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#3 Another slow start for the Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets got off to a sluggish start against the Philadelphia 76ers. They trailed early on as they did in their season opener against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Midway into the first quarter, the Nets were already down 20-6 against the 76ers. It could have been worse had Kevin Durant not responded with six points of his own. The first quarter eventually ended 28-34, with the Nets trailing the 76ers.
The Nets have plenty of firepower, and can shake off slow starts. But it is never ideal to get out of the gates facing significant deficits in the opening 5-7 minutes of games.
Playing catch up early in the game, like they did against the Philadelphia 76ers, often saps the energy of the chasing team. The window to commit errors becomes smaller and the sense of urgency often leads to more uncharacteristic mistakes.
Their slow start against the 76ers was a little surprising. That's because the Brooklyn Nets had enough time to prepare for the game, knowing Kyrie Irving would not be walking through the door anytime soon.
#2 Kevin Durant played at small forward, almost exclusively, against the Philadelphia 76ers
Kevin Durant at the power forward took on an entirely different meaning when he was with the Golden State Warriors. That team only had a certain guy named Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, two of the best shooters the league has ever seen.
When Durant spurned the Warriors to join the Brooklyn Nets, he helped transform the latter into an offensive juggernaut by again playing the power forward or center. Durant was paired with DeAndre Jordan or Jeff Green, with KD playing center with Green on the floor.
The Brooklyn Nets then acquired Blake Griffin mid-season and moved him to center during the playoffs. Durant almost exclusively played power forward when the Nets posted an offensive rating of 135.6. At the four spot, the Slim Reaper opens up a ton of opportunities for the Nets.
With Irving virtually out for the season, the return of LaMarcus Aldrige and the development of Nic Claxton has forced Steve Nash to juggle more with his lineup. For now, Durant is almost exclusively at the small forward spot. While the offense will almost always be tough, with Durant and Harden around, the defense has struggled a little.
Any combination of Griffin, Aldridge, Claxton and Paul Millsap isn’t just quick enough on closeouts or run outs. The Nets are also prone to allow drives, as they hastily scramble to guard the three-point line. Two games into the season are not conclusive, but this is something worth noting.
Regardless of where he’s at, Kevin Durant never fails to impress, though. He already had a triple-double with two minutes left in the third quarter. Durant eventually finished with an impressive stat line of 29 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists against the Philadelphia 76ers.
#1 LaMarcus Aldridge, the difference-maker for the Nets
LaMarcus Aldridge temporarily retired last season due to an irregular heartbeat, which forced the Nets to be aggressive in acquiring Blake Griffin. Before his retirement, Aldridge started at center for the Nets, and was a seamless fit because of his mid-range jump shooting and low-post game.
Against the 76ers, he came off the bench and scored 23 points, including crucial points that allowed the Nets to escape with a hard-earned win. Aldridge tallied 23 points, five rebounds and two blocks, including 10-12 shooting from the field. He also made free throws in the dying seconds of the game to give the Nets a little cushion before the final score was settled.
The Brooklyn Nets outscored the Philadelphia 76ers by 21 points when Aldridge was on the floor. This is a stat worth noting because the starting center, the young Nic Claxton, was bullied in the post and was minus 19 in 17 minutes of play.
Brooklyn will need this version of LaMarcus Aldridge, particularly without Kyrie Irving.
Guess the Bulls players in this quiz and it's not going to be easy!
