After Monday’s atrocious loss, the Nets are taking part in clear up.
In what was their first sport with out veteran chief and level guard Dennis Schroder, who was traded Sunday to the Warriors in what appears to be like like a front-office tanking determination, the Nets crumbled in opposition to the Cavaliers and ex-Nets coach Kenny Atkinson in a 130-101 loss at Barclays Middle.
In alternate for Schroder, they acquired De’Anthony Melton, who’s sidelined the remainder of the season following Dec. 4 surgical procedure to restore {a partially} torn ACL; rookie Reece Beekman; three second-round picks; and an entire new fashion of basketball.
“We’re trying to flush that game, learn from it, but, you know, we’re trying to win tomorrow,” Dorian Finney-Smith stated following apply Wednesday. “Coaches have been telling us what we need to work on, especially defensively. We got to start doing a better job defensively, keeping guys out of the middle of the paint and try to get a win tomorrow.”
After committing 22 turnovers (which Cleveland became 34 factors), gifting the Cavaliers 29 free-throw makes an attempt, and permitting 24 second-chance factors, the speedy holes seemed to be the possession sport and tempo.
These have been the 2 factors of focus for head coach Jordi Fernandez in serving to his group alter.
“So, you add those things up and how can our execution be better,” Fernandez stated Wednesday. “Spacing, so we don’t flip it over. Our methods on protection, so we’re not sending them to the road on a regular basis. Discovering our bodies, particularly now if we’re greater, there’s no excuse for not ending possession. So, all of these issues that may’ve helped us, however now we can’t play that sport no extra.
“So, we’re looking to the next one. The guys have owned it. They have a great attitude about it. But, then we want to see how we perform for 48 minutes next game.”
With Ben Simmons because the main level guard, the Nets performed what Fernandez thought was their quickest sport Monday.
Simmons is understood to be efficient in transition and for main the cost to attain fast-break factors.
It’s a giant change from Schroder, who would often orchestrate the play towards the tip of the shot clock.
The Nets put up 16 fast-break factors in opposition to the Cavaliers’ 21 on Monday, nevertheless there was an absence of ball care that led to the blowout.
“I think the pace was a positive. I know that game didn’t feel positive at all, but especially the start of the game,” Fernandez stated. “Obviously, a lot of times space goes up if you turn it over a lot, especially if those turnovers come up early in the clock and they turn into a quick shot the other way. We do want to increase the pace, but not because we turn it over.”
The Nets have been as soon as undersized this season with accidents to Day’Ron Sharpe, Trendon Watford, Nic Claxton and Noah Clowney.
Nonetheless, the second-chance factors included within the Cavaliers’ 38 factors within the paint have been a obtrusive problem on the stat sheet, in addition to being outrebounded 42-35.
Although short-staffed within the backcourt, the changes bleed into the paint gamers as nicely.
“It just starts defensively. We got to guard guys,” Finney-Smith stated. “We got to take care of the ball. We turned the ball over, but it wasn’t just the turnovers. It was the live-ball turnovers that led to dunks and wide-open 3s. We got to take care of the ball, and with our size, we got to rebound. Just win the possession game and get stops that can put us in transition where we can be pretty good.”
The Nets have an opportunity to bounce again in new type this week in opposition to two of the league’s worst groups — on the highway in opposition to the Raptors (7-20) on Thursday then at dwelling in opposition to the struggling Jazz (5-20) on Saturday.
