SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Brook Lopez was discussing the Nets’ new-found emphasis on defense and was relating how every day, players receive a written report, critiquing their defense, stressing areas to improve. Usually, it’s a sheet of paper.
“Some games, it seems like I get a book,” Lopez said.
If the book fits, read it. It is all about accountability. As Devin Harris offered, defense is “a priority” this time around.
This is a result of coach Avery Johnson’s unrelenting approach to defense. He’ll admit the offense has a way to go — more like an intercontinental trip as the Nets, averaging 92.8 ppg, are dead last in scoring. But defensively, the Nets, entering tonight’s game with the Kings here, are seventh in points allowed (95.9 — they were 17th last season) and eighth in field goal percentage (.443, they were 27th last season). What’s happened?
“More than anything, it’s understanding the system,” Johnson said after practice yesterday. “And our defensive system starts when the ball is in the air on offense, it doesn’t start when our opponents get the ball.”
Johnson listed the various scenarios, from transition to pick and rolls to post ups and noted that in each instance, “we’ve made more strides at putting together more stops” and as a result “I would say defensively they are about 10 games ahead of where I projected.”
Johnson credits that to guys like Kris Humphries simply wanting to improve. And with Johnson, as with most coaches, you defend, you play, people notice.
“We’ve gotten better on defense and that’s where we’re going to hang our hat,” said general manager Billy King, who has praised the effort and the system — but mostly the effort. “Our offense will get better as we learn it and play together, but defensively we’ve really improved and we’ll continue to improve. Defense will give us a chance to win games, it will keep us in games.”
The Nets are 4-7. Of the seven losses, two were downright, they got no chance in Hades defeats but three others were by a total of five points. And with worst-in-the-league scoring, the Nets are getting respectability through defense. Johnson wants wins and he is playing guys who give him the best chance.
“Defense starts with effort,” King said. “You’ve got to play hard every night. You have to have good, sound principles to have good defense so guys know exactly when they’re guarding where to send them, where the help’s going to be.”
And if not, then the next day you get page, or a book, explaining mistakes.
“I can’t state how much the defensive emphasis has changed. It’s just a different mentality,” Lopez said. “Every day watching film. We get defensive ratings on where we had breakdowns and what we need to focus on personally.”
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Troy Murphy, ironically, was announced as being on the NBA All-Star ballot yesterday along with Harris and Lopez. Murphy is in limbo as his style doesn’t fit with the Nets, who are not going to just dump him. They need his expiring contract if they are to make any serious run at Carmelo Anthony, whom they see tomorrow in Denver (figure King chats with Denver brass).
The Nets, if they fail to make a deal, gain Murphy’s $11.9 million after the season. Johnson stressed how hard Murphy worked and that they are going “game-by-game” although he had several long talks with the veteran.
“It is what it is. Just taking it one game at a time, just trying to get better,” Murphy said diplomatically.
Murphy’s agent, Dan Fegan, noting his client’s shooting and rebounding skills, expressed confidence “everything will work out.” Johnson said Terrence Williams got only six minutes because he “did not see” what he needed in Williams’ game, namely explosiveness.