After Monday’s agonizing defeat, the Nets are taking part in housekeeping.
In what was their first sport with out veteran chief and level guard Dennis Schroder, who was traded to the Warriors on Sunday in what appears to be like like a tanking transfer by the entrance workplace, the Nets collapsed towards the Cavaliers and former coach Nets Kenny Atkinson in a 130-101 loss at Barclays Middle.
In change for Schroder, they obtained De’Anthony Melton, who’s out for the remainder of the season after surgical procedure Dec. 4 to restore {a partially} torn ACL; rookie Reece Beekman; three second-round picks; and an entire new fashion of basketball.
“We’re making an attempt to study from this sport, study from it, however you understand, we’re making an attempt to win tomorrow,” Dorian Finney-Smith mentioned after Wednesday’s follow. “The coaches instructed us what we have to work on, particularly defensively. We have to begin doing a greater job defensively, conserving guys out of the center of the paint and making an attempt to get a win tomorrow.
After committing 22 turnovers (which Cleveland was 34 factors), giving the Cavaliers 29 free throw makes an attempt and permitting 24 second likelihood factors, the rapid holes gave the impression to be the possession sport and tempo.
These are the 2 factors that head coach Jordi Fernandez has centered on to assist his workforce adapt.
“So that you add these issues up and the way can our execution be higher,” Fernandez mentioned Wednesday. “Spacing, in order to not flip it over. Our strategies are on protection, so we do not ship them to the road on a regular basis. Discovering our bodies, particularly now if we’re older, there isn’t any excuse to not be completed with possession. So all these items that may have helped us, however now we will not play this sport anymore.
“So we glance to the following one. The blokes personal it. They’ve an important perspective about it. However then we need to see how we carry out for 48 minutes within the subsequent sport.
With Ben Simmons as their major level guard, the Nets performed what Fernandez thought can be their quickest sport on Monday.
Simmons is understood for being environment friendly in transition and main the cost to attain quick break factors.
That is a giant change from Schroder, who often orchestrated the play close to the tip of the shot clock.
The Nets scored 16 quick break factors to the Cavaliers’ 21 on Monday, however it was a scarcity of ball care that led to the blowout.
“I feel the tempo has been constructive. I do know this sport wasn’t constructive in any respect, however particularly the beginning of the sport,” Fernandez mentioned. “Clearly area typically will increase in case you flip it over so much, particularly if these turnovers come early within the clock and turns right into a fast fireplace within the different course We need to enhance the tempo, however not as a result of we’re knocking it down.
The Nets had been as soon as undersized this season with accidents to Day’Ron Sharpe, Trendon Watford, Nic Claxton and Noah Clowney.
Nonetheless, the second-chance factors included within the Cavaliers’ 38 factors within the paint had been a evident drawback on the stat sheet, along with being outgained 42-35.
Though personnel is tight within the backcourt, the changes carry over to the paint gamers as nicely.
“It simply begins defensively. We’ve to maintain guys,” Finney-Smith mentioned. “We’ve to maintain the ball. We turned the ball over, however it wasn’t simply turnovers. It was the stay ball turnovers that led to dunks and broad open 3s. We’ve to maintain the ball and with our measurement now we have to rebound. Simply win the possession sport and get stops that may put us in a transition the place we will be fairly good.
The Nets have an opportunity to bounce again in new kind this week towards two of the worst groups within the league – on the street towards the Raptors (7-20) on Thursday then at house towards the struggling Jazz (5-20) on Saturday.
