Should Din start with Kyrie instead of Levert?

[Prokorov]

Dinwiddie is best with the ball in his hands and so is Kyrie.

It doesn't make sense to start them together. Dinwiddie is best in a Lou Will type role.

Also I don't agree with benching Levert for Temple. We still need more scoring in our starting lineup besides Kyrie vs good defenses. Levert is good off ball and will take the heat off Kyrie.

Temple is a great complement to Dinwiddie off the bench anyway.

I would close with all 3 + Harris and Allen or Prince, depending on the matchup.

what "heat" is on kyrie if you surround him with all shooters and allen? thats like elite spacing and a finsiher he would feast. i think kyrie is better surrounded by shooters then someone else who needs the ball and i think dinwiddie/levert mesh better and would pair well off the bench

aslo we need some D starting, and leverts defensive issues hurt less off the bench

[Prokorov]

Din can catch and shoot well and he can spot up.

Disagree. Dinwiddie is a bad shooter, especially this year. Hes below 30% from 3. He excels in getting to the rim.

he is outstanding catch and shoot he just doesnt do much of it

[Hello Brooklyn]

Dinwiddie is best with the ball in his hands and so is Kyrie.

It doesn't make sense to start them together. Dinwiddie is best in a Lou Will type role.

Also I don't agree with benching Levert for Temple. We still need more scoring in our starting lineup besides Kyrie vs good defenses. Levert is good off ball and will take the heat off Kyrie.

Temple is a great complement to Dinwiddie off the bench anyway.

I would close with all 3 + Harris and Allen or Prince, depending on the matchup.

what "heat" is on kyrie if you surround him with all shooters and allen? thats like elite spacing and a finsiher he would feast. i think kyrie is better surrounded by shooters then someone else who needs the ball and i think dinwiddie/levert mesh better and would pair well off the bench

aslo we need some D starting, and leverts defensive issues hurt less off the bench

Elite shooters are great, but shots don't always fall.

I would rather have someone else that can create their own offense other than Kyrie. Kyrie is a great finisher, but hes not Giannis. Its not like hes unstoppable going to the rim that they have to double him.

Defense is a good point. But I'd just rather have Leverts offense. I think Levert was better on defense last season and will get back to form.

[MrDollarBills]

To blend Kyrie in with the offense while maximizing his game, I think surrounding him with three floor spacers and a finisher big makes the most sense.

Mind you, all of this goes out the window next year when we have to incorporate KD into the offense. at that point everyone on the team will need to realize who is the Alpha dog.

But for this year, I like the idea of Kyrie in with shooters and Allen, and at the end of games we can have Irving and Dinwiddie on the floor at the same time and we can roll with the hot hand. Would love to see situations where Dinwiddie drives and then kicks it to Kyrie for the open look once the defense collapses.

The Nets have an elite backcourt.

[Prokorov]

Elite shooters are great, but shots don't always fall.

I would rather have someone else that can create their own offense other than Kyrie. Kyrie is a great finisher, but hes not Giannis. Its not like hes unstoppable going to the rim that they have to double him.

He kind of is... 60+ TS% and 24-25 ppg the last few years and arguably the best below the rim finisher in league history. surrounding him with shooters he is unstoppable. and with elite shooters wide open in the corner or wing, they fall more often then not.

Defense is a good point. But I'd just rather have Leverts offense. I think Levert was better on defense last season and will get back to form.

Leverts offense really isnt all that good... i mean is it all that much better then temple? Temple has given us 13 ppg on solid efficiency since starting. Levert gives you 16-17 ppg on below average to poor efficiency. I can see a case for dinwiddie, i dont really see it for levert

[Papi_swav]

Din can catch and shoot well and he can spot up.

Disagree. Dinwiddie is a bad shooter, especially this year. Hes below 30% from 3. He excels in getting to the rim.

No way Din is a bad shooter. Don't stat watch, watch the games. Din takes 3 point shots off the dribble, side 3s, fadeway 3s which will lower his percentages. If you put him strictly in catch and shoot situations like Joe Harris and Prince etc.. you will see his 3 percentages rise. The reason it looks low is because he is the MAIN ball handler and he barely gets shots set up for him, which makes him have to shoot over defenders instead of being wide open like other guys on the team. And he's actually at 32% from 3 this year. Not every good 3 pt shooter has to shoot over 40%.

[Claud]

Kyrie is the superstar, so he will 100% be a starter.

I think you can make a strong argument that Temple compliments Kyrie better defensivelly and in other ways compared to Caris and Spencer.

Either way, most nights than not Irving/Dinwiddie/Levert will be finishing out games which is the most important thing.

This is a great problem to have. Too much talent.. how far we've come from Shane Larkins and Jarret Jack of the world

[Stone]

Temple has been a pleasant surprise. For me the biggest surprise of our season so far. Although Nwaba is a very close second.

I think we should keep Spencer as our second unit leader. He has done an amazing job in Kyrie's absence and has really elevated his name around the league.

I'm drawing a blank.....Who was the last Net to be awarded "Player of the Week" ? Did DeAngelo win that last season

[MrDollarBills]

Temple has been a pleasant surprise. For me the biggest surprise of our season so far. Although Nwaba is a very close second.

I think we should keep Spencer as our second unit leader. He has done an amazing job in Kyrie's absence and has really elevated his name around the league.

I'm drawing a blank.....Who was the last Net to be awarded "Player of the Week" ? Did DeAngelo win that last season

I think DLO got EC Player of the month if I recall.

[313 Professor]

When Levert and Kyrie comes back I think we should consider starting Din with Kyrie. I think the team will be much better with Levert being our 6th man. Din just makes the offense and rhythm flows. Have Din be the real point guard of the team with Kyrie off the ball or in the shooting guard position on offense. I mean it's worth a try. I don't think Kyrie and Levert is a good fit together , it just isn't.

They are both 2 ball dominating guards that looks to score and neither are great defenders. And we seen how great Levert can be when he's the 6th man (Philly in the playoffs). Din can knock the 3 down efficiently , whether it's catch and shoot, around a screen or on a fadeway. Levert is really just a spot up shooter out there at 3. I wholeheartedly believe this is the switch we need to make.

Din/Kyrie/Harris/Prince/Allen. That way Levert can be a true 6th man and look to score as much as he wants in the 2nd unit and also being a main ball handler that we desperately need right now for the 2nd unit. Thoughts?

I agree with this, and similarly to how Brad Stevens would have Marcus Smart sometimes run the point at times I think it's best for Kyrie to play with another ball-handler (LeBron in CLE as well).

Dinwiddie / Kyrie / Harris / Prince / Allen should be the starting 5

As far as rotations to make it work Dinwiddie should be the 1st sub out at around 7 mins (for Levert), and he should come back in to lead the 2nd unit for Kyrie at around 2-3 mins left in the quarter so he can run the 2nd unit. Kenny just has to manage the 3 guard stagger well. Any minutes against the opposing teams' starters 2 out of the 3 (Levert, Kyrie, Dinwiddie) should be in the game.

I was thinking more about starting Kyrie/Temple/Harris/Prince/Allen

Temple is shooting threes at 36%, Harris at 46% and Prince at 42%

That is elite floor spacing.

My main concern with this lineup is Kyrie being the only ball-handler. The spacing sounds good in theory but when those initial P&R's, drives, and drive and kicks fail (and they do) this is when you see the worst of Kyrie. Overdribbling and forcing up some ridiculously difficult isos (because he has to) and if he misses you start falling behind possessions. With 3 high level ball handlers available you have to use them for secondary action so it's not on Kyrie to create everything.

In the case of Dinwiddie, if he's running the offense you're going to get the right shot 8 times out of 10. That's why I agree he should start at PG. He'll run the offense through Kyrie, get him the ball in good spots, and if Kyrie's action breaks down, he'll get a good shot for somebody else or himself.

EDIT: Vs. certain teams it might be worth it to swap Harris for Temple in the starting 5 just for defense tbh... Still play Joe the same minutes but Temple and Prince have both been hitting their 3's for the most part so the spacing is still there. Vs. the Clippers for example I don't know how I feel about Joe being on Kawhi or PG, or Dinwiddie either. I can see Dinwiddie complaining about the foul calls now

[MrDollarBills]

When Levert and Kyrie comes back I think we should consider starting Din with Kyrie. I think the team will be much better with Levert being our 6th man. Din just makes the offense and rhythm flows. Have Din be the real point guard of the team with Kyrie off the ball or in the shooting guard position on offense. I mean it's worth a try. I don't think Kyrie and Levert is a good fit together , it just isn't.

They are both 2 ball dominating guards that looks to score and neither are great defenders. And we seen how great Levert can be when he's the 6th man (Philly in the playoffs). Din can knock the 3 down efficiently , whether it's catch and shoot, around a screen or on a fadeway. Levert is really just a spot up shooter out there at 3. I wholeheartedly believe this is the switch we need to make.

Din/Kyrie/Harris/Prince/Allen. That way Levert can be a true 6th man and look to score as much as he wants in the 2nd unit and also being a main ball handler that we desperately need right now for the 2nd unit. Thoughts?

I agree with this, and similarly to how Brad Stevens would have Marcus Smart sometimes run the point at times I think it's best for Kyrie to play with another ball-handler (LeBron in CLE as well).

Dinwiddie / Kyrie / Harris / Prince / Allen should be the starting 5

As far as rotations to make it work Dinwiddie should be the 1st sub out at around 7 mins (for Levert), and he should come back in to lead the 2nd unit for Kyrie at around 2-3 mins left in the quarter so he can run the 2nd unit. Kenny just has to manage the 3 guard stagger well. Any minutes against the opposing teams' starters 2 out of the 3 (Levert, Kyrie, Dinwiddie) should be in the game.

I was thinking more about starting Kyrie/Temple/Harris/Prince/Allen

Temple is shooting threes at 36%, Harris at 46% and Prince at 42%

That is elite floor spacing.

My main concern with this lineup is Kyrie being the only ball-handler. The spacing sounds good in theory but when those initial P&R's, drives, and drive and kicks fail (and they do) this is when you see the worst of Kyrie. Overdribbling and forcing up some ridiculously difficult isos (because he has to) and if he misses you start falling behind possessions. With 3 high level ball handlers available you have to use them for secondary action so it's not on Kyrie to create everything.

In the case of Dinwiddie, if he's running the offense you're going to get the right shot 8 times out of 10. That's why I agree he should start at PG. He'll run the offense through Kyrie, get him the ball in good spots, and if Kyrie's action breaks down, he'll get a good shot for somebody else or himself.

EDIT: Vs. certain teams it might be worth it to swap Harris for Temple in the starting 5 just for defense tbh... Still play Joe the same minutes but Temple and Prince have both been hitting their 3's for the most part so the spacing is still there. Vs. the Clippers for example I don't know how I feel about Joe being on Kawhi or PG, or Dinwiddie either. I can see Dinwiddie complaining about the foul calls now

The Clippers will probably beat the **** out of us, I'm not looking forward to that tbh

I mean I see the merits of either line up. And i think we do need to have Kyrie move the ball a bit more when he comes back.

[313 Professor]

The Clippers will probably beat the **** out of us, I'm not looking forward to that tbh

I mean I see the merits of either line up. And i think we do need to have Kyrie move the ball a bit more when he comes back.

Yeah thats why he probably needs another facilitator to move it to, to get the game off to a efficient start. Honestly, as talented as Kyrie is, he is still new to the system and now has missed like 18 games. Sending Dinwiddie to the bench at this point after 25 games of rhythm makes it a completely different team almost like starting the season over again. Plus you can't do that man's all-star bid like that

The Dinwiddie / Kyrie backcourt gets me legitimately excited though. Especially closing games. Feature Kyrie, run it through Spencer to slow it down when necessary