The Nets’ defense has hit rock bottom
There are evenings when we say, let’s go fast and exaggerate a bit, that everything worked out for this or that team. This was never more true than with the Celtics vs Networks. Joe Mazzula’s players shot 66.7% from the field and 64.7% from 3-point range. Once you hit two out of three shots, everything becomes easier.
The opposite effect, when you take 66% of your opponent’s shots, including 22 3-pointers, everything becomes complicated to hope to win. Brooklyn players logically exploded, by bowing and yielding no less than 148 points. The franchise hasn’t seen such bloodshed since 2022.
“It was a really, really bad game defensively. Without a doubt our worst of the season.”, summary Jordi Fernandez. “I know we’ve already done better so I can fight about it. The idea is not what, but how: how we present ourselves, how we fight. This was not up to our standards.”
From the beginning of the season, the Nets coach insisted on the attitude of his players, more than on the mediocre results, which was announced even before the first match. When we read the statistics sheet, we realize that there was no effort.
“There’s a complete let down when we’re down by 40 points and concede 82 points in one half. Lamented the technician as he looked at the second half of his troops, because there was only a nine-point difference at the break. “Up front, it must be emphasized, it’s a very good team, but we can do better. I know that. I have confidence in my players. I don’t know if they believe in their ability to play hard, but my job is to show them that we can play even harder.”
With, in recent days, 115 points against the Hawks, then 123 and 126 against the Mavericks and Spurs, and finally this terrible slap in Boston, it is a failure, but not surprising: Brooklyn is only the 27th defense in the league this season.
2026-02-28 12:45:00
