Brooklyn Nets Weekly Review: Week 2
Season Record: 3-3
Week Record: 1-3
Player of the Week: Kevin Durant - 30.0 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 5.3 APG, 51.7 FG%, 45.0 3P%, 87.5 FT%
Best Individual Performance: Kevin Durant - 33 Points, 11 Rebounds, 8 assists in 145-141 W versus the Atlanta Hawks (16 points, 9 free throws in the 4th quarter)
SUMMARY
It was a rough week for the Nets after they opened the 2020-2021 NBA season in an astounding fashion. They dropped three of their four games, giving up over 100 points in each game. Two of the three losses came down to the wire, beginning with their December 27th matchup with the Charlotte Hornets. The Nets led by two at half as both teams struggled to shoot. Just under two minutes into the 3rd quarter, Spencer Dinwiddie went down awkwardly after what initially looked like an ankle sprain. However, while on the ground, Dinwiddie was grabbing onto his right knee, a scary sign. The Nets failed to recover in the 3rd after the injury as the Hornets would go on to outscore them 34-27. In the 4th, the Nets wound up falling behind by 16 points before climbing back into the game with three minutes left. They eventually went down four points after Durant missed a possible game-tying jumper under 10 seconds. Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot would go on to make a last-ditch layup while time expired to make it a 2-point loss. It marked the Nets’ 1st loss of the season, which wasn’t a big deal. However, Dinwiddie’s injury was a major loss, as he was ruled out for the season due to an ACL injury.
The following night, the Nets suited up versus the Memphis Grizzlies for the 2nd half of a back-to-back, but without Durant and Kyrie Irving. This is what I wish Nash wouldn’t have done, and I hope the Dinwiddie injury helps prevent him from doing it: sitting Durant and Kyrie on the same night. Resting the two stars together would have worked if Dinwiddie were available to help Caris LeVert lead the team, but that’s no longer an option. If the Nets want to survive back-to-backs, Nash has to sit KD on one night and Kyrie on the other. Though Cabarrot and LeVert did their best to carry the offense, and DeAndre Jordan and Jarrett Allen nabbed 24 rebounds combined (15 off the bench for Allen), the Nets would fall in overtime as only LeVert scored in the extra quarter. Cabarrot impressed in the 1st half with 19 points on just 10 shots, but only put up 2 points on 6 shots in the 2nd half. What made the loss feel worse than it was is that Ja Morant went down late in the 2nd quarter, yet the Nets still struggled to stop the Grizzlies’ offense. Memphis was able to put up 33 points in the 3rd quarter and another 29 points in the 4th and overtime.
The following two games were home games versus the Atlanta Hawks. In the first game, neither team cared to play any defense as the Nets won in regulation, 145-141. The teams put up a combined 286 points in 48 minutes of play. KD and Kyrie carried the team in the 4th as they scored 33 of the team’s 43 4th quarter points. It was an impressive bounce-back win for Nash and his Nets. Game 2 was a different story for the Nets, however. They trailed by 9 at the half, while making just 1 of their 16 three-point attempts. They were able to increase that number in the 2nd half (albeit 6-21) but the defense just wasn’t there as the Hawks would go on to win 114-96.
Overall, it was a bad week for the Nets. They lost three games AND an integral part of their team. The team’s depth at guard will definitely help. If Cabarrot doesn’t exactly work out as Dinwiddie’s replacement in the starting lineup, they can look towards Landry Shamet or Bruce Brown. Though Shamet has got off to a horrible start (5-22 from three), he’s bound to regain his shooting touch. Brown would offer some defensive capabilities for a team that initially looked sound on that side of the court. Either way, the loss of Dinwiddie hurts. How Nash recovers from a 1-3 week is important for a team that the media may target if the struggles continue.
NEXT UP
vs Washington Wizards 1/3/21
vs Utah Jazz 1/5/21
vs Philadelphia 76ers 1/7/21
@ Memphis Grizzlies 1/8/21