© Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
What we learned from the Brooklyn Nets' superb blowout of the visiting San Antonio Spurs
The Nets ended a three-game losing streak with a 123-103 blowout win over the San Antonio Spurs. It was the first game with the new acquisitions from the trade deadline, headlined by Dennis Schroder.
The German point guard was the biggest standout for Brooklyn, scoring 15 points and dishing out 12 assists. Cameron Thomas scored 25 points alongside him, and Nic Claxton had a 20-point and 11-rebound double-double.
With this superb performance, the Nets have shown there are some significant takeaways from this game.
Schroder is a perfect fit for Brooklyn
Schroder was superb playing off the bench for Brooklyn as he came in and took over as the primary playmaker. He was finding open looks for his teammates, but he shined in pick-and-rolls and lob passes to Claxton.
The former Georgia Bulldog had a nice time throwing down dunks, especially the game’s best highlight, Schroder making an inbound lob to Nic, beating the buzzer. It was a game filled with highlight plays between Nic and Schroder, which Nets fans should expect for the rest of the season.
The Nets get even better because they always have a solid playmaker with Schroder, Dennis Smith Jr., or Ben Simmons on the lineup.
Cam Thomas will thrive with more players on the roster
Before the trade deadline, Spencer Dinwiddie was the usual starter alongside Thomas, but they did not click as a backcourt. Both players were score-first guards, and that redundancy messed up the offensive flow.
Now that Ben and the two Dennises are in the point guard rotation, Thomas and Mikal Bridges benefit. They can move off the ball and run through screens to find open looks they could not get before.
The duo relied on isolation plays earlier in the season to score, but now, they have more dimensions to the offense by playing without the rock.
The lineup is more balanced
With Simmons getting healthier and Schroder in the rotation, Coach Jacque Vaughn's squad looks more cohesive. It is huge for the Nets because every player has more of a defined role rather than playing in mismatched positions.
Cameron Johnson, Lonnie Walker IV, and Day’Ron Sharpe got injured in this game, but they will also have clear and defined roles when they return. This Nets team has a bright future with this roster, as long as the players just need to get healthy.
