/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71560343/usa_today_19308847.0.jpg)
The Dallas Mavericks delivered the Brooklyn Nets a loss in an overtime heartbreaker all by running the same play. The Mavs repeatedly ran two-man action for Luka Doncic with a variety of screeners—Maxi Kleber, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Reggie Bullock—setting picks and popping to three. This produced 9 points in three-straight possessions to open overtime, effectively ending the ball game.
This wasn’t the first time that the 1-4 Nets had trouble guarding pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop action. Four days earlier, the Memphis Grizzlies similarly shredded Brooklyn’s screen-and-roll defense by using Desmond Bane, one of the best three-point shooters in the world, as a screener. Bane largely put up a career-high 38 points because of the Nets’ ineptitude at guarding this specific play.
For all the chatter about trades, Ben Simmons, etc, the Nets gave up 11 second-half points in a 10-point loss to the Grizzlies because they could not figure out how to defend screening actions involving Desmond Bane.
— Matt Brooks (@MattBrooksNBA) October 26, 2022
In this video, we’ll detail what Brooklyn’s pick-and-roll coverage was against Dallas’ overtime pick-and-pop offense, why it was ineffective, and some alternative options for the 1-4 Nets going forward to counteract this type of attack.
Loading comments...