Inside The Nets

Mikal Bridges was pleased with the Nets' defense against the Grizzlies

Brooklyn held the Grizzlies to only 86 points in a superb defensive performance.

Peter Sunjic

© Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
In this story:

The Nets got a massive 111-86 victory against the Memphis Grizzlies, and while most people would highlight the offense, it was a fantastic defensive performance by Brooklyn. The team’s cornerstone, Mikal Bridges, was excited with how the team played, giving interim head coach Kevin Ollie his first win as an NBA head coach.

Granted, the Grizzlies had many players out with injuries, but it is still a respectable result. This same Memphis team beat the Milwaukee Bucks a couple of weeks ago, and Brooklyn dominated Coach Taylor Jenkins’ squad.

“Just defending. Even last game, we were defending well, too, but just weren’t making shots and made more shots today, but it all started on the defensive end and getting out. I think we're just connected on the defensive end, and I think that’s what we’re gonna need to win games,” Mikal said in his interview after the win.

Good defense leads to solid transition offense

The Nets forced Memphis to commit 15 turnovers, which Mikal and the team capitalized on by scoring 26 fast break points. It was a superb performance from Brooklyn, as they were not just running after getting steals, but almost every defensive rebound led to a fast break.

Coach Ollie should be pleased with how the team played because that kind of energetic play style is what he wants to see from Brooklyn. He raved about “energy-generating behaviors” in his coaching style, which was evident against the Grizzlies.

Mikal got valuable rest against Memphis

By blowing out the Grizzlies, Mikal only played 31 minutes, which is a big deal since he averages 35.1 minutes per game. While he’s the most durable player in the NBA, he struggled with fatigue earlier this season, which led to a stretch of down performances.

With the valuable rest, Mikal can play with more energy against the Orlando Magic on the second night of a back-to-back. He is still on his streak of 443 consecutive regular season games.

Expect him to play more minutes against Orlando because the Magic are a tough team to play against, and Cam Thomas and Ben Simmons will likely sit out the game.

Brooklyn gets a huge bounceback win against the Grizzlies

Published
Peter Sunjic
PETER SUNJIC

Peter's journey with basketball commenced in the first grade, and it has since evolved into an integral part of his life. Standing on the brink of a potential professional playing career, Peter ultimately chose to pursue a degree in Political Science and Journalism in Zagreb, Croatia. Despite this academic pursuit, his deep-rooted love for the game of basketball endured, undiminished. Now, as a writer and editor, Peter finds an avenue to channel his unwavering passion for basketball-related news and analysis. Whether it's deciphering the latest happenings or delving into the lore of old-school basketball, he covers every corner of the NBA world.

Home/News