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.