GT: Return of the Beard! Spurs @ Nets | 5.12.2021 @ 8PM on YES2

[Prokorov]

One more thing.

If anyone thinks Nash didn't try to sit KD tonight, in the tail end of back-to-backs, you haven't been paying attention all year. But KD understands the importance of this final home-stand and these last three games, he understands the importance of maintaining that #2 Seed, and I'll guarantee you he told Nash; "SAVE IT, I'M PLAYING TONIGHT, PERIOD."

Old School.

PS. Hopefully Kyrie's little boo-boo feels better on Saturday.

did KD potentially break a bone in his face and have an inconclusive MRI less then 24 hours ago?

also, kyrie has missed the fewest games this year of our big 3.

KD and harden should have played despite hamstring injurys cause thats what tough guys years ago did while they drank whiskey and smoked cigars at halftime before going home to beat their kids and impregnante their wives

tough

[Prokorov]

Bruce Brown continues to play at a high level. He needs to start. Doesn't matter how much Joe Harris is being paid.

Been suggesting this (not definiteively saying it should happen) for a while.

I always come back to this. if you cant find ways to score with Harden/Kyrie/KD because you have 2 defenders next to them, then being an NBA coach isnt for you.

I dont want to hear about floor spacing when you have the best stretch big ever (KD) the MVP/best playmaker in the NBA (Harden) and a 50/40/90 assasin who can score at all 3 levels vs anyone (Kyrie).

Harden/Kyrie/brown/KD/Claxton. if offense is clunky bring in harris and or shamet. but start with D. you can always bring in shooters. but if a team is killing you and has confidence and build a lead bringing in defenders does have as big an impact

[Prokorov]

TLC makes me sick man. I'd much rather play Alize at the 3.

Boggles the mind.

But its been clear since day 1 the Nash/Dantoni duo will not play a defensive specialist who cant shoot from three.

[Prokorov]

How many times has SA missed, got their offensive rebound, then scored on their second and third chances?

It has to be on about 3/4 of their misses so far.

This happens every game tbh, we frequently get punished with 2nd chance points.

This is our biggest weakness and I don't see that changing in the playoffs.

it is most playoff teams biggest weakness. 10 playoff teams, including the Jazz/heat/knicks/Mavs/Blazers are in the bottom half in offensive rebounds allowed and 2nd chance points allowed. Rebounding simply isnt valued. and even for teams with elite centers/elite rebounding bigs, its still easy to get beat on the boards if you go small 1 thorugh 4 like almost everyone does. if your center challenges a shot, its still 4 on 4 with undersized guys.

Turnovers to me are a much bigger concern. that is independing of if you play big or small. and we have high iq guys and good ball handlers. that needs to be cleaned up

[Prokorov]

Claxton is back to his old self.

It takes awhile because Covid weakens you, but it looks like he's BACK.

Helps to have harden getting you easy dimes too

[Prokorov]

Harden somehow makes our defense better. I've seen it time and again.

I don't know why but he does!

Well, to start, he is our leading rebounder. we are never going to be great rebounding because we play small so often, but he helps a ton on the glass.

Second, he averages 1.5 steals a game. and also forces alot of live ball turnovers.

Third, he might be our best post defender. and not like, vs his posiiton, but vs centers and offensive powerhouse bigs. switching mike james or kyrie onto a center results in points alot more often then harden switching on to one.

Last, we score more with harden much more consistently. when teams need to take the ball out of their own basket and play half court htats tougher then getting a rebound and going. its also hard to leak out your bigs if they need to help at the rim because harden creates more paint scoring

[Prokorov]

Mike James is making his case man. The guy is a solid back up for Harden.

he plays like he belongs. and is confident. you like that in big playoff games. id have him as my 10th-11th man at full strength in the playoffs

[NetsJets]

The Nets need to get off of Yes Network

[Prokorov]

I'm going to be blunt, I am glad Kyrie didn't play tonight. He needs to rest, and Ramadan ends tomorrow evening.

Same with Joe. Harris has been awful as of late and I think he's fatigued. If we can somehow maintain the 2 seed while giving these guys some time to refuel we will be better for it.

We respectfully disagree about Kyrie, but I agree 100% about Harris.

He looked exhausted and his legs were shot.

Did you honestly want them to put him on the floor without a clear diagnosis?

Monday night his X-rays were inconclusive, they scheduled additional X-rays and tests yesterday. you want the medical team to put him on the floor without a clear diagnosis less then 24 hours from the initial injury?

That just seems so short sighted with the playoffs about to start.

[MrDollarBills]

This happens every game tbh, we frequently get punished with 2nd chance points.

This is our biggest weakness and I don't see that changing in the playoffs.

it is most playoff teams biggest weakness. 10 playoff teams, including the Jazz/heat/knicks/Mavs/Blazers are in the bottom half in offensive rebounds allowed and 2nd chance points allowed. Rebounding simply isnt valued. and even for teams with elite centers/elite rebounding bigs, its still easy to get beat on the boards if you go small 1 thorugh 4 like almost everyone does. if your center challenges a shot, its still 4 on 4 with undersized guys.

Turnovers to me are a much bigger concern. that is independing of if you play big or small. and we have high iq guys and good ball handlers. that needs to be cleaned up

Yes, but we can't cede more FGAs to the opponent after every well defended possession. Those are backbreakers in games where the score is close.

[Prokorov]

This is our biggest weakness and I don't see that changing in the playoffs.

it is most playoff teams biggest weakness. 10 playoff teams, including the Jazz/heat/knicks/Mavs/Blazers are in the bottom half in offensive rebounds allowed and 2nd chance points allowed. Rebounding simply isnt valued. and even for teams with elite centers/elite rebounding bigs, its still easy to get beat on the boards if you go small 1 thorugh 4 like almost everyone does. if your center challenges a shot, its still 4 on 4 with undersized guys.

Turnovers to me are a much bigger concern. that is independing of if you play big or small. and we have high iq guys and good ball handlers. that needs to be cleaned up

Yes, but we can't cede more FGAs to the opponent after every well defended possession. Those are backbreakers in games where the score is close.

Dont want this to come off as combative but.... we can actually do that, have proved it all year, and good teams have won that way for the past 6-7 years. You typically gain more scoring efficiency going small and more defensive efficiency switching then you do allowing a ton of 2nd chance points.

We have gotten outshot most games, but we are so much more efficient it doesnt matter. the issue come when we give up second chance points AND tons of points off turnovers.

The analytics/math have shown it to be successful, which is why its been nearly universally adapted/successful and why so many teams just live with bad rebounding.

[MrDollarBills]

Bruce Brown continues to play at a high level. He needs to start. Doesn't matter how much Joe Harris is being paid.

Been suggesting this (not definiteively saying it should happen) for a while.

I always come back to this. if you cant find ways to score with Harden/Kyrie/KD because you have 2 defenders next to them, then being an NBA coach isnt for you.

I dont want to hear about floor spacing when you have the best stretch big ever (KD) the MVP/best playmaker in the NBA (Harden) and a 50/40/90 assasin who can score at all 3 levels vs anyone (Kyrie).

Harden/Kyrie/brown/KD/Claxton. if offense is clunky bring in harris and or shamet. but start with D. you can always bring in shooters. but if a team is killing you and has confidence and build a lead bringing in defenders does have as big an impact

Exactly. Last night we saw the Spurs foolishly double teaming Harden and he made the suffer every time. There is no reason why we are going all offense to start when Harden/Kyrie/KD/Brown/Claxton is a well balanced line up. I don't care if Brown shoots 30% from three, what he provides on defense, the glass, and his off ball movement ability is invaluable right now. And hell, I don't mind him launching those corner threes either.

[MrDollarBills]

it is most playoff teams biggest weakness. 10 playoff teams, including the Jazz/heat/knicks/Mavs/Blazers are in the bottom half in offensive rebounds allowed and 2nd chance points allowed. Rebounding simply isnt valued. and even for teams with elite centers/elite rebounding bigs, its still easy to get beat on the boards if you go small 1 thorugh 4 like almost everyone does. if your center challenges a shot, its still 4 on 4 with undersized guys.

Turnovers to me are a much bigger concern. that is independing of if you play big or small. and we have high iq guys and good ball handlers. that needs to be cleaned up

Yes, but we can't cede more FGAs to the opponent after every well defended possession. Those are backbreakers in games where the score is close.

Dont want this to come off as combative but.... we can actually do that, have proved it all year, and good teams have won that way for the past 6-7 years. You typically gain more scoring efficiency going small and more defensive efficiency switching then you do allowing a ton of 2nd chance points.

We have gotten outshot most games, but we are so much more efficient it doesnt matter. the issue come when we give up second chance points AND tons of points off turnovers.

The analytics/math have shown it to be successful, which is why its been nearly universally adapted/successful and why so many teams just live with bad rebounding.

The point in bold is what concerns me. I don't have the stats to back this up but it seems like in close games this season, the main thing that has kept the game close has been allowing the opponents to capitalize off of turnovers and 2nd chance points (also throw in poor 3 point shooting). We know that this team can get sloppy even if Harden is running PG. We've got to cut down on one or the other if we're going to win 16 games over the next two months. We need an all hands on deck approach to the defensive glass.

[MrDollarBills]

We respectfully disagree about Kyrie, but I agree 100% about Harris.

He looked exhausted and his legs were shot.

Kyrie has been carrying the load since Harden went down and he's been doing it while fasting during the day abstaining from food and water. This was a perfect game for him to get some rest now that Ramadan ended tonight. He will be back this weekend so it's time for the ramp up to the 1st round.

I sit Joe at least one more game.

Agree on sitting Harris another game. He hadn't taken a game off all year and it was showing. He needs more than one game to get his legs back. Also, when he does comeback I think Bruce Brown is the better starter and Harris' role is better as a 6th man and 3P sniper coming off the bench.

As for Kyrie, I had no idea it was still Ramadan and it just ended tonight. I just assumed it had long since ended because I know nothing about the Muslim religion. That said, MORE THAN THE FACE CONTUSION, that was a good reason to sit him tonight and give him a few days to get back to 100% physically.

He should be fine now. Probably even better (which is insane to think about) now that he will have proper hydration before and during games.

Agreed, we need Brown to start.

[Sharcm1]

I think what the nets should have realize by now is there is still a major need for Spencer. So they should try to sign him. I think Mike James has shown the need for a pg that can break down the defense and set up his team mates when harden isn’t on the floor. Spencer would be perfect off the bench with this team.

[Sharcm1]

Agree on the second chance points part. The nets give up way too many second chance points. I know some of that has to dow it’s going small. Especially when the opposing center just stands under the basket and gets three chances to score against green or griffin. But a lot of the offensive rebounds the nets give up are not under the basket. A lot of them are long rebounds. To me it’s a lack of hustle to get the rebound that’s more of a problem. It happens a lot. And it’s demoralizing to the players when they play good defense only to give up a wide open shot on a offensive rebound.

I know that harden is a good rebounder but I see it being a bigger problem when Irving, harden and Durant are on the court and you don’t have a guy like brown out there doing the hustle stuff. I would almost say bring Irving off the bench but I know that won’t fly with him.

[MGrand15]

TLC makes me sick man. I'd much rather play Alize at the 3.

Boggles the mind.

But its been clear since day 1 the Nash/Dantoni duo will not play a defensive specialist who cant shoot from three.

I mean we've been playing Bruce Brown so I don't think that's totally true but yeah, I'm with you.

My thing is TLC is shooting 31% on wide open, catch and shoot looks. He's not spacing the floor at all. He has the easiest role in the league.

Maybe he's a super hard worker or something in practice. Or they're hoping he gets some of the juice from last year. IDK. But we definitely should've messed around with Alize at the 3. He's a guy I could legitimately see being useful in the playoffs. Remember the terror he and Claxton caused in that Philly game?

[Hello Brooklyn]

The problem with starting Brown is what will you play him?

At the 3? I don't really want Harden guarding wings.

I think its downsizes us too much.

I would rather start Green for defense. Or perhaps even Alize, as crazy as that sounds. Even though Nash won't play him.

Harden
Kyrie
KD
Green
Claxton

[MrDollarBills]

The problem with starting Brown is what will you play him?

At the 3? I don't really want Harden guarding wings.

I think its downsizes us too much.

I would rather start Green for defense. Or perhaps even Alize, as crazy as that sounds. Even though Nash won't play him.

Harden
Kyrie
KD
Green
Claxton

It doesn't matter really since we switch on everything I would think?

Give me

Harden/Kyrie/Brown/KD/Claxton

with James, Shamet, Harris, Green and Griffin. One of the Big 3 should be on the floor at all times. James and Harden strictly run the PG spot, I don't want to see Kyrie or KD initiating any more.

[Whiskey Slick]

MDB and Proko,

I was just mad before the SA Game because we've waited so long to get the BIG 3 back together and then Kyrie wasn't playing. I'm also obsessed with sweeping this home-stand (two more) and getting that 2 seed, because I KNOW it's the much easier path to the second round, and I'm already disappointed that we blew the #1 seed. Lastly I'm not saying it is right or wrong, but I do believe it's generational. I used to play in pickup games and indoor leagues and they were rough leagues. Black-eyes and bloody noses or lips was fairly common, and we didn't stop playing, and we was playing for free, just because we liked playing. That's why I said when I started out, if Kyrie has a broken bone in his face (because I know he has that history) then I apologize, but if not I thought there was too much at stake (aforementioned) to sit that game out. To me Bruce Brown is a perfect example. My man is playing with a broken nose.

We won the game so alls well that ends well, but I'm not gonna apologize for wanting to win too much. If that makes me a dinosaur, so be it, I can live with that. I know times have changed and I'm not sensitive enough.

I get it. I'm not clueless. To expect someone to play with a high ankle sprain the way Isaiah did in the finals is crazy talk now. Barring a few anachronisms that's just not happening anymore, but I'm not calling them stupid.