The Brooklyn Nets are proving they don’t roll over for anyone. In the throes of a tough West Coast road trip, the team first took down the upstart Sacramento Kings on Sunday by a score of 108-103, before knocking off the perennial powerhouse Golden State Warriors on the second night of a back-to-back for a thrilling come-from-behind win.
Jordi Fernandez’s coaching chops have been on display all season
There are two things the rookie head coach has done exceptionally well this season. First, he’s gotten the buy-in from every member of his team. From the battle-tested vets to the young foundational pieces he’s gotten everyone to play hard, play together, and do the little things that ultimately put wins on the board.
Secondly, he runs a system that is effective on both ends of the court and is malleable to the skill set of the players on his roster. The Nets have been a revolving door at certain positions due to injuries this season, and Fernandez has been able to plug the next man up into the rotation mostly without skipping a beat.
Last night, a perfect example was the play of veteran guard Shake Milton off the bench. Milton had played sparingly up to this point this season, however without Ben Simmons, Dorian Finney-Smith, Nic Claxton, and Noah Clowney for this game Fernandez reached deeper into his bench and tapped Milton to play a season-high 28 minutes.
The veteran was ready, going 5-10 from the field including 2-3 from deep, and also chipping in 3 rebounds and 3 assists. Having a player like Milton, who has logged some DNPs this season, ready and performing when called upon speaks volumes about the job Fernandez has done leading the team.
Dennis Schroder bounces back
A lot has been put on Schroder’s shoulders this season and an imbalanced roster has only led to him carrying even more weight. As a result, his play had tailed off after a hot start.
After missing Sunday’s game with a minor ankle injury Schroder returned to the court on Monday with an electric performance. The veteran point guard scored a game-high 31 points shooting 10-18 from the field, 4-8 from deep, and 7-7 from the line.
The dynamic German was everywhere also tallying 7 assists, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals serving both as Brooklyn’s offensive engine and a key to Brooklyn’s perimeter defense containing Steph Cury and company.
Two young Nets forwards shine
With the Nets entering the game short-handed, matters only got worse as the game progressed (more on that later). That led the Nets to lean even more on young forwards Jalen Wilson and Ziaire Williams, who were both inserted into the starting lineup.
For Williams, it was his third start of the season as his tenacious hustle and grit have earned the trust of the coaching staff and proven to be a huge boon for Brooklyn. For Wilson, it was just the second start of the season for the 24-year-old Summer League MVP.
Both players responded to the increased roles with Williams recording a double-double posting 19 points and 10 rebounds while doling out 4 assists for good measure, and Wilson right behind him scoring 18 points and grabbing 7 boards.
Whether it was outside shooting, attacking close-outs, or making hard cuts to the basket, both players excelled on the offensive end and pressured Golde State’s defense shooting a combined 5 for 11 from downtown and 10 for 11 from the charity stripe.
Defensively, both players were active, disrupting passing lanes and playing tough individual and team defense. Williams recorded two steals in the contest while Wilson added a block to his ledger.
The performance of both these players in the early going should help Brooklyn feel comfortable handing them larger roles if they are to eventually trade their veteran wings at the deadline.
Injuries keep piling up for Brooklyn
Since training camp, Brooklyn has been bitten by the injury bug and that bad luck has carried on throughout the season. Brooklyn is still awaiting the return of center Day’Ron Sharpe, has seen Nic Claxton and Noah Clowney in and out of the lineup, and has dealt with minor bumps and bruises to the likes of Dorian Finney-Smith and Dennis Schroder.
Without Sharpe, Clowney, Claxton, and Finney-Smith last night in addition to the regular scheduled rest for Ben Simmons the Nets sustained two more injuries to two of their best players.
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First, Cameron Johnson who looks like a serious NBA Most Improved Player Award candidate left the game after rolling his ankle after stepping on Draymond Green’s foot in the first quarter and didn’t return in the second half, and then later in the third quarter star guard Cam Thomas saw his pre-existing back strain flair up causing his exit from the game.
While neither injury seems severe, the Nets can ill afford to lose Thomas, who leads the team in scoring at 24.7 points per game, or Johnson who ranks fourth in the league among forwards in true shooting percentage at 66.6%, for any extended period of time.
Up next for Brooklyn
After a brief day off Brooklyn returns to action Wednesday, 11/27, traveling to Phoenix to take on old friend Kevin Durant and the Suns. After a scorching start, Phoenix has lost their last five contests to fall to 9-7 on the season. Brooklyn will also have the rest advantage as the Suns take on the Lakers in Los Angeles tonight, meaning the Nets will visit them on the second leg of a back-to-back for the Western Conference hopefuls.
The injury report will be key to keep an eye on, and if the Nets can get back some of their key players they might be able to stun the Suns. With how hard the team has played so far this season, they cannot be counted out of any game.
