Three takeaways from the Brooklyn Nets' loss to the Dallas Mavericks
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After the loss to Golden State a night before, the Nets were supposed to be motivated to win the second night of a back-to-back. That did not happen as Brooklyn lost in a disappointing 107-119 result to the visiting Dallas Mavericks.
The returning Kyrie Irving scored 36 points, and fellow superstar Luka Doncic had 35 points while grabbing 18 rebounds and dishing out nine assists.
Brooklyn’s Mikal Bridges led the team in scoring with 28 points, while Cameron Thomas had a solid line of 16 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists but struggled with his efficiency. Apart from their performances, there were key takeaways from this loss for the Nets.
Jalen Wilson deserves more minutes
Rookie Jalen Wilson had another impressive performance, filling in for the injured Lonnie Walker IV, Cameron Johnson, and Dorian Finney-Smith. The 23-year-old was superb in his 18 minutes, scoring 10 points off the bench. He was also playing with good energy, making a case for him to stay in the rotation.
The NBA trade deadline is coming up. Players like Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale might get moved, which gives Wilson more opportunities to play. The former Kansas Jayhawk was a superb player in the collegiate ranks, and that potential was evident against Dallas.
Shoutout @thejalenwilson!
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) February 7, 2024
10 Pts / 3 Reb / 2 3pm pic.twitter.com/7AUdkTyrV7
Nic Claxton continues to evolve as a defender
Most people know that Nic Claxton can switch onto guards well, but Coach Jacque Vaughn gave the former Georgia Bulldog a big assignment. Clax had to defend Luka on the perimeter, and the 24-year-old big man did well in those defensive possessions. Unfortunately, Luka dominated the rest of the Nets en route to his 35 points.
Despite the loss, Nic’s defensive ability continued to shine as he was superb at guarding switches and was imperious with his rim protection. Claxton finished the game with nine points, 11 rebounds, and five blocks. That takes his total in the back-to-back games to 12 blocks after swatting away seven shots against Golden State.
Return to sender ⛔️ pic.twitter.com/EB7XuUnGei
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) February 7, 2024
Simmons will be effective when he gets the usual minutes
Ben Simmons was still under a 20-minute restriction for this game. His contributions can get even bigger when he plays regular minutes, as he has the optimal lineup around him.
With precise shooting and scoring from Thomas, Bridges, and Johnson, Ben has the weapons to maximize his playmaking. Coach Vaughn and the medical staff should learn how to keep Ben healthy with heavy minutes because the Nets look different whenever he’s on the floor.