Brook Lopez and the KG Connection

Dan Favale, writing for Bleacher Report, takes on a question that's on every Nets fans' mind: how good can Brook Lopez be playing next to Kevin Garnett. In a lengthy analysis, Favale thinks the answer is very good. He puts aside the culture-changing presence of a future Hall of Famer with never-ending desire and examines the data.

He concludes, "Finally paired up with a protean inside-out partner like Garnett, Lopez is in a position to make the leap the Nets have long been waiting for."

Favale lists the players who have played alongside Lopez, his "front-line partners:" Yi Jianlian, Derrick Favors, Kris Humphries and Reggie Evans, among others. Nothing to see there. Move along.

What KG brings to the Nets, he writes, is simple: "Next to him, Lopez stands to become an even more efficient scorer, better passer (spacing) and cognisant defender. He'll become a better everything." And he quotes KG himself on the possibilities:

"He’s very strong, has a lot of skill has range. A lot of bigs who are methodical, back-to-the-basket bigs that have the strength or not, don’t have the range that he has. Up to 17 feet he can shoot the ball, has a nice touch around the rim. Playing against him, he’s always been competitive and skillful."

Meanwhile, the Nets' Ben Couch also starts looking in depth at shot charts and the like for the new players, starting with Shaun Livingston.

• Breaking Down How Kevin Garnett Can Make Brook Lopez an Elite NBA Center - Dan Favale - Bleacher Report
• Shaun Livingston's 2012-13 Shot Charts - Ben Couch - Brooklyn Nets