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Monday morning was a particularly interesting practice for the Brooklyn Nets. First, the more serious news, in that Andrei Kirilenko did not practice due to personal reasons. It remains that he's likely to be traded by the team at some point in the near future.
Secondly, coach Lionel Hollins criticized Brook Lopez a bit, saying that he needs to work on his defense, his rebounding and his passing.
Lionel Hollins on Brook Lopez: He can score. He needs to be better on defense...
— Colin Stephenson (@ColinASteph) November 24, 2014
... He needs to be a better rebounder, he needs to pass the ball better to his teammates.
— Colin Stephenson (@ColinASteph) November 24, 2014
This may seem like a harsh criticism, but it's fairly typical of how Lionel Hollins conducts business, and it's not as if we didn't know that coming into the season. Hollins was pretty harsh on Marc Gasol early on in his tenure with the Grizzlies -- among other players; he did bench Mike Conley and it seemed at one point Conley didn't have much of a future with the team, and, well, we know how that's turned out. Again, this isn't atypical, it's more how Hollins expects players to respond. No one ever said he was going to baby the players, whether you agree with that tactic or not.
I'm not sure we should make too much of these comments, more we should see how Lopez responds and if he does start to progress in any or all of those three areas -- areas, mind you, that many believe he needs to improve in.
Now, on to that "wait, what?" portion of the practice.
Who is the best trash talker in the NBA, if not Kevin Garnett, according to Kevin Garnett?
Asked KG who's best trash talker he's ever heard, him excluded. "Me?You just hear stories abt me talking trash.You never have living proof."
— Andy Vasquez (@andy_vasquez) November 24, 2014
When asked for the top trash talkers he's encountered, KG says Gary Payton, Michael Jordan and... wait for it... Hakeem Olajuwon
— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) November 24, 2014
On Olajuwon being one of the three greatest trash talkers he's encountered, KG added that Dream talked smack with a mouth piece too
— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) November 24, 2014
Asked if he could understand Hakeem talking trash w/ mouth piece, KG: "I definitely can hear it, articulate it, understand it + comprehend"
— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) November 24, 2014
Does Lionel Hollins have Twitter?
Someone asked Lionel Hollins if he has Twitter: "Hell yes I do."
— Andy Vasquez (@andy_vasquez) November 24, 2014
Lionel Hollins says he doesn't tweet, or read what people say on Twitter. "But I can tell everybody I’m on Twitter."
— Andy Vasquez (@andy_vasquez) November 24, 2014
What about that Odell Beckham, Jr., catch against the Cowboys?
Deron Williams was at last night's Giants/Cowboys game and saw Odell Beckham's catch. Said they need to "check him for stickum"
— Andy Vasquez (@andy_vasquez) November 24, 2014
Deron Williams on Beckham's catch: "I was like, how can you say best catch ever?... And then I saw it again. It's pretty freaking amazing."
— Andy Vasquez (@andy_vasquez) November 24, 2014
There was a lot going on at Nets practice today, that's for sure, but it's good to see that spirits still seem to remain positive. I mean, it's not like they went Marshawn Lynch on the media.
- Deron Williams weighs in on Odell Beckham’s amazing catch - Andy Vasquez - The Record
- Nets' Lionel Hollins wants better defense, rebounding from Brook Lopez - Colin Stephenson - Newsday
- At Crunch Time, Nets Center Lopez Is Off to the Side - Alex Raskin - Wall Street Journal
- Brooklyn Nets' Lionel Hollins: Brook Lopez needs to improve - Ohm Youngmisuk - ESPN New York
- Kevin Garnett's top three trash talkers has one surprise - Ohm Youngmisuk - ESPN New York
- Bondy: Lopez at center of Hollins' Brooklyn frustration - Filip Bondy - New York Daily News
- At Crunch Time, Nets Center Lopez Is Off to the Side - Alex Raskin - The Record
- Nets’ Hollins gives brutal examination of Brook Lopez - Brian Lewis - New York Post
- Andrei Kirilenko, Markel Brown held out of practice - Devin Kharpertian - The Brooklyn Game
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