Scouting the Enemy: Brooklyn Nets
By Eric He
Before every game, Blue Man Hoop will “scout the enemy” by doing Q&As with FanSided writers familiar with the opposing team.
As the Warriors get set to play the Brooklyn Nets in little less than 12 hours, it’s time to preview the game by scouting the enemy. Our thanks to Martin Mihaly of From Russia With Dunk, who was kind enough to answer five questions about the Nets and the upcoming game:
1) What are expectations in Brooklyn this season considering a new head coach, the departure of Paul Pierce, and the aging of some of the team’s core players?
Expectations for the Brooklyn Nets this season are tampered compared to what they were last season. Basically, the Nets are still expected to make the playoffs but not be a serious threat to the Eastern Conference Title. Most people seem to have them landing anywhere in the 3-6 range in the East.
2) The Nets have a very efficient offense early on, ranking among the league’s best in field-goal percentage and three-point shooting. What are they doing right thus far?
It’s simple; the spacing, ball movement and player movement have been good in their wins but poor in their losses. Take last night for example, the Nets scored 63 points in the first half against the Phoenix Suns. Then in the second half, the Nets offense was stagnant and could not get anything going. Often times it was basically an isolation for Joe Johnson as Deron Williams seemed to take a back seat.
3) Joe Johnson voiced his frustration before the road trip about the team playing “selfish.” What are your thoughts on his comments?
The team seemed to be moving the ball well in its first few games. Johnson voiced his displeasure after a bit of a lackluster showing by the Nets in their victory over the Orlando Magic on Sunday. Johnson is a veteran who has been with the Nets for three seasons now. He has a right to voice his frustration and his opinion should hold some weight on the team.
It’s tough to point out exactly what Johnson was talking about, but with him being a long-time veteran in the NBA he may have noticed some player tendencies or behavior that he did not like. He knows very well how the team should be performing and where they are instead.
4) Keys for the Nets to win this game?
With the Golden State Warriors being one of the best teams in the NBA, this will be a very tall order for the Nets on the second night of a back-to-back. The keys for the Nets offensively will be to get Brook Lopez going inside and to limit their turnovers. If they can get Lopez to be consistently effective throughout the game inside against Andrew Bogut that will open up the floor for Deron Williams to create off the dribble and from pick-and-roll plays.
Williams and his cohorts need to focus on taking better care of the ball. In the Nets three losses the team has turned the ball over 57 times, an average of 19.0 times a game. In their last three games they have given the ball up 49 times, an average 16.3 turnovers per contest. If a team turns it over that many times against the Warriors they are in serious danger. Turnovers lead to fastbreak opportunities. The difference with the Warriors is their fastbreaks don’t usually end in the traditional lay-up attempt. With Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, the Warriors look typically shoot quick three’s in transition.
As for stopping the Warriors defensively, it all starts with Curry. Curry is arguably the best point guard in the league right now. Williams and whoever else guards him will have to be sure to not give an inch of space to Curry as he can absolutely light it up from anywhere on the court.
This will be easier said than done.
5) Final prediction and why?
The Warriors are coming off of a loss at home to the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night. The Nets are coming off a loss at the Suns last night. With the Warriors being at home, this will be a very tough game for the Nets. The Nets will keep it in range but the Warriors will be too much to handle and will win the game 110-102.