Brooklyn’s defense is hitting an all-time low amid the league’s worst start to the season

The The Brooklyn Nets were the worst team in the NBA to start the season, and a historically poor defense has been at the center of their struggles. Through four games, the Nets have allowed 522 points (130.5 per game), the most in franchise history.

Brooklyn’s defensive rating of 131.2 ranks last in the NBA, 7.5 points behind the 29th-ranked Phoenix Suns. The rebuilding team allowed opponents to shoot 53.7 percent from the field and 46.0 percent from three, which ranked last in both categories.

After Monday’s 137-109 loss to the Houston Rockets in which his team allowed 42 points in the first quarter, head coach Jordi Fernandez was asked about the root of the Nets’ defensive struggles.

“The energy we’ve had at times, I need consistency and urgency. That’s something we can’t decide if we’re going to do or not. It’s a matter of who we want to be,” Fernandez said. “To give up 42 points to start, it’s not great. It’s just not acceptable to take an NBA game for granted. Our guys are trying, they just don’t know how much harder and more concentrated they can do things… I think the foul is a big problem, which I’m not so worried about, because I want to be physical. We have to get better technique.

“Our coverages were a problem, because you can’t do it halfway. You have to do it 100 percent. You have to be two feet inside. If you have half a foot outside, (it’s not going to work). And right now, we’re trying, and we’re just not there yet.”

Fernandez tries to deploy one of the NBA’s most aggressive defensive coverages.

Will the Nets change their defense after a disastrous start?

The Nets blitzed 13.9% of the ball screens they defended last season, the highest rate in the NBA and the highest percentage of any team since the 2020-21 Miami Heat, according to ESPN and GeniusIK. Fernandez carried that philosophy over to this season and indicated that he is committed to it for the long term.

“The best teams in the pick and roll are usually aggressive. At least according to last year’s data, the two teams that were in the finals were aggressive. But obviously, we have to be able to run different coverages,” the coach said Friday.

However, this Nets roster seemed ill-equipped to realize Fernandez’s vision.

Brooklyn’s two best players are Cam Thomas and Michael Porter Jr.none of which are known for their defensive effort or engagement. The team includes three rookie point guards — Egor Demin, Ben Saraf and Nolan Traore. And none of his wings in the rotation to start the season — Zaire Williams, Terrance Mann, Noah Clowney, Tyrese Martin and Jalen Wilson — are considered elite offensive linemen.

With centers Nic Clacton and Dai’Ron Sharpe blitzing or hedging on screens, one or more of the players listed above are positioned as shortstops, responsible for rotation and roller defense. Other times, the Nets trapped the opposition’s best player near half court or in the post, relying on several rotations to recover and locate new matchups.

The system is a stark contrast to the switch-heavy Brooklyn scheme he played before Fernandez’s arrival.

“It’s not like my first few years here, where it was just one-on-one defense and switching everything up,” Thomas said during training camp. “This is more of a team defense. Everybody has to be on the line, but they still have to guard their yard, guard one-on-one.”

The results were less than encouraging, with players failing to make or missing rotations altogether. Through four games, the Nets have blocked an NBA-low three shots, two of which came early in the season. They rank 25th in steals (7.3 per game) and 21st in forced turnovers (14.8 per game).

Brooklyn’s defense must improve if the team hopes to compete at a respectable level. however, The Nets can afford some trouble during a tanking season if it helps their young players better understand Fernandez’s system.

“We’re working. The energy in the building every time we practice is really good. We just have to go out there and do possession after possession,” Fernandez said. “I believe they’re going to continue to take those steps. A lot of it is just a lack of experience. But we’re going to challenge them. The coaches are great, and we’re going to find a way to challenge them to stay focused every possession. It doesn’t matter if you play 20 seconds, 3 minutes or 10 minutes; your attention to detail and effort will be learned from the guys.”