The Knicks blew out the Nets, 134-98, on Sunday at Madison Sq. Backyard in one other sport the place Brooklyn was barely aggressive from begin to end, dropping to 1-9 on the season.
The Nets’ lone win since opening evening got here final week in opposition to an Indiana workforce lacking 5 of its high scorers from a yr in the past, and even that one obtained uncomfortably shut within the remaining minutes.
Michael Porter Jr., carrying the scoring load with out Cam Thomas, confirmed once more he can fill it up in opposition to the Knicks, ending with 25 factors on 9-for-18 capturing, however the league already is aware of what sort of offensive expertise he’s. Brooklyn’s historic five-player rookie class is the one factor maintaining the workforce related proper now, and if the Nets are going to battle this a lot, particularly on protection, that group needs to be the franchise’s fundamental focus shifting ahead.
Ten video games in, it’s clear the Nets’ veterans can’t reduce it. This yr was purported to be about constructing round Egor Demin, Drake Powell, Ben Saraf, Nolan Traore and Danny Wolf, but three are caught within the G League. If the season is already slipping away, these 5 needs to be studying on the job in Brooklyn.
Demin earned his second consecutive begin Sunday and appeared more and more comfy, ending with 10 factors, 4 rebounds and three assists in 26 minutes. The 6-9 guard mixed tight deal with with easy shot-making and good imaginative and prescient as Jordi Fernández continued giving him freedom to study on the fly.
Powell was a shiny spot as nicely, ending with a career-high 15 factors with two rebounds and three assists whereas going an ideal 3-for-3 from deep. He’s been a defensive spark every time he’s on the ground, and his on-ball creation has been a welcome shock. Saraf and Traore deserve related alternatives to develop with actual NBA minutes, together with Wolf, who has performed simply 4 in Brooklyn.
These three have spent the previous two video games on G League project. In Lengthy Island’s season opener Friday in opposition to the Capital Metropolis Go-Go, Saraf scored 21 factors with 4 rebounds and three assists off the bench. Traore had a quiet scoring evening however led the workforce with seven assists. In Sunday’s rematch, Wolf stood out most, posting 25 factors on 10-for-19 capturing with 13 rebounds and two assists.
For a franchise that’s purported to delight itself on participant growth, the trail ahead needs to be apparent. The Nets aren’t competing for playoff place. They’re competing for route. Taking part in the rookies doesn’t simply speed up their development but additionally helps the entrance workplace consider who really matches into the franchise’s future performs. Each possession spent on a veteran stopgap is one much less invested within the group that may outline the subsequent period of Nets basketball.
Till the Nets embrace that actuality, nights like Sunday will hold trying the identical. Brooklyn can’t defend, can’t maintain effort and may’t appear to search out goal past surviving the schedule. If Fernández is actually constructing one thing for the longer term, that course of has to begin now, with Demin, Powell, Saraf, Traore and Wolf studying by the rising pains which can be already right here.
