Zach Lowe: Booker ideal role model for young Nets

In a compilation of things he likes and doesn’t like, ESPN’s Zach Lowe offers some praise for Trevor Booker, the Nets power forward, noting that in addition to his production, Booker is the ideal role model for the young Nets...

Booker is a bright spot in every dreary Nets loss - a sneering ruckus rampaging coast-to-coast after snagging a defensive rebound. He is fast, and he is mean, and he is not afraid to pick up his dribble, smash his shoulder into your chest, and float the ball in as you crumble to the floor.

Booker is overmatched as a starting power forward, but he's exactly type of veteran Brooklyn wants around its kiddies: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Joe Harris, Chris McCullough (I think he still exists), Isaiah Whitehead and Caris LeVert -- the latter finally cracking the rotation as a multi-positional tabula rasa. Booker hustles for loose balls and stray rebounds, and generally plays as if Brooklyn is in must-win games. That's healthy for young guys to see.

On the downside, Brooklyn is now the third team to discover the experiment of "Trevor Booker: Competent 3-Point Shooter" may never come to fruition.

Lowe also offers a defense of Brook Lopez’s frequent appearance in posterization videos, noting that at least he tries, noting that those who step away, matador style, from a charging Bull or Laker or Warrior, don’t make Sports Center.

We should celebrate Brook Lopez's dutiful effort even as we blush at the devastation wreaked upon him. If we're going to Vine every instance of James Harden falling asleep on a backdoor cut, shouldn't we reserve the same mockery for cowardice in the face of an oncoming dunk?

It all comes down to “courage and help defense.” It should also be noted that in the recent cases where Lopez was the posteree, he was providing help defense after the posterer had gotten by Anthony Bennett.

• 10 things I like and don't like - Zach Lowe - ESPN