Here are my three thoughts on the Nets’ 104-96 win over the Celtics in Brooklyn Tuesday night:
1. Deron Williams talked a lot after Tuesday’s game about how he felt he needed to “pick up the pace” and how he thought the Nets were playing too slow while he sat out 11 of the last 12 games with his sprained left ankle, and it was clear during the game that Williams was trying to bring the ball up quickly.
But if you look at the numbers of possessions, the Nets finished with just under 90 possessions – even slower than the 93 or so they had been averaging, and a mark that would easily qualify as the slowest in the entire NBA if the Nets stuck to that pace over the course of a full season.
That doesn’t mean Williams was wrong in saying he thought the Nets needed to play faster, or even that they didn’t play faster Tuesday than they had previously. It just is a different way of defining what it means to “pick up the pace.”
Pushing the ball up the court gives the Nets an extra two or three seconds each possession to get into their offense – an extra two or three seconds the defense then has to work, which will often result in more shots. Then, because the Nets were ending a lot of possessions by dumping the ball in to Brook Lopez, that allowed him an additional couple of seconds to figure out what move he wanted to make and then execute it.
The Nets might not be playing faster, per se, but they are playing more efficiently this way, and they’ll be well-served to continue doing so.
2. Nets coach Jason Kidd said after Saturday’s game in Milwaukee the Nets are going to be an inside-out team, and will play through the size they have as they try to climb out of the massive early-season hole they’ve dug for themselves. And, at least Tuesday night, the Nets followed through on Kidd’s declaration.
Between Lopez, Kevin Garnett and Joe Johnson, the Nets repeatedly exploited whatever matchup they could get in the paint. Though Johnson struggled to take advantage, going 2-for-8, using his massive size advantage over opposing 2-guards and backing them down to 5-6 feet for a little floater or a baby hook is an extremely high-quality look.
Given the age and lack of athleticism on the Nets’ roster, slowing the game down and turning it into a half-court slugfest is the best way for this team to play.
3. It was the subject of our game wrap-up, but things sure looked a lot different for the Nets when they had nearly their entire roster healthy and available for the first time in a long time.
Williams was quick to point out they aren’t fully healthy yet, given his good friend Andrei Kirilenko (back spasms) remains sidelined, as does Jason Terry (sore left knee). But after spending about 25 days waiting to get Williams, Johnson, Garnett, Lopez and Paul Pierce back into a game together, the Nets were finally able to do so against Boston.
Williams, in particular, was terrific in his return, but Pierce – coming off the bench in order to get used to a protective glove he’s wearing to protect the broken bone he suffered in his right (shooting) hand in Houston on Nov. 29 – wasn’t too shabby either. Although he went 0-for-3 from the field and 4-for-7 from the foul line, Pierce looked comfortable running the offense and attacking the rim, and also was aggressive going to the glass at the defensive end.
The Nets obviously have gotten off to the rough start, but their starting lineup still has only played about 78 minutes together. If they manage to keep all of these guys on the floor for a few straight weeks – and especially if they can get Kirilenko healthy and able to contribute anything at all – it won’t be surprising if they can get on a run and climb back closer to .500.