Beijing time on the morning of October 25, a game ended, the Nets lost to the Hornets 95-111 at home, in fact, in the entire first half, the Nets were suppressing the Hornets, the third quarter of the Hornets youngster Bridges broke out, leading the team to reverse the score, the entire fourth quarter, the Nets attack and defense full collapse. Of course, the Nets lost the game, Nash surrendered early as always, played 3 games in the new season, defeated the Bucks, reversed the 76ers with the excellent play of Mills and Ade, and now defeated the Hornets, what happened to this Nets? Is it to take care of the emotions of the Lakers, and let's do it together?
Start with the data. The Nets had two people who scored in double figures: Durant had 38 points, five rebounds and three assists on 17-of-24, Harden had 6-of-16 with just one free throw, and 2-of-8 three-pointers for 15 points, seven rebounds and eight assists, plus eight turnovers. Others didn't score in double-figures, with Carter 1 of 7, Clarkston 1 of 3, Brown 3 of 9 and Mills 2 of 10. On the Hornets side, Bridges had 32 points and nine rebounds, Ball with 18 points, five rebounds and five assists, Martin with 12 points, three rebounds and five assists, and Ismail Smith with 15 points, four rebounds and four assists.
Durant really tried his best! In fact, in the first three games, the entire Nets were the most stable only Durant, not one. The Bucks played 32 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists, the 76ers 29 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists, and today it was 38 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Durant once said after the crushing defeat to the Bucks that the team needed someone to match the performance of the alphabet brother, but now there is not. Including playing 76ers, Durant won a triple-double in the third quarter, he has become the most stable endpoint of the Nets, in addition, he is also tandeming the team, using his deterrent power on the offensive end to give Joha, Harden, Ader and others the ball, but first, Durant lacks a helper, simply put, three games, the Nets' first scoring point and second scoring point are too different (the second scoring point in three games is Harden, the first two games are 20 points, today's 15 points), and at the critical moment, the opponent only needs to limit Durant with all his strength.
So what the hell is Harden doing? Played 33 minutes, 6 of 16, 8 assists, 8 turnovers, 5 fouls, in fact, the turning point of the game, is Harden, in the beginning of the fourth quarter, when the Hornets launched a general attack, Smith and Hayward attacked consecutively, Harden's side, two consecutive offensive fouls, directly accumulated 5 fouls and was replaced. The Hornets couldn't stop it after that, and Ismail Smith and Martin scored consecutive points to kill the suspense of the game. The NBA's new blow-off rules implemented this season seem to have directly affected Harden's stats, with the ball hitting the basket, no whistle, shooting on the outside to create damage, and the referee will not give a defensive foul. In three games, Harden has won a total of 9 free throws, which is not even more than he has taken in one game in the past few seasons. So the league is the main culprit in the Nets' loss?
Before the start of the new season, Harden said a healthy self would be a moment of terror. At that time, I thought Harden was ready for the new season, and he would definitely come up with a better performance than last season's regular season, but the average of 18+8 per game in three games, I believe that not only the fans are not satisfied, but harden himself may not be able to stand it: Harden, who used to kill the four sides in the Rockets, will not work when he gets to the Nets? This is still in the absence of Irving, the most need for someone to stand up, because of durant's existence, Harden has a dependence, thinking that he does not need to take too many points, just need to let Durant score, help role players open the feel, the Nets can win? Preseason trials of several games, including the regular season of these three games, obviously, Harden did not recognize his position, he continued this performance, in fact, is to harm Durant, who would have thought that Harden now scored even 20 is a luxury? It's not a matter of the league blowing the penalty scale, it's his own willingness to play, lazy, slow pace, lack of domineering spirit, and the back 75 looks eye-catching.
Of course, Nash is probably the Nets' biggest shortcoming. Harden can go down for a few straight games, but there's always a time to ease up, but Nash is the net's ceiling. The Nets game, it looks very strange, pitcher Harris likes to hold the ball to break through, Harden basically does not take the initiative to attack, often in a round of about 15 seconds left to start processing the ball, the team leads, Carter and Brown sullen head to do their own, the team is behind, Harden with role players, around Durant to see, the Nets have no defensive system, no defensive players, positional warfare offense, there is no high and low tactics, basically singles, but Harden is still in rhythm, this is What Nash requires? Look at the backwardness of more than ten points, see the remaining two or three minutes, disarm and surrender! Maybe Irving is right, Nets, everyone is a head coach, there is no real head coach.
Maybe now Durant will really miss the omnipotent Irving on the offensive end, and now I'm afraid that only Irving can save Durant and the Nets.