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Update on the Brooklyn Nets in Quarantine

by
Brooklyn Nets, Spencer Dinwiddie

Obviously, the biggest news of this suspended season for the Brooklyn Nets has been Kevin Durant and the other 3 anonymous Nets players who contracted Covid-19. KD put out an optimistic message last Tuesday regarding his status, and Quinn Cook gave an update yesterday (Cook’s full quote) regarding his friend’s Durant’s positive mentality towards everything.

Let’s check up on how several Nets players and coaches are doing in Quarantine with the help of Twitter and some other media outlets:

  • Spencer Dinwiddie on his favorite thing to do during the quarantine: “Be a Dad.” Bleacher Report grabbed the quote from Dinwiddie and posted a picture of Dinwiddie and his son here. Dinwiddie took issue (sarcastically) with the angle the picture was taken, tweeting “Expressionless faceI don’t like this camera angle. Y’all made the greatest baby in history look like he has a wide face… Unamused faceI love you son.” Spencer has been one of the more active Nets on Twitter.

 

  • Garrett Temple has decided to use this forced break to hone in on his preparation for Law School. Temple recently told YES’s Michael Grady during an interview that he has “been practicing for the LSAT Prep.” (NY Post article here) Temple went on to say “I’m a person who’s thought about going to law school when I finish playing, and what’s a better time than now to be able to put in 3-4 hours a day of studying for a test that allows me to get into law school. That’s what I’m doing right now.” Great to see Temple is improving his skills off the court.

 

  • Deandre Jordan hasn’t been too active on Twitter, but his profile is extremely telling of what he’s probably been up to during this break. His profile bio reads “1/4 Twist Boy I love Judge Judy, Netflix, and Gluten-free Cookies.” (Deandre Jordan Twitter)

 

  • Adam Harrington, an assistant coach for the Brooklyn Nets, seemed to share Dinwiddie’s sentiment, as he tweeted “There is no doubt I miss my / our normal routine. I miss everything Nets, & miss the NBA! But I am absolutely loving my family time with wife & kids. In our profession this is almost impossible and it has allowed me some INCREDIBLE time to be a hand on / present FATHER!🙌🏻 (Adam Harrington Twitter

This is a quick recap on just a few members of the Nets organization. Follow Fireside Nets on Twitter for all your latest updates on everything Brooklyn Nets.

Will the Brooklyn Nets move on from Jarrett Allen?

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Brooklyn Nets, Jarrett Allen

Has Jarrett Allen worn out his welcome in Brooklyn? It wasn’t too long ago the Brooklyn Nets were drafting this intriguing fro-rocking 6’11” Center out of Texas. The previous two years before this season, Jarrett Allen seemed to be a centerpiece for the future of this team. Allen showed promise as a young, tough-nosed franchise center, offering protection around the hoop and rim shattering dunks. He developed a great chemistry with Deangelo Russell and Spencer Dinwiddie last year and was an integral part of the 2018-2019 playoff team.

Unfortunately, Allen was exposed in the playoffs by Joel Embiid, who scored with ease while being defended by the Nets big man. Nevertheless, going into this offseason, Nets fans seemed content moving forward with Allen as our franchise center. That narrative changed quickly with the shocking arrival of KD, Kyrie, and Deandre Jordan,

One of the reasons why the two superstar free agents decided to choose Brooklyn this offseason, was because their close friend Deandre Jordan persuaded them that Brooklyn, not the Knicks, was the place in New York to sign. Jordan had played on the Knicks the previous season and did not have a positive experience there. So general manager Sean Marks, decided it was the right move to sign all three free agents, even if that meant halting the development of his young center Jarrett Allen.

Splitting time with Deandre Jordan

It’s been an interesting year for Nets’ big men. While many fans were not sure what Jordan had left in the tank, he has proven this year that he is still one of the most physically gifted big men in the game, soaring over defenders for highlight-reel dunks and grabbing an impressive 10 rebounds a game. Ironically, Jordan has played like a wiser, more experienced version of Jarrett Allen. Their games are incredibly similar, from being on the receiving end of many high-flying ally oops to blocking shots and rebounding, it seems as though the Nets have had the same player in two different bodies.

Even their numbers are practically identical:

Jarrett Allen (2019): 10.6 ppg on 64%, 9.5 reb, 1.3 blk, 25 minpg

Deandre Jordan (2019): 8.3 ppg on 66%, 10.0 reb, .9 blk, 22 minpg

Both men have shown they can still play the center position at a high level, but unfortunately, it looks as though Allen’s stock is on a rapid decline with the Nets. It started with Allen’s drop off in overall energy and intensity from last year, something the Nets broadcasters have been quick to point out throughout the course of the season. Allen then lost his biggest supporter in Kenny Atkinson, who was let go by Brooklyn a week before the NBA season was suspended. Jacque Vaughn’s first move as interim head coach was to replace Allen with Jordan in the starting lineup, a decision that may be related to Vaughn lobbying for the HC job next year. And finally, Jordan has the prior relationship with KD and Kyrie. Jarrett Allen does not.

With the development of rookie Nic Claxton as another big man in the rotation and the return of KD and Kyrie, it seems inevitable that Sean Marks and the Nets will try to trade Allen in the final year of his rookie contract for a more essential piece, possibly that 3rd superstar Nets fans have clamoring for.

Kevin Durant Is Identified as 1 of 4 Brooklyn Nets with Coronavirus

by
Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets

Earlier today, it was reported that four anonymous Brooklyn Nets players were diagnosed with the coronavirus. The team was unwilling to publicly announce which players on the roster had the virus without their consent.

It was then later revealed, one of the Nets with the virus was Kevin Durant. Shams Charania broke the story on Twitter earlier today: “Kevin Durant tested positive for coronavirus, Durant tells @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium. Durant says he is feeling fine: “Everyone be careful, take care of yourself and quarantine. We’re going to get through this.” (Tweet Here)

It seems as though Durant is in good spirits, as it is reported that he has not shown symptoms of the virus yet. The three other players remain unnamed.

Spencer Dinwiddie caused an uproar on Twitter earlier by tweeting, “Lmao this Corona Virus stuff putting me between a rock and a hard place. If I stopped tweeting y’all would all assume I have it.” (Tweet Here) Dinwiddie is one of the more active NBA voices on Twitter and had tweeted several times today before the news came out. Dinwiddie often enjoys tweeting about the financial market, hypothetical NBA matchups, breaking down his own game, and of course, about Marvel movies. Dinwiddie is a HUGE Marvel fan.

@FiresideNets will keep you posted if any of the other three players with the coronavirus are identified. We wish KD, the three anonymous players, and the thousands of people across the world dealing with this virus a quick and full recovery.

Nets Snag Best Win of Season vs Los Angeles Lakers

by
Spencer Dinwiddie, Brooklyn Nets

Oh man, what a way to start a road trip. The Lakers, coming off weekend wins against the Bucks and the Clippers, fell to the Brooklyn Nets yesterday, 104 – 102, in one of the more exciting games this season. Brooklyn played inspired basketball against one of the hottest teams in the NBA, featuring one of the hottest players right now in Lebron James, and came out victorious.

What went right for Brooklyn last night?

At the start of the game, it seemed as though only 2 Nets players had shown up to play. Caris Levert, who has recently demonstrated an intensity and efficiency to his game that we have not seen from him before this year, continued his stellar play.  But it was backup point guard/G League call up Chris Chiozza, who helped steady the Nets in that 1st quarter, giving them great minutes with Dinwiddie on the bench. The Florida alum was sensational, displaying a barrage of smooth, crisp passes to open teammates. Chiozza finished with 11 points and five assists in 17 minutes. Spencer Dinwiddie and Joe Harris got it going in the 2nd quarter, cutting a Lakers 11 point lead to 2 point lead right before the half.

Then in the 3rd quarter, everything started clicking for the Nets. The defense picked up for Brooklyn, as they were able almost to shut down everybody on the Lakers except Lebron, and they outscored LA 31 – 22 in the 3rd. Everyone from Caris Levert to Timothe Luwawu – Cabarrot made plays both on offense and defense. The Nets went into the 4th with a surprising 87-80 lead, something they haven’t done a great job at protecting this year.

The 4th quarter was electrifying. Anthony Davis came alive and, along with Lebron, carried the Lakers back to tie the game at 102 with a little under 50 seconds left. Dinwiddie, who had been called for offensive fouls on two of the last several possessions, isolated Avery Bradley and hit a tough go-ahead jumper on the left elbow to put Brooklyn up 2. After a Lebron missed a layup and 2 missed free throws by Deandre Jordan, the Lakers got the ball back down 2 with 5 seconds left with a chance to tie or win. Brooklyn fans gasped as Lebron drove down the lane and kicked it to a wide-open Anthony Davis in the corner for a 3 to win the game, but fortunately, Davis clunked the shot and sealed the upset for Brooklyn.

Key performances for the Nets:

Caris Levert: 22 points & 7 boards    Spencer Dinwiddie: 23 points & 7 assists

Joe Harris: 12 points                            Timothe Luwawu – Cabarrot: 13 points

This was a significant win for Brooklyn not only for the guys on the court but for Kevin Durant to witness off the court, who traveled with the team on this four-game California road trip. KD and Kyrie need to see this team win without them, especially against a juggernaut like the Lakers. Vaughn has been impressive in his short tenure as coach with rotations, and the Nets have put forth a fantastic team effort for him in these last few games.

The Nets play the Warriors on Thursday at 10:30 pm EST (who will most likely honor KD in some type of way) followed by the Clippers on Friday night and the Kings on Sunday.

Top Candidates to Replace Atkinson as Brooklyn Nets Next Head Coach

by
New York Knicks, Jason Kidd

With one of the more shocking decisions in recent memory, the Brooklyn Nets decided to “mutually” part ways with Head Coach Kenny Atkinson earlier today. Atkinson has been Brooklyn’s coach for the last four years and was a significant contributor to the change in culture during his tenure, resulting in a playoff appearance last year for the first time since the 2014-15 season.

The speculation among Nets Twitter surrounding general manager Sean Mark decided that superstar players Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant were not on board with Atkinson as the Head Coach for next season. While zero reports would validate that assumption, many fans could point to the early on-court disconnect between Atkinson and Kyrie during the season and the underwhelming performance of the team as a whole. Ironically, this decision comes on the heels of one of the best performances from Coach Atkinson and the Nets all season, as they manhandled the Spurs last night, 139 – 120. Jacque Vaughn will finish out the season as the team’s interim head coach.

Here is a list of plausible candidates to replace Atkinson:

Royal Ivey, Current Position: New York Knicks Assistant Coach

How do you make your newly acquired superstar happy? By hiring his best friends. With the dismissal of Atkinson, the Nets have shown that they are willing to cater more towards their superstars than trust in the culture and decision making that got them here. That is why I can easily see Sean Marks going after one of Kevin Durant’s closest friends in Royal Ivey. Ivey briefly played with KD in OKC and was an assistant coach for the Thunder from 2016-18, before joining the Knicks coaching staff two years ago. This move would make the most sense if Mark’s primary goal is to please KD with the new hire.

Jacque Vaughn, Current Position: Interim Brooklyn Nets Head Coach

Vaughn has close ties to the Nets organization; he’s been with the team since 2016 as an assistant coach and played behind Jason Kidd as the backup point guard from 2004 – 2006. Vaughn has championship experience as a player, winning a title with the Spurs in 2007. He also has experience as a Head Coach, when he coached the Orlando Magic from 2012-2015. Since he’s the interim coach for the remainder of the season, KD, Kyrie, and Marks will have front row seats to observe how he operates and communicates with players.

Jason Kidd, Current Position: Los Angeles Lakers Assistant Coach

Does anyone think the Nets aren’t crazy enough to bring Kidd back into the fold? Everyone knows he’s itching to be a head coach again. He seems to get along with most superstar players. Just ask Giannis Antetekumpo, who almost went to war with the Bucks for letting Kidd go a few years ago. And if the Lakers win the championship this year, they will be forced to keep Frank Vogel as Head Coach, who many thought was meant to be a placeholder for Kidd to take over down the line. While Kidd’s first tenure as coach of the Nets had its ups and downs, I wouldn’t put it past Marks and upper Nets management to bring back the most important Net of all time.

Becky Hammon, Current Position: San Antonio Spurs Assistant Coach

How great of a story would this be? The Brooklyn Nets hire the first female Head Coach in NBA history and then go on to win the championship in her first year as coach. This might be a reality come next year. Hammon has been under the Greg Popovich coaching tree for four years, where guys like Brett Brown, Mike Budenholzer, Mike Brown, and Jacque Vaughn have all gotten Head Coaching opportunities from being Spurs assistants. As a 15 year WNBA veteran, she’s extremely knowledgeable of the game, young enough to relate to the players, and might be the perfect coach for a team with championship aspirations.

Jay Williams, Current Position: ESPN/ABC analyst for multiple shows

I know this candidate is out of left field, but please hear me out. Williams has been closely linked to Kevin Durant for over the past year. When Durant got hurt, it was Williams who spoke to the media on behalf of KD throughout the process. When KD made his decision to sign elsewhere, Jay Williams was right there, taking interviews on Sportscenter, explaining why there was no ill will between Kevin Durant and the Warriors. Williams also has strong ties to Duke, Kyrie Irving’s alma mater. At 38 years old, he would be one of the youngest coaches in the league, giving him ample time to win multiple championships and create a dynasty in Brooklyn.

Will Kenny Atkinson be the Brooklyn Nets coach next year?

by
Brooklyn Nets, Kenny Atkinson

After one of the more exciting wins in recent memory, the Brooklyn Nets followed up their impressive victory over the Boston Celtics on Tuesday with a significant letdown the following night at home against the Grizzlies.  The final score was 118 – 79, a result indicative of how most of the game went.

The Nets have now lost 5 of their last six games. Kenny Atkinson has struggled to find consistent production from his players on a nightly basis. While many Nets fans have been significant supporters of the Coach’s overall job throughout his tenure with Brooklyn, some have begun to wonder if Atkinson is the right man to lead this soon to be star-studded team on a championship run.

Kenny Atkinson on the Hot Seat: Fair or Foul?

Regardless of how you look at it, Coach Atkinson has underwhelmed mightily this season. Last year was a pleasant surprise for the Nets, as they finished 42 – 40 and claimed the 6th seed in what was a highly competitive Eastern Conference. More importantly, there seemed to be a certain camaraderie and positive vibe around the team, often displayed by dances on the bench, in-game celebrations, or entertaining post-game interviews. Through 61 games this year, the Nets are 27-34. Despite being the 7th seed in the East, there hasn’t been much to dance about this season. In fact, the Grizzlies bench was caught on video mocking the Nets by doing some dancing of their own during their dominating win against Brooklyn on Wednesday night. As someone who covers the Nets, I have to bring up the question. Is it wrong to think Kenny Atkinson’s job is in jeopardy for next year? Let’s Debate:

The Good

Coach Atkinson has done a great job of filling the absence of Kyrie Irving by finding production through other avenues. He has given Spencer Dinwiddie the keys to this team, and Dinwiddie has responded by boasting a modest 20.5 points and 6.7 assists per game. Atkinson should also be commended for slowly bringing Caris Levert back into the fold, who has proven to be an elite shot-maker when healthy and an excellent complement to Dinwiddie.

For the most part, Brooklyn’s Coach has managed the media around his two sidelined superstars very well. A recent example would be Atkinson’s unwillingness to comment on whether or not he thought Irving and Durant will play in the Olympics this summer. He also has shown praise to Durant throughout his rehab process. Part of the reason KD initially agreed to sign with Brooklyn over the summer was because of Kenny Atkinson. According to an SNY article, Durant “really liked his [Atkinson’s] approach to his craft as a coach.” (click here to see full article)

The Bad

Atkinson has failed to create a consistent in-game rotation throughout the year. Part of this can be attributed to the loss of glue guys like Jared Dudley, Demarre Carroll, Ed Davis, and Treveon Graham. All players signed elsewhere in the off-season. Atkinson has struggled in finding essential roles for newcomers Taurean Prince, Wilson Chandler, and Garrett Temple, with Temple probably making the biggest impact out of the three.

He has also had to balance time between veteran big man Deandre Jordan and second-year talent Jarrett Allen, which has halted the progress of the young center as his minutes are down from last year. Even in the 20 games in which Atkinson was able to have Kyrie on the court, the Nets rotation has often looked disjointed and sloppy. It has almost seemed like Atkinson forced Kyrie into last year’s offense, and it just hasn’t worked.

It is also evident this Nets team has not played with the same toughness and flawless execution from last year. When teams lack that competitive edge, it is often because their coach is failing to motivate them to do so, although I don’t think Atkinson is 100% to blame. I do believe it has been harder for him to get players to buy in when many guys on the team are unsure of their roster spots for next year with the big guns (Durant & Kyrie) coming back. The effort just hasn’t been there for the majority of the year, and it has affected their execution significantly, as they rank just 23rd in the league in total offense.

The Verdict

Kenny Atkinson does not deserve to be on the hot seat quite yet, and for now, his job is safe. Assuming the Nets hold on to either the 7th or 8th playoff spot, Sean Marks should give Atkinson a shot to coach this Nets dream team when fully healthy. With the clear support of Marks, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving (I think), Atkinson has been a major part of the successful culture change in Brooklyn should be able to keep his job for at least another year.

The Brooklyn Nets play at home against the Spurs at 7:30 pm EST tonight on YES.

Brooklyn Nets: The Trade Deadline Approaches – where do the Nets sit?

by
Brooklyn Nets, Kyrie Irving

We are within the last few weeks of January, and the NBA Trade Deadline is fast approaching. February 6th is right around the corner, and it seems as though the Brooklyn Nets need more work than we would’ve thought.

True, there have been a plethora of injuries, but I’m sure many Nets fans, as well as those in the Nets front office, thought the team would be further along. On top of all that, Kyrie Irving released comments basically saying that this is not yet a championship roster. He doubled down, saying this was a glaring fact. So with these things in mind, I’ll be looking at potential trade moves that the 18-23 (at the time of my writing this) Brooklyn Nets could make.

But before we go into the potential trade of this article, I’d like to assess the most crucial needs for the team.

  • -Point Guard Depth
  • -3&D Wings
  • -Athleticism
  • -Stretch Bigs
  • -Shot Creators/Playmakers
  • Shooters

With this established, the first team that came to mind to look to trade with would be the Detroit Pistons. After years of mediocrity and injuries, the Pistons’ front office looks as though they are trying to start from scratch yet again. There is news of them strongly considering to move the talented Blake Griffin, and there were already rumors swirling of them shopping Andre Drummond around the league (the New York Knicks were one of the teams who were deemed interested). With the Pistons blowing it up, look for them to be sellers at the trade deadline.

And this is where we could possibly help one another out.

How do one of these trade variations look:

Derrick Rose

for

Dzanan Musa, Garrett Temple, and a second-round pick

A rebuilding Pistons team does not need a veteran of Derrick Rose’s caliber. They also get back a professional player in Garrett Temple to mentor the youth on the roster and in the future. Dzanan Musa is a player who is thought to be oozing with potential. In Detroit, he will have more opportunities to reach that potential with more consistent playing time. The second-round pick adds to the Pistons draft capital, which they are no doubt hoping to expand. Detroit also gets some small change off their cap.

In Derrick Rose, the Brooklyn Nets get a former NBA MVP. Derrick rose checks off a couple of boxes. He can create his own shot. Check. He can play make for others. Check. He answers the problem of point guard depth. Check. He’s still relatively athletic. And although he’s never been a great shooter from beyond, Derrick Rose has come a long way with his outside shot. Last year he shot 37% from beyond. This year he’s a peg under 32%, but he’s a decent enough threat from there. He does bring another consistent mid-range scorer and someone who can get to the rack with ease.

If the Brooklyn Nets Brass could also get Thon Maker out of the Pistons in this same trade, even better, then Maker would be an athletic stretch big who is still super young despite being in the league for five seasons.

Brooklyn Nets: Big Contract Plus Injuries, Caris LeVert Remains To Be A Risk

by
Brooklyn Nets, Caris Levert

Last August on his birthday, Brooklyn Nets‘ Caris LeVert accepted a 3-year, $52.5 million-dollar contract extension with the Brooklyn Nets. Midway through his fourth season at the young age of 25, LeVert continues to be a bright prospect with plenty of raw talent (ESPN).  However, at the very same time, many have yet to really see his potential blossom and come to fruition.  Essentially, it’s really hard not to wonder if Caris LeVert is one of the newest youngsters to join the “Getting Paid Too Much Too Soon” club of players in NBA history.

In four seasons with the NBA, Caris has never played a full 82 games; in fact, he’s managed to play over 70 games just once in his career (ESPN).  So far, this season hasn’t been much different.  LeVert just came back on January 4th from a thumb injury after being sidelined since early November last year (ESPN).

The inevitable fact with Caris LeVert is that this contract decision was a big risk at a substantial cost.  Health is such a fickle component of the game of basketball, and the Nets have grown to understand that more than any other team in the league with Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Caris missing so much time collectively.  However, the difference between those three players is that Caris is no Kyrie and no KD.  It’s understandable to be patient with two mega superstars, but Caris has so much yet to prove, and that can only be exposed with consistency which he hasn’t been able to deliver.

Despite getting more minutes and scoring more points, dropping 15.6 ppg with 4.1 RPG in 14 games played, Caris LeVert remains to be a vulnerable and unpredictable situation that the Nets need to manage and structure properly (ESPN).  And the best way to maximize his worth is to make Caris LeVert their new Sixth Man.  This will not only grant LeVert ample minutes to grow and produce but will also not be overloading, a physical burden that could jeopardize his playing time.

In addition, Caris needs to be placed in a role that caters to his strength.  LeVert is a tough fit with ball-dominant scorers Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in the mix.  And much like both these superstars, Caris is a scoring talent himself that not only would be hindered by both Kyrie and KD’s offensive production but would also restrain the tandem’s ability to maximize their demand and output.  Playing alongside Kyrie and KD amongst the starters next season essentially wouldn’t allow LeVert to embrace what he’s good at, which is scoring.

Let’s look, for example, at how valuable the standout shooting guard and multiple Sixth Man Award Winner Lou Williams has been for a star-studded Clippers team this year: he’s currently dropping 20 ppg with over 6 APG off the bench (ESPN).  It’s an underappreciated role that is vital to have on a championship-caliber team.  And for someone that has had such a hard time staying healthy, the Sixth Man position is the best role for Caris LeVert to capitalize on his potential in becoming the elite scorer he can be.

As of right now, the Nets have Caris coming off the bench but are not ruling out the possibility of reinserting him as a starter.  After their loss to Orlando on January 6th, Coach Kenny Atkinson reaffirmed during the postgame press conference on YES Network that he does not have a concrete decision yet on whether he intends to keep Caris’s role strictly off the bench:

“I haven’t decided; with a little more minutes, we’ll look at it and we’ll talk to the coaches and see what we can do.”

If the Nets intend to make him a starter, especially next season with Kyrie and KD, Caris LeVert’s probability of living up to his contract could become much more unlikely.

Injury-prone players will always be vulnerable when they return to the court.  However, the level of susceptibility can be lowered or increased based on how the player is managed, and that’s what it’s going to come down to for LeVert and the Nets.  The Nets obviously want Caris to be an influential player in their lineup and have demonstrated with their contract extension, that they will be patient with him.  But what continues to be a risk is the amount of caution they are choosing to implement with LeVert and the role they want him to own.  And after paying him a considerable sum last year, granting Caris LeVert big minutes and a starting position, remains to be a dicey gamble for the Brooklyn Nets.

Even Without Kyrie, Spencer Dinwiddie Is Keeping the Nets Relevant in The East

by
Brooklyn Nets, Spencer Dinwiddie

When the 2019 NBA season kicked off on October 23rd, Brooklyn Nets fans everywhere were anticipating the grand arrival of their new, superstar point guard, Kyrie Irving. Kyrie didn’t wait long to illustrate his offensive impact, dropping 50 points in his first game, becoming only the 5th player to score 50 or more in a season opener in NBA history, as the Nets lost a fierce battle in OT to the Timberwolves 127-126.

His offensive output would continue. Over 11 games that he played and started prior to getting plagued by a shoulder injury, Kyrie went on to put up an average of 28.5 PPG along with 7.2 APG and 5.4 RPG, a stat line that surely looks very complete yet oddly enough, was overshadowed by a meager 4-7 team record that was capped off with a three-game losing streak on the road (ESPN.com).

But with Kyrie’s departure and Caris LeVert sidelined with a thumb injury, a familiar, bright starlet reemerged onto the scene for the Nets, just like he did last season alongside former teammate D’Angelo Russell…

Ladies and Gentlemen, Spencer Dinwiddie, is smoking hot right now and shooting lights out, leading the Nets to a 5-3 record since Kyrie’s absence and averaging 25.0 PPG, 7.3 APG, 3.3 RPG along with 1.0 SPG and 1.0 BPG over the course of all nine games he’s started (ESPN). The 26-year-old has taken the reins with confidence and has shown everyone in the league once again why he shouldn’t be taken for granted.

Dinwiddie’s offensive upside has been highlighted by his tenacious driving ability and deadly precision around the perimeter, shooting 35.5% from behind the arc as a starter (ESPN).  In addition, his scoring approach and unique style of play have genuinely been a difference-maker. As Nets announcer Ian Eagle stated this past Friday when the Nets hosted the Celtics, “Spencer Dinwiddie is very creative, especially in isolation settings.”

Dinwiddie dropped 32 points with 11 assists and 5 rebounds in their big win against the Celtics, following that up with yet another monster 29-point outing accompanied by 4 assists and 6 rebounds in their 3-point loss to Miami on Sunday (ESPN).

That being said, his most significant impact hasn’t been his scoring and one-on-one play, but rather his ability to maximize the success of all the versatile, role players he has around him. Jarrett Allen, Joe Harris, DeAndre Jordan, along with Taurean Prince and Garrett Temple, have been thriving around Dinwiddie’s play and for a good reason.  He opens the floor and creates space for his big men to score, using his excellent court vision and trusting his profound grasp of the squad’s chemistry to find his teammates for high percentage opportunities unselfishly. Utilizing the team’s full strength has fueled the Nets to win 5 of their last 7 games, a complete 180 after possessing a record that was below .500 (ESPN).

In a YES Network interview during the press conference following their fourth straight victory coming on the road against Cleveland, Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson stated that the key to their recent success without Kyrie has been the chemistry the team has implemented in their playing style.

“It’s how connected these guys are and it helps that there are guys that have been here for a long time and I think that continuity helps.  GT is kind of like the new guy in that crew, TP too.  But we got guys that have been here that understand what we’re doing and that helps a lot.”

The Nets have rediscovered how underappreciated great chemistry can be and how influential it is towards building a recipe for success through Spencer Dinwiddie’s recent play.

But the biggest question of all is what will happen when Kyrie comes back?  The difference between these two point guards right now is that Dinwiddie has found the right balance between taking over games with his scoring whilst using other vital parts of his offensive skill set to bring out the strengths of his teammates to collectively control and dominate opponents to victory.  Unlike Dinwiddie, Kyrie has naturally balled out in style, yet has not found the “connection” to use the various weapons he has all around him to win games.

However, Kyrie’s return is still not clear, so for now, the Nets look primed to push their way past .500 behind the spectacular play and leadership of Spencer Dinwiddie.  Despite dropping loads of cash to get two mega superstars during the offseason, it turns out that what the Nets needed all along was already on their team, to begin with.  Even without Kyrie, KD, and Caris LeVert, the Nets look like a playoff team behind Mr. Dinwiddie and deservedly so.

Brooklyn Nets: Get Our Bulldog out of the Dog House

by
Brooklyn Nets, Kyrie Irving

If you’ve watched any Brooklyn Nets game this season you know there are two inescapable facts. Much like in life you can’t escape death and taxes, the Brooklyn Nets can’t escape turnovers and bad defense. The Brooklyn Nets are allowing 121.4pts a game heading into their game with the Denver Nuggets. Only the New Orleans Pelicans are allowing more points a game to opposing teams (122.4).

The defense has been so dreadful in key stretches that it has prompted the Brooklyn Nets to go out and sign one of Kyrie Irving’s former teammates in Iman Shumpert (see what he brings here).

Now Caris LeVert’s thumb injury absolutely plays a part in this signing. The Brooklyn Nets expect to be without their homegrown shooting guard for several weeks. The Brooklyn Nets have played one game without him thus far, that being against the Utah Jazz. That game went the way of many games this year. It was yet another game that the Brooklyn Nets probably should’ve won, but a combination of bad defense, turnovers, and stretches of stagnant offense cost us the game.

In the second quarter however, the Brooklyn Nets played some of their best defense and David Nwaba played a big part in that. All five minutes of his play came in that stretch where he immediately contributed with 2 blocks and insane amounts of energy.

In the third and fourth quarters when the Utah Jazz cut into their deficit, David Nwaba was no where to be found. Not when Donovan Mitchell got into his groove. Not when Emmanuel Mudiay started finding his way to the line. Not even when Jeff Green woke up or when Mike Conley used his cunning to punish our defense.

Now I want to share a series of numbers with you.

13     -13

14     +05

14     -08

10     +01

12    +09

21    +13

05    +06

What do these numbers represent? Well, the first column is minutes played. The second column is the Box Plus/Minus. Now you can take it as the Brooklyn Nets are 2-5 in these games. Hell, you can even take it as the Brooklyn Nets are 2-1 when David Nwaba doesn’t play. Those both would be true. But I take it as David Nwaba doesn’t play enough. The way I see it, David Nwaba is a plus when he’s on the floor.

In five of the seven contests he’s in, he has a positive Box Plus/Minus rating. It is indeed a small sample size, but it’s worth noting that the team seems to play better when he’s on the floor. Here are some more numbers.

Nwaba           109     0.1

Levert            115    -0.1

Irving             113     1.6

Dinwiddie     115     0.5

Prince            111     0.4

Harris            116     0.5

Musa              117     00

Temple          111     0.5

The first column of numbers represents a defensive rating. It shows how many points the player is given the upper 100 possessions. The second column shows win shares. David Nwaba is at the top of the defensive rating list while also avoiding being at the bottom of the win share barrel, yet he somehow plays less than every player on the list. He even leads all Nets in defensive win shares (0.086).

This is not to say David Nwaba should be playing minutes over our starters or even leaps and bounds more than bench players. He is a rotational player, not a starter. But with the defensive struggles the team has been facing, Kenny Atkinson needs to find a way to get his bulldog onto the floor.

The Iman Shumpert signing is a need considering the defense we currently put out on the court, but part of me is worried that this is a sign that David Nwaba hasn’t quite earned the trust of the coaching staff. Again, he only played five minutes in Caris LeVert’s first missed game. Dzanan Musa played more than he did. Dzanan Musa played 15 minutes but left with a -9 box plus/minus. David Nwaba played 5 minutes and left with a +6 box plus/minus.

On a more positive note, assuming Kenny Atkinson does from his defense-first guard, he can make use of him and the Iman Shumpert addition to form creative defensive line ups. Irving-Nwaba-Shump-Prince-DJ? Irving-Shump-Temple-Prince-Allen? Temple-Nwaba-Shump-Prince-Claxton? Irving-Nwaba-Prince-Claxton-Allen? Kenny Atkinson will have a plethora of options at his disposal until he gets Caris LeVert and Wilson Chandler back in the fold. So in closing… #FreeNwaba