, they always have all kinds of problems. The Jazz also need to pay attention next to see if they can strengthen the team before the trade deadline. As for how the two sides will behave next, let's wait and see!