How to fix the Nets

[Hello Brooklyn]

I just don't get why the Wizards couldn't get a better deal than Humphries if they really want to clear cap space for Rudy Gay or Iggy in 2014.

Doesn't make sense to me. Nene is still a good player and worth his contract.

[therealbig3]

I think most of the ways we can fix ourselves can be a result of internal improvement, specifically with regards to Wallace, Lopez, and Deron.

Deron needs to play the rest of the season like he's played under PJ so far. If he can do that, he's a top 3 PG imo, and we'll win the 50 games we expected to win entering the season.

Wallace needs to be reasonably healthy, and he needs to keep bringing the defense and hustle.

Lopez needs to continue to improve his defense and his rebounding, and he needs to become mentally and physically tougher.

If all three of those things happen, mainly with Deron, I don't think there's a team outside of the Heat that's clearly better than us. As of right now, with Deron underachieving, Wallace banged up, and Lopez having too many stretches of playing soft, I'd take NY and Chicago over us rather easily, in addition to Miami.

[PetroNet]

I'm not sure I get the love affair with Nene. He's good but he's a center. He doesn't have much range, he's isn't a great defender and he isn't a great rebounder. How is he a good fit next to Brook? He's somewhat skilled offensively, he's a big body and he's a good passer. I think any team would be okay with Nene as their center (even with his inconsistency) but we don't really need him at all.

If you think he's a PF just because he wants to play PF, you need to pay attention to how the league is evolving. Speed/shooting is a lot more useful at PF than bulk/size are. I'd take Ersan Ilyasova 10 times out of 10 over Nene at PF.

ilyasova is a hustling scrub with a decent juimpshot. i want no part of him. he is the minor of all minor upgrade to humphries.

Nene is 10 times better. offensively nen might not have much range, but he is very skilled, very strong, and very aggressive. if you play him one on one, he is goign to give you alot of trouble. he also brings something we really lack. finishing in traffic around the rim.

defensively he isnt great, but he is better then any 4 we currently have defensively.

i dont care how the league is evolving, i care about our team. and our teams strength is size. going small at the 4 just negates all of that. having nene gives us even more of a size advantage, something we can take advantage of.

we arent beating okc or miami or the knicks playing their game goiong small

[PetroNet]

I think most of the ways we can fix ourselves can be a result of internal improvement, specifically with regards to Wallace, Lopez, and Deron.

Deron needs to play the rest of the season like he's played under PJ so far. If he can do that, he's a top 3 PG imo, and we'll win the 50 games we expected to win entering the season.

Wallace needs to be reasonably healthy, and he needs to keep bringing the defense and hustle.

Lopez needs to continue to improve his defense and his rebounding, and he needs to become mentally and physically tougher.

If all three of those things happen, mainly with Deron, I don't think there's a team outside of the Heat that's clearly better than us. As of right now, with Deron underachieving, Wallace banged up, and Lopez having too many stretches of playing soft, I'd take NY and Chicago over us rather easily, in addition to Miami.

all 3 of those things help and keep us on winning track, no doubt, but none of them, outside of lopez conitnuing to improve on defense, fix any of our 3 major issues:

1) defense. defending the pick and roll, defending against screens in general

2) Athleticism, playing above the rim, finishing in traffic(brook does this, but its really just him)

3) Leadership. we lack it. big time.

[Sharcm1]

Everyone talks about their lack of defense. And I agree. But I don't know how a change in pf Will help especially when I see the problem being the defense of our guards more. They have burned by more point guards than any front court player this season. Nene or milsap won't change that.

[therealbig3]

Everyone talks about their lack of defense. And I agree. But I don't know how a change in pf Will help especially when I see the problem being the defense of our guards more. They have burned by more point guards than any front court player this season. Nene or milsap won't change that.

Point guards burning us is a direct indictment of our front court. In today's league, with the PnRs, and the fact that you can't hand check as much, no guard can really keep another guard out of the paint anymore...it's up to the big men to prevent easy baskets.

As much as Lopez has improved, he's still not a great defensive presence, and will likely never be, while Humphries and Evans have fluctuated between average and awful. Blatche, surprisingly, has been solid, because he actually has the mobility to cover ground on the PnR.

[NjNeTs1029]

I think the main problems on defense are that we give up way too many open 3s and have trouble defending PnRs. 4th highest opponent 3pt% in the league. And remember that Knicks game where they ran the pick and rolls with Chandler all game? It worked way too well. I still think Lopez jumps out too far on pick and rolls and is too slow to get back into the paint, although he's improved a bit at it this year. Also obviously we need to stop leaving shooters open at the 3 pt line. Not sure whats so hard to understand about that but our guards don't seem to get it.

[PetroNet]

Everyone talks about their lack of defense. And I agree. But I don't know how a change in pf Will help especially when I see the problem being the defense of our guards more. They have burned by more point guards than any front court player this season. Nene or milsap won't change that.

our bigs struggle immensely to defend the pick and roll. it is easily, our biggest issue. Blatche does an ok job at times really trapping it hard. but it seems Brook and Evans are so slow to get back into their rotation after showing on the screen that it almost always makes us scramble as a team.

We really need a 4 who can trap and has the quickness to get back and rotate. i think it would make an enormous difference.

I think are gaurds are fine defensively. especially johnson and watson. Sure, we lack quickness... but in the half court they hold their own very well. and as long as we execute on offense, we can force teams to play in the half court

[PetroNet]

I think the main problems on defense are that we give up way too many open 3s and have trouble defending PnRs. 4th highest opponent 3pt% in the league.

these go hand in hand... we scramble to cover and recover so much oin the PnR that teams can find the open 3 if they move the ball well.

And remember that Knicks game where they ran the pick and rolls with Chandler all game? It worked way too well. I still think Lopez jumps out too far on pick and rolls and is too slow to get back into the paint, although he's improved a bit at it this year.

Again i think these go hand in hand. the reason brook jumps out so far is because he has such a hard time getting back into the paint.. thus alot of times they have him challenge high and try and push/keep the ball deep in the back court giving him more time to get into his rotation

[NyCeEvO]

Just found this out from Yahoo about Nene:

Before the game [against Denver on Friday], Nene admitted that he tore his left plantar fascia just after resigning with the Nuggets back in December 2011. Nene was traded to the Wizards last March as part of a three-team trade. Since coming back on Nov. 21 of this season, Nene has been inconsistent and has posted only three games with double-digit rebounds. Nene has also only scored once in double figures in the last five games that he has played as the plantar fasciitis still lingers and keeps him out from time to time.

[vincecarter4pres]

Just found this out from Yahoo about Nene:

Before the game [against Denver on Friday], Nene admitted that he tore his left plantar fascia just after resigning with the Nuggets back in December 2011. Nene was traded to the Wizards last March as part of a three-team trade. Since coming back on Nov. 21 of this season, Nene has been inconsistent and has posted only three games with double-digit rebounds. Nene has also only scored once in double figures in the last five games that he has played as the plantar fasciitis still lingers and keeps him out from time to time.

Yeah this has been rumored for awhile now and said that the Wizards knew it but they were keeping it hush hush, just like they did in regards to the severity of Wall's knee.

[vincecarter4pres]

Everyone talks about their lack of defense. And I agree. But I don't know how a change in pf Will help especially when I see the problem being the defense of our guards more. They have burned by more point guards than any front court player this season. Nene or milsap won't change that.

Point guards burning us is a direct indictment of our front court. In today's league, with the PnRs, and the fact that you can't hand check as much, no guard can really keep another guard out of the paint anymore...it's up to the big men to prevent easy baskets.

You have to admit though, Deron has been a complete sieve against most of the super quick guards.

And I don't mean in that, "Well who isn't against them?", way... I mean he's been a revolving door.

[vincecarter4pres]

I think the main problems on defense are that we give up way too many open 3s and have trouble defending PnRs. 4th highest opponent 3pt% in the league.

Yes. For whatever reason it seems like this team has cheated off the 3 point line so hard for absolutely no reason for the last decade no matter the personnel from coaching staff to players.

I just don't get it and I never will. So much unnecessary doubling, often of a man without the ball in the post! And they cheat so hard, like 14 feet off the line even when a straight marksman is out there.

And remember that Knicks game where they ran the pick and rolls with Chandler all game? It worked way too well. I still think Lopez jumps out too far on pick and rolls and is too slow to get back into the paint, although he's improved a bit at it this year. Also obviously we need to stop leaving shooters open at the 3 pt line. Not sure whats so hard to understand about that but our guards don't seem to get it.

Yes Lopez often still jumps out waaaaaaay too far on the pick and roll and is then exceptionally slow to recover, to the point we're not even talking physical recovery, but his brain seizes up for a full second or two before he even starts to run back, just standing there doubling a the guard or wing he has no chance of containing or guarding no one at all!

Frustrating.

[therealbig3]

Everyone talks about their lack of defense. And I agree. But I don't know how a change in pf Will help especially when I see the problem being the defense of our guards more. They have burned by more point guards than any front court player this season. Nene or milsap won't change that.

Point guards burning us is a direct indictment of our front court. In today's league, with the PnRs, and the fact that you can't hand check as much, no guard can really keep another guard out of the paint anymore...it's up to the big men to prevent easy baskets.

You have to admit though, Deron has been a complete sieve against most of the super quick guards.

And I don't mean in that, "Well who isn't against them?", way... I mean he's been a revolving door.

Agreed...but I also don't think that's anything new with him...he's always had issues guarding quicker PGs...it's the tradeoff that comes with being a bigger and stronger PG...no disrespect to Kidd, but he had the same issues with the quicker PGs. He was a much smarter defender than Deron, who was elite at guarding SGs and SFs, so it wasn't as big of an issue, but he was definitely limited in that aspect.


BTW, regarding our inability to defend the 3pt line...this was discussed a few times over the off-season when we first assembled the team...because Lopez is weak on the PnR, our perimeter players have to cheat and leave their man in order to help him out, and by doing so, we'll be susceptible to the 3pt shot. If we don't leave the shooters to help Lopez out, we'll give up a lot more layups.

[vincecarter4pres]

It's deeper then that. I mean watch for it the next few games, you have guys doubling guys in the post without the ball!

It's insane really.

[N Ireland Nets]

What frustrates me is that D Will seems to have a zone that when he gets into he can really defend PG's really well.

I mean he really helped keep Westbrook in check when we had our huge win in OKC.

Its like when he focuses he can flip the switch & go up a level or something.

I'm looking forward to watching D Will in the playoffs. I think he'll be a completely different animal.

[MGrand15]

It's deeper then that. I mean watch for it the next few games, you have guys doubling guys in the post without the ball!

It's insane really.

I don't think they double that much but you're right - part of this is our personnel. Deron, JJ, and Crash (3 guys likely to cover 3 pt shooters) aren't very fast for their position, so when they help, they're slower to recover. Crash especially gambles so much when he's not guarding a superstar that he tends to leave shooters open. JJ seems to also leave shooters open because he likes to use his size to prevent players from getting to the rim. I do see this happen with Crash way more than I'd like to when he's guarding someone who's a shooter.