The Brooklyn Nets evened their record at 4-4 following a close call against Memphis, hanging on for a 106-104 victory. Reaching the .500 mark for the second time on the young season. This is supposed to be a season of development and growing pains, however the team is quickly proving to be more fiesty and competitive than many thought. In some aspects, that’s better for the development of its young core than an all out tank, and raises some interesting storylines to watch as the season progresses.
Cam Thomas’s mini scoring slump highlights his development
Thomas opened the season on a tear, scoring 30+ points in three of the team’s first six games, however over the last two he put up totals of just 17 points against Detroit and a season-low 13 points against Memphis. While some may be worried that he’s fizzled out over back to back games as the newly minted number one option, it’s important to remember that he’s got a proven track record of being able to score, and is still averaging 24.9 points per game this season.
Instead, the bigger development has been what he’s accomplished when his shot isn’t falling. Always a polarizing player, Thomas typically divides fans and analysts into two camps; those that think he’s a key building block and future star, and those who think he’s a one dimensional scorer that feasts on empty calorie buckets. The key for his development this season is whether or not he can develop as a playmaker for others, particularly when his shot isn’t falling. Speaking on this topic, head coach Jordi Fernandez had this to say after Thomas’s night against Detroit:
Today, CT wasn’t efficient. Sometimes, when that happens, you give yourself up with cuts, or you find your teammates, and that’s what I want to see. You’re a scorer, but if they do certain things to you, then maybe it’s a day that you score less, but you assist more. And that’s part of the growth that we all want to see.
Monday night against Memphis, that’s exactly what Thomas did. Shooting just 6 of 17 from the field, he racked up a season best 6 assists which tied point guard Dennis Schorder for the team high. Once he realized his shot wasn’t falling, he made the adjustment everyone wants to see and was actively looking to get other players involved. This is a start, and if he can continue the trend while also improving his decision making to find the best possible shot, whether his own or that of a teammate, consistently he’ll become the offensive dynamo that his most ardent supporters are hoping for.
Nic Claxton makes his first start
One of the more puzzling things about the early going this season was the decision to have Claxton, fresh off a $100 million dollar extension, come of the bench in favor of small ball starting lineups. Fernandez clarified that decision a few days ago, stating that a preseason hamstring injury led him to bring Claxton along slowly as he works back into game shape, and that there was a plan to have him start eventually.
That start came against Memphis, where Claxton played a season high 26 minutes. The sixth-year center figures to be a building block for Brooklyn, and put together a game in which he did a little of everything, talling 10 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and a block.
It’s clear he’s still working back into form, and it’s questionable if this start was due to Ben Simmons rest or part of Fernandez’s plan to reintegrate him into the starting lineup, but his performance Monday night shows the kind of impact he can have in all facets of the game, particularly on the defensive end.
Cameron Johnson is improving his trade value
Perhaps the biggest trade chip the Nets have left, and the player most rumored to be on the move, Johnson has quietly been spectacular to start the season. Against Memphis he was an extremely efficient 8 of 11 from the field including 3 of 4 from three en route to a 20 point performance.
On the season, Johnson is averaging a career high 16.6 points per games, including three 20+ point performances in the last five games. Known as a lethal three point shooter, Johnson is still connecting at an above average clip of 36.4%, while also making plays as a cutter and a driver.
The Nets have a crowded forward rotation including fellow veteran Dorian Finney-Smith, young reserves Jalen Wilson and Ziaire Williams who both have shown encouraging flashes in the early going, and what they hope to be a core building block in second year man Noah Clowney. The team is also awaiting the return from injury of 24 year old forward Trendon Watford, whose unique skill set figures to make him a prominent rotation fixture as well.
There’s a logjam coming in the front court, and Johnson’s early season performance is only increasing his value for when something has to give and a move needs to be made to give the young talent ample room to grow in the minutes share.
Jordi Fernandez is building a winning basketball culture
Fernandez was lauded for his work with Team Canada over the summer during the Olympics, and it’s clear to see that he’s a coach that gets buy-in from his players. While many expected the Nets to be one of the worst teams in the league, Fernandez has got the roster from top to bottom bought in on playing hard, doing the little things, and playing for each other.
The Nets are hustling and diving on the floor for loose balls. They’re boxing out and gang rebounding, even when their smaller lineups put them at a disadvantage on the boards. They share the ball and work together to find the best shot. The complementary players are excelling at moving without the basketball and cutting to the basket. Defensively, they communicate and switch well.
On the season, the Nets are middle of the pack in both offensive and defensive ratings. They sit 14th overall in team offensive rating at 114.3 and 19th overall in team defensive rating at 114.6, with reason to believe their defensive efficiency will improve as Claxton, their best defender, starts taking on a higher work load.
Most importantly, Fernandez has been a positive voice, lifting up his players and focusing on development above all else. This my hinder the Nets in the “capture the Flagg sweepstakes,” but long term it will be a net positive as the young players on the team learn what it takes to play winning basketball together as a unit.
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Next up for Brooklyn
Coming up Brooklyn will face their biggest challenge this season, taking on the reigning NBA champions, the Boston Celtics, in Boston on Friday, November 8th. That kicks off a tough stretch that sees the young squad then travel to Cleveland the next night, before completing the road trip in New Orleans on 11/11 which will be the team’s third game in four days.
Brooklyn will then host the Celtics on 11/13, before taking on crosstown rivals, the New York Knicks, twice at the Garden on 11/15 and 11/17.
This string of games against teams with playoff aspirations will be a crucial test to see if the Nets are really better than everyone thought, or if they quickly turn into a pumpkin under the bright lights. It’s important to remember that last year the team started out 13-10 providing hope of contention before the bottom fell out leading to a record of 19-40 the rest of the way.
In any case, the keys to watch for will be how Cam Thomas responds to his shooting slump and his overall play against some of the best defensive lineups in the league, how Nic Claxton’s role is handled moving forward, and how well the veteran wings continue to play and in what way that impacts the rotation.