The Nets are on a four-game losing skid, dropping their last three games on the road before Wednesday night's loss at Barclays Center to the New York Knicks 121-102. The Nets are stuck in mediocrity unless they trade for a player who elevates the squad.
Brooklyn won two of the five games on the recent road trip. They currently sit in the 10th spot in the NBA’s Eastern Conference and although the season is about a third of the way through, a similar outcome might happen if the injured players in street clothes on the Nets bench don't put on game shorts in the next game or two.
The Nets could not handle Julius Randle. The Knicks power forward's inside presence was too much for Brooklyn’s defenders, putting the Nets in foul trouble early, particularly Nets player Day’Ron Sharpe, who had two fouls in the first quarter when Randle did most of his damage with 12 points.
Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson had a slow game, even though the team still won by 19 points. His stat line of 16 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists was nearly 10 points below his scoring average for the season.
The Nets didn’t have a single glaring weakness on either side of the ball. They didn’t shoot the ball with efficiency, but neither did the Knicks. Brooklyn shot 36.6% from the field and 31.9% from three, and the second chance points and fast break point differential weren’t sizable. Yet the final score difference was 18 points.
The Nets are a middle-of-the-road team, ranking 11th in offensive efficiency and 18th in defense. Their body count on the injured list features key players who are difference-makers on both sides of the ball. Point guard Ben Simmons and shooting guards Lonnie Walker IV and guard Dennis Smith have not returned to the lineup. The continued loss of rebounding, fast break scoring and on-ball pressure puts Brooklyn at a disadvantage.
An NBA team's success is often driven by players who elevate the team and can tilt the game with singular play. But Brooklyn doesn’t have many of those players who can change the outcome of a game consistently and lead a team to wins. Right now, the Nets are sitting one game under .500 for the season.
The NBA is a league of All-Stars and the Brooklyn Nets are currently without any. Instead of All-Stars, the Nets need to play tighter, connective defense, clamping down on interior entry passes to the post with hands in the passing lanes and energy closeouts to perimeter shootings without fouling.
Head coach Jacque Vaughn needs to extract an extra level of effort from the team defensively. On the five-game road trip, Brooklyn played porous defense, giving up points like free lunch.
The Nets will play another home game Friday night against the Denver Nuggets at Barclays Center at 7:30pm.
