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FILM STUDY: Four BIG takeaways from Nets’ West Coast road trip

By Matthew Brooks

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Brooklyn Nets v Los Angeles Lakers Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

Faced with perhaps the toughest stretch of the season, a road trip that featured a tour of the Pacific Division with games against the Golden State Warriors, the Sacramento Kings, the Phoenix Suns, and the Los Angeles Lakers, the Brooklyn Nets passed the big test with flying colors, rattling off a 4-0 stretch to build a five-game win streak. While the results are exciting on their own, it’s the subtle improvements on offense and defense that should have Nets fans jumping for joy.

In this video, I pointed out the four biggest takeaways from Brooklyn’s recent stretch.

Topics include (with time stamps listed!)...

  • Steve Nash’s improving in-game adjustments (0:26): The game against the Phoenix Suns was perhaps Nash’s best game as a head coach to date, as the rookie coach busted out a slight change to Brooklyn’s pick-and-roll defense. Nash also brought back a play from James Harden’s past on offense to close out the Suns in spectacular fashion.
  • Bruce Brown’s cutting (6:45): Surrounded by the second-best three-point shooting offense according to percentage (per NBA stats), Bruce Brown has found a home for his unique offensive skillset. While Brooklyn’s widespread shooting acumen has covered for Brown’s 17% from three, it’s his off-ball cutting that has been a welcomed element to the Nets offense.
  • DeAndre Jordan’s involvement on offense (10:45): DeAndre Jordan has shown some signs of life as of late, providing consistent pressure on the defense with his endless stream of rolls to the basket. Nash has also implemented Jordan’s playmaking from the elbows to the offense with more frequency.
  • Comfortability with switching (13:05): Steve Nash has expressed some optimism with Brooklyn’s understanding of the basic defense scheme, and for good reason. The Nets have been much more attentive about keeping the ball up top, they’ve been better at switching themselves out of bad mismatches in the post, and Brooklyn has showcased increased physicality while exchanging match-ups on switches.

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