GT: Heat @ Nets, 1/23/21, 8pm EST

[Paradise]

“Scary Hours” indeed.

They might scare the other team or you watching at home.

[MrDollarBills]

It was closer than we wanted it, but I’m seeing signs of improvement and jelling already.

Overall, I liked the ball movement tonight. I don’t recall many ISOs where someone was over-dribbling.

Yes, the score was close in the end but the reffing was quite poor tonight. There were several questionable or flat out wrong offensive foul calls that took away points from us and gave the Heat possessions. We also withstood Bam scoring out of his mind with some crazy “shooter’s touch” bounces.

I hope Harden finds his place in the offense because he’s not even playing like an all-star guard. I’d really like to see him become more aggressive and decisive when he’s got the ball in his hands.

Onto the next one...

I think the biggest improvement tonight was the gang rebound mentality. There was a concerted effort to attack the defensive glass.

However, the Heat are undersized. So I will wait to see if we have turned a corner in regards to the rebounding is concerned.

[NetsJets]

What is Harden giving us that Caris couldn’t have given us based on what we’ve seen so far? He’s supposed to be an upgrade over LeVert, start playing like it.

[MrDollarBills]

We were begging to give this game away but I'll take the W.

The problems today were more related to lack of focus. I'll take that 100% over the Cleveland game issues. Bam hit some ridiculous shots and our TOs just let them stay in the game. I think we can clean this stuff up. As dumb as this game was, this one was really encouraging.

KD is just absurd. I have no words for it any more. Just a true superstar in every way.

Not sure what's going on with Harden. The media is gonna jump to blame Kyrie but he did zero scoring when he was playing with the 2nd unit. Teams are throwing a lot of doubles and zones at him - so I guess he's just trying to make the right play. We definitely need him more aggressive.

The media doesn't watch games, it's pretty evident now that most of the talking heads are winging it because casuals won't fact check.

Exactly.

I heard the sound bite of SAS saying that he didn’t like Kyrie having more shot attempts than KD and Harden in their first game, and I thought “You clearly didn’t watch the game then, otherwise you’d know that Kyrie didn’t force anything and Harden was willingly deferring (to a fault, I might add).

Shaq and Chuck gave the game up. These guys don't sit down during the week and do their due diligence. Watching games and doing actual analysis takes HOURS. You think that any of these guys are doing that? Nope. they will watch the highlight package that gets put together and base their takes off of that. It leads to uneducated, and lazy analysis being broadcast into the public and the rubes run with it.

[Openheimer]

Someone pls tell harden no one will get mad if you actually try to take over and put the ball on the floor. Lord of mighty he is not being himself. Hoping it’s a condition thing but he was killing it in the first two games. He looked amazing

[dlts20]

Harden is fine. I would be worried if he were taking 25 shots and suckin but he's obviously just trying to fit in

[ecuhus1981]

Harden is fine. I would be worried if he were taking 25 shots and suckin but he's obviously just trying to fit in

Exactly. No one gets it 100% right on the balance when stars share touches, and I'm encouraged that he wants to err on the unselfish side. Give it time, he'll take over plenty of games.

[Pablo Escobar]

Your defensive woes shouldn't be surprising tbh. D'antoni and Nash are trying to recreate the ssol era and we know defense was an afterthought.

[therealbig3]

Our inability to contain opposing big men is a serious problem. And I don't know how it's going to get better. We pick up bigs off the garbage heap, fine...they're on the garbage heap for a reason. They're not that good. Most teams could always use a good defensive big that can crash the defensive glass...if a big man is available, it's probably because they don't do those things well.

IDK, I'm really starting to think we're not as good as we thought we were after this trade, mainly because Harden hasn't been nearly as good as advertised and as of right now, we gave up more value than we're getting back. I don't think it's likely we're going to have him, Kyrie, and Durant all play well in the same game, because I don't think they fit well with each other. Harden is pretty useless off ball, and Kyrie has been great, but he loves having the ball too.

[MGrand15]

Our inability to contain opposing big men is a serious problem. And I don't know how it's going to get better. We pick up bigs off the garbage heap, fine...they're on the garbage heap for a reason. They're not that good. Most teams could always use a good defensive big that can crash the defensive glass...if a big man is available, it's probably because they don't do those things well.

IDK, I'm really starting to think we're not as good as we thought we were after this trade, mainly because Harden hasn't been nearly as good as advertised and as of right now, we gave up more value than we're getting back. I don't think it's likely we're going to have him, Kyrie, and Durant all play well in the same game, because I don't think they fit well with each other. Harden is pretty useless off ball, and Kyrie has been great, but he loves having the ball too.

Harden since the trade:
24 PPG 8 RPG 12 APG - 61 TS%

Let's not overreact about Harden. This is how he's playing while he's off, slightly out of shape and still developing chemistry with the team.

[therealbig3]

Our inability to contain opposing big men is a serious problem. And I don't know how it's going to get better. We pick up bigs off the garbage heap, fine...they're on the garbage heap for a reason. They're not that good. Most teams could always use a good defensive big that can crash the defensive glass...if a big man is available, it's probably because they don't do those things well.

IDK, I'm really starting to think we're not as good as we thought we were after this trade, mainly because Harden hasn't been nearly as good as advertised and as of right now, we gave up more value than we're getting back. I don't think it's likely we're going to have him, Kyrie, and Durant all play well in the same game, because I don't think they fit well with each other. Harden is pretty useless off ball, and Kyrie has been great, but he loves having the ball too.

Harden since the trade:
24 PPG 8 RPG 12 APG - 61 TS%

Let's not overreact about Harden. This is how he's playing while he's off, slightly out of shape and still developing chemistry with the team.

I mean, we'll see, but he's overall been underwhelming ever since Kyrie came back. I'm not blaming Kyrie because he's been outstanding...I think Harden has been super passive and their fit is just poor right now.

Ultimately, we may have traded our best defensive player for a minimal offensive improvement when it's all said and done. Is that worth it? We ARE getting wrecked by opposing bigs as it stands. And Harden the last 3 games hasn't given us anything Levert couldn't have.

Mainly, Harden needs to step up and play the way he's capable of for us to get to the next level...but our problems in the paint still stand. I mean, the people asking "what are they gonna do when they face Embiid, or Jokic, or Davis, or Vucevic, or Bam, or Giannis, especially in a playoff series?" have a point...what ARE we gonna do? We've already faced Vucevic, Giannis, and Bam since the trade, and they dominated our front lines. And they're 2nd tier offensive bigs...they're not Embiid, Jokic, or Davis.

[LOUiS-D]

olynyk foot inside the circle, green totally avoiding adabayo on a jumper called a foul, robinson with the devin harris head flip on fresh air. freakin 8 points right there.

[kan_t]

What is Harden giving us that Caris couldn’t have given us based on what we’ve seen so far? He’s supposed to be an upgrade over LeVert, start playing like it.

A passive, trying to fit-in and not in good shape Harden is still be able to average 23.6 pts, 12 ast and 8 reb with .611 TS% for the Nets.

He is an upgrade over LeVert already.

[dcstanley]

Harden is fine. I would be worried if he were taking 25 shots and suckin but he's obviously just trying to fit in

The only thing stopping Harden from taking 25 shots is himself. He has the ability to get a quality look at a stepback 3, floater, or layup on every possession. Once he gets acclimated and no longer feels like he's imposing on KD and Kyrie he will be fine. Playing with two other elite scorers is clearly an adjustment for him.

[MrDollarBills]

Why can't we double Adebayo??? I don't understand this idiotic coaching. They have nothing else on offense!

I feel this, but in Nash's defense, our rotations and anticipation have been piss poor all season. I don't truly blame him for not employing aggressive doubling; man defense and junk zone is about as much as we can grasp right now. Lowman, a pass away, we don't have good collective awareness of these basic concepts. I don't know what we're going to do when we face a true superstar, we just can't seem to handle advanced defensive principles.

It was either defend Bam on contested mid range jumpers or allow Robinson and Dragic wide open threes. This was the correct strategy

[OneZilion]

Harden is way a big upgrade to Levert already...

I am very satisfied to see that he is trying to be first pass guard... I like it a lot

[NetsJets]

What is Harden giving us that Caris couldn’t have given us based on what we’ve seen so far? He’s supposed to be an upgrade over LeVert, start playing like it.

A passive, trying to fit-in and not in good shape Harden is still be able to average 23.6 pts, 12 ast and 8 reb with .611 TS% for the Nets.

He is an upgrade over LeVert already.

In these last 3 games he’s not been that good what are you watching? His first 2 games is what we brought him in to be.

[GTR11]

King - GTR11 for not watching this game. Nets undefeated this year while I'm not watching . Ok ill see my way out.

[HardenGoat]

I think Harden is being asked to play this way. My take is it’s easier to ramp up your offense as the year progresses than try to back off a more dominant role right from the gate. Coach is trying to build chemistry and see where everyone fits. That means he has to be a distributor first and foremost. We all know what he is capable of offensively when left on his own.

[MrDollarBills]

I think Harden is being asked to play this way. My take is it’s easier to ramp up your offense as the year progresses than try to back off a more dominant role right from the gate. Coach is trying to build chemistry and see where everyone fits. That means he has to be a distributor first and foremost. We all know what he is capable of offensively when left on his own.

I don't mind him being a distributor but he's now shying away from shots that he would normally not hesitate on taking.

There is a balance to be had here. We need him to keep defenses honest.