No one can throw a half-baked “welcome home” party like the Brooklyn Nets. It's a strange gathering, but they have experience in orchestration, directing the same tepid show Kevin Durant returned to town less than a week ago.
But tonight, it was Kyrie Irving's turn to sign a jersey with his name on the back but in the opposing team's colors. Occasionally, fans would show up and show off their heart symbols, only to be scolded by the usher right afterward. His turn to hear cheers was then drowned out by boos.
For most professional athletes, requesting a trade after underachieving results in only the latter. But things are different here in Brooklyn. As the Nets have been robbed of winning basketball games, loyalty to the two (or three) players who came closest to winning is starting to fade a little. Netz is a sad person who is still heartbroken after the breakup. Because he has not yet found someone new to do for them what his lost love did for him. (As far as I'm concerned, it's all about the makings of an Adele song!)
Anyway, tonight we danced the night away in Brooklyn and Dallas. Irving and his new best friend Luka Doncic managed to keep the Nets at arm's length all night, but Brooklyn struggled to apply pressure on several second-half quirks. Here's what we learned.
Jalen Wilson remains Brooklyn's most NBA-ready rook
All signs were pointing to the first signs: Brooklyn's lack of size, Glass' recent troubles, and news of the call-up from Long Island hitting our phones this afternoon. genuine Noah Clowney's NBA candidacy.
Jacque Vaughn certainly delighted the fans in the first quarter, bringing him off the bench around seven minutes into the first quarter for Brooklyn's first throw-in attempt to back up five. After lurking in the dunker spot, he scored early via an alley-oop feed from Dennis Smith Jr. to get on the scoreboard. However, shortly thereafter, he was benched again, never to return.
The rookie who stepped up and played most of the second half of the game was Jalen Wilson. It wasn't exactly a breakout moment for the former Jayhawk, who added 10 points, four rebounds and two assists while making 3-of-7 field goals and 2-of-3 deep shots, but… It was even more amazing. It reminds me of what I saw from him in the preseason and the summer league before that.
Wilson again played as a defender and showed his ability to play on switch for Brooklyn. He was certainly a plus in the eyes of Brooklyn's coaching staff. Despite the game being broadcast nationally, there were no signs of nervousness among the rookies. One of the two triples came during Brooklyn's first rush with the lead, and one with about eight minutes left cut Dallas' lead to single digits. It wasn't long before Wilson made a steal from Irving on the other end, much to the fans' delight.
“I thought he had great pace, whether it was going for rebounds, shooting open threes, or trying to defend physically. He checked all those boxes,” Vaughn said. He spoke after the game. “He's worked his whole life to get to this position countless times. He's a fourth-year player, he's paid his salary well and continues to pay his salary, so he had disciplined minutes tonight. It's good to be able to submit
Considering Wilson is four years older than Clowney and Darik Whitehead, who is out this season, the idea that he is more pro than other 2023 draft prospects is not surprising. Raised as a 3-and-D wing player, his style of play, an easy-to-connect sub, will help his case on an NBA team. And keep in mind, he was used on an emergency basis because the Nets are without Cam Johnson and Lonnie Walker IV. He played 36 minutes the night before against Long Island, scoring 17 points and grabbing 16 boards.
These are all encouraging signs. The Nets are likely to move wing Royce O'Neal and possibly Dorian Finney-Smith within the next few days than this summer. Their reserve time should fall into Wilson's lap, and tonight he claimed to be ready for them.
Some of the worst half-court offenses
All night, but mainly in the first half, Brooklyn couldn't buy buckets. But in the half court, it seemed like not even a single loan would be approved.
Earlier this year, Brooklyn's offense was centered around an inability to get downhill, largely as a result of Spencer Dinwiddie's “fall.” With their wing swarms, I knew they had guns that could rain bullets on the enemy from all over the floor, but they had no one to load them.
Tonight we saw the opposite. With only five true floor spacers available: Dinwiddie, Bridges, O'Neal, Thomas, and rookie Wilson, Brooklyn didn't have good looks despite Dennis Smith Jr. and Cam Thomas doing a great job. There was very little to be found. Lowers defense power when attacking. Ben Simmons' return to the team at the expense of Cam Johnson and Lonnie Walker IV, while having many benefits, did nothing.
Once Spencer Dinwiddie found his rhythm late in the game, Brooklyn managed to produce buckets for a few games, but this was more of a comeback than a reversal. attempt This is to prevent fans from taking early trains home.
But, as Sisyphus says, people just want to push rocks uphill for a long time. While things were tough for Brooklyn, Dallas had an easier time picking up points, making stealing a win a near-impossible task. This situation is expected to continue as long as injuries persist.
Cam Thomas shows patience
For the second game in a row, Cam Thomas looked a little sluggish and his minutes were reduced as the Nets' offense as a whole struggled to find its groove. However, in the midst of these struggles, the first scorer went off script and exerted his influence as a facilitator.
CT contributed 16 points tonight as well, but finished with a career-high 8 dimes. Considering the team doesn't have a shotmaker on the floor, you can tell he had to work for the team as well. Despite being known for his ability to get buckets, Thomas has said in the past that he can do whatever the team needs from him. Tonight, he provided the best evidence to support that.
“He continues to do that through contact, going downhill for us and getting to the rim,” Vaughn said of Thomas. “He’s going to continue to do that and as he gets older in this league, he’s going to get some foul calls along the way, but both [Thomas and Bridges] Kudos to our team for continuing to grow the game within their concepts. ”
“We know they have the potential to be great players in this league,” Thomas and Claxton's Kyrie Irving said after the game. “They have to be consistent, find continuity and be patient.”
No one wants to celebrate the night your ex blows you up on the floor of your house, but from a man who is Brooklyn's highest-ceilinged prospect, that's a further development. It should at least stay out of the whiskey cabinet. Thomas also had eight rebounds and achieved a triple-double.
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