The Nets have become one of the most watched teams in the league in recent seasons because of the presence of Durant, Irving, Harden, Simmons and others, but after Harden, Irving, and Durant applied for a trade and were sent away, the Nets' attention fell suddenly.
After the defeat of the Big Three, the current Nets roster still looks good, especially the wings and forwards, the talent reserve is very sufficient, after sending away Irving and Durant before the trade deadline, the Nets have also defeated strong teams such as the Celtics and Nuggets, but the team's overall record has dropped significantly compared to before.
At present, the Nets have established Bridges' central position, but from the recent situation, the Nets still need an absolute core. Facing the Cavaliers today, this game was the second meeting between the two teams in three days, and the two sides played very anxiously, the score never opened, and the Nets only had a one-point advantage at halftime.
Entering the second half, the two sides were still difficult to solve, and the Cavaliers entered the final quarter with a six-point advantage with a small climax at the end of the quarter. The Nets rallied in the final quarter and took a six-point advantage in the final minute and a half, but consecutive turnovers still allowed them to bury the game, and the Cavaliers finally won 116-114 with a three-point shot by Okoro.
After losing to the same opponent in three days, the Nets have suffered five consecutive losses recently, and have slipped to the 7th position in the East, with the Heat ahead of them by 0.5 wins, but the recent Heat momentum is strong, and it is still very difficult for the Nets to break into the top six again.
Dinwiddie scored 25 points, 4 rebounds and 12 assists on 9-of-15 shooting in this game, and Dinwiddie was efficient throughout the game and had many highlights in terms of organizing the tandem, but in the final stages of the game, he was a little hesitant to handle the ball, and he was torn between attacking or creating opportunities for his teammates, causing him to make a mistake and lose possession. Regarding his mistake at the crucial moment, Dinwiddie said after the game: "I am responsible for this mistake. ”
Bridges was also very efficient today, shooting 11 of 19 and scoring a game-high 32 points, which was Bridges' eighth 30+ in 18 games since joining the Nets, and after being set up as the core of the team, Bridges did play a good individual performance, averaging 25.8 points and 4.6 rebounds per game in 18 games, shooting 50% from the field, 40% from three-point range, and 90% from the free throw line, directly promoted to a 180 club player.
However, Bridges' deficiencies in dominating the ball and his inaction in key moments are more obvious, and in the 1 and a half minutes that the game was reversed by the Cavaliers at the end of today's game, Bridges did little, there was a sudden point error, no shots, and Bridges looked like he needed to add some boldness to become the absolute core of a team.
At present, as far as the Nets roster is concerned, they have some strength, but the quality players on the team are basically good puzzle players, and they still have a chance to make the playoffs, but it doesn't look easy to make a difference in the playoffs. They lack a consistent ball holding and scoring point in key moments. This was especially evident in the last 1/2 minutes of today's game.
In the face of the Cavaliers' oppressive defense, whether it was Bridges holding the ball or Dinwiddie holding the ball, there were mistakes, while the Cavaliers' Mitchell and Garland's ball holdings, whether in terms of advancement or breakthrough, looked very reassuring. The gap in the absolute ability of core players in key moments is the most important reason why the Nets were turned over by the Cavaliers in the final minute of this game.
This season, after two big deals, the Nets' roster has been decided, and it is almost impossible for the Nets to form the previous Big Three at the level of Durant, Harden and Irving again, but the Nets have many high-quality puzzle players on their team, and how to make decisions in the offseason is the key to determining the future trend of the Nets team.