Inside The Nets

Nets' Lonnie Walker IV Values Wins Over Individual Performance

In a standout season for Lonnie Walker IV, the Brooklyn Nets guard emphasizes the importance of team victories over personal achievements, reflecting on his stellar performance against the 76ers.

Peter Sunjic

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Lonnie Walker IV has arguably been one of the biggest bright spots for the Brooklyn Nets during the 2023/24 season so far. However, he wants his standout performances to lead to wins. This comes after a blowout 121-99 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, where he scored 26 points to lead all Nets in scoring.

He is determined not to see his scoring efforts go to waste in a loss, expressing a preference for contributing fewer points if it contributes to a victory; however, the Nets, now below .500 with a 6-7 record, are grappling with numerous injuries, including those to key players like starting backcourt members Ben Simmons and Cameron Thomas.

“I think I played pretty efficient offensively as far as scoring. I think I need to start adding the playmaking aspect, a couple of bad shots when I could’ve dropped the ball to Nic or corner passes,” Walker said in his post-game press conference. “It was a solid game but it’s a loss. I don’t think the points translate when you lose the game by 20+ points so I was feeling it, I was in the groove of the game but we lost.”

The Nets need to be more decisive on offense

The Nets offense is struggling because they are lacking the decisiveness needed to score consistently.

In recent games, Mikal Bridges and Lonnie have demonstrated this trait by performing well on offense. However, the remainder of the team is grappling with challenges in becoming more assertive and decisive in their decision-making.

Spencer Dinwiddie stands out in this aspect, facing challenges in maintaining consistency with his shot. Although he delivered a 29-point performance against the Orlando Magic, his struggle for consistency persists in other games.

This issue will most likely get solved whenever Cam Thomas gets healthy and there is a legitimate playmaker in Simmons to open up his teammates. However, in the meantime, the Nets have to support Lonnie and Mikal in their quest to have a more potent offense under coach Jacque Vaughn.

Lonnie is having an awesome year

After his 26-point performance against the 76ers, Walker is now averaging 16.6 points off the bench. That should put him in the race for Sixth Man of the Year as he’s only behind Tim Hardaway Jr. and Caris LeVert in that regard.

The University of Miami product has done this under the radar because most people are fixated on big names like LeVert and Immanuel Quickley. If he continues to have this type of performance, he will be on the shortlist for this award. However, Walker will want to keep winning games to make the award race even sweeter.

The Nets Get Blown Out by the Philadelphia 76ers, 121-99

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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.

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