Breaking Down the Nets' Defensive Struggles
The Brooklyn Nets have gotten off to a hot start on offense. Ranking 10th in offensive rating (113.8), the Nets average 110.9 points and are shooting an impressive 38.7% from three. The offensive surge has given a team expected to be rebuilding nine wins through 21 games.
On the flip side, defense is responsible for the majority of Brooklyn's 12 losses. On Sunday, the Nets fell to the Orlando Magic, 100-92. The game was low-scoring, but the story for the Nets was giving up points in the paint. The Magic had 54 points come in the paint, while the Nets had just 38.
The Nets are just as good on offense as they are poor on defense, if not worse, ranking 24th in defensive rating (116.8).
Brooklyn has capable defenders, with lineups featuring Cameron Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith. However, Nic Claxton, a force on defense and in the paint, hasn't been consistently playing as he's dealing with a lingering back injury. Hamstring issues also limited his minutes early in the season.
Claxton averaged 9.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks last season, showing how much of a paint protector he is. It's no coincidence that when he isn't on the floor or doesn't play starting-level minutes, the Nets' paint defense falters.
However, that isn't the only issue with the Nets' defense. The team has great perimeter defenders, yet Brooklyn allows teams to score at high volume. The Nets give up 114.1 points per game (20th) and have allowed teams to shoot 48.5% from the field thus far (28th). Teams against the Nets are also shooting 37.3% from three (26th).
It's peculiar considering they don't allow teams to shoot too much, it's just that the defense isn't good enough to keep opponents from hitting shots. The bottom line: Brooklyn needs another paint protector when Claxton isn't playing, as well as better perimeter defense.
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