It wasn’t pretty. In fact, it was absolutely ugly.
The Nets KD-less dropped their second straight to the Cavaliers, 125-113. With the defeat, Brooklyn drops to 9-8 in the season, while Cleveland rises to 8-7.
From defensive mistakes, excessive exchanges and careless twists to continuous struggles for recovery, it was not the night of the Nets. Although the attack resurfaced late, the defense was not there, as Brooklyn couldn’t buy a late stop when it needed it most. On a positive note, the Nets shared the ball.
“We need to find a way to play stronger,” said Nash after the defeat. “We are not a defensive team and we have to be more proud of it. [We] you have to win more ’50 -’50s, contest more shots, fight, scrap, grab, and I think that’s what’s missing more than any scheme we’re bringing in now. “
As for Joe Harris, he points to the Nets’ defensive struggles for the lack of practice time and individual efforts. He wants his teammates, including himself, to take possession of that side of the ball.
“It is difficult because we do not have much practice time. We are really trying to include a lot of things at the time, but I think a lot of that is individual pride, ”said Harris of the defensive struggles. “I think, more or less, everyone has to look at themselves, lock, focus and take control of that ball tip.”
When Harris was asked if some defensive improvements could be solved by schematic moves, he said it was all about pride.
“Nah – I don’t think it matters what you draw right now. If the guys aren’t there or everyone isn’t bought and everyone isn’t together, it’s difficult to win in this league, regardless of how much talent you have, ”said Harris.
Kyrie Irving led the Nets by scoring the ball, finishing with 38 points and a rebound and five assists in 31 minutes of play. Irving has now reached the 25-point mark in four consecutive games and in eight of his nine games he has appeared this season.
James Harden followed Irving with 19 points, 11 assists and five rebounds in 37 minutes. Harden became the first Nets since Deron Williams (2012) to record two double-double assist points in four straight games. “The Beard” also made some personal history in Friday’s defeat by passing Allen Iverson (6,375) on the NBA’s all-time free throw list, moving up to 13th place. Next up: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Dolph Schayes with 6,712 free throws made.
As a team, the Nets ended the defeat with 48.3 percent overall and 32.6 percent from the depths, recording 15 losses. With high revs, the Nets were defeated by 50-29. Brooklyn was also dominated by Cleveland in painting (70-44).
Despite the initial difficulties, Nash wants his team to stay together, despite the frustration. Harris said it best after the loss.
“Everyone is very frustrated now. We talked about a number of things yesterday in our movie session and even before today’s game, there were a lot of things that we covered and tried to clean up. The things we talked about were the things that hurt us again tonight.
“We cannot sit here and think about it. It’s such an early point in the season. The season is so young now. We have so many games ahead of us and we have to be together. We have a game tomorrow that we must play and try to get it right. ”
For the Cavaliers, Collin Sexton continued his dominance over Brooklyn, ending with 25 points followed by (sip) Jarrett Allen with 19 points to go along with six rebounds and a devastating poster about Joe Harris, who had his second difficult game, hitting only 2-of-7 attempts for 3 points and ending with eight points.
Now, let’s dive into some movie.
Movie theater
Nets have an excessive switching problem. Combined by insufficient communication trends. James Harden talked about some of the Nets’ fights away from the ball after the game.
“I think that just individually, our communication with the other four guys – the four guys who are not defending the ball – has to communicate where the help is, where to send the dribbler, and just communicate and turn their backs on each other another, ”said Harden. “I think that as soon as our communication with all five guys is in sync, our defense will be much better. It looks like we’re on an island outside. We have to do a better job, including myself, of communication and defensive help, what will happen ”.
It was visible in the first Cavalier basket in the game.
Check out the Nets’ communication pattern on this later screen from Isaac Okoro to Cedi Osman. Kyrie Irving, originally guarding Isaac Okoro, points to Joe Harris to call the exchange. Joe Harris, meanwhile, goes to the top of the screen to be with his original man, Cedi Osman, with no intention of changing. With two players converging on a Cavalier (Osman), Okoro gladly takes the free track to the basket. TLDR; Kyrie Irving is working under the limits of a switching defense, and Joe Harris is playing in a more man-to-man cover, fighting across the screens to maintain his original mission.
Defense on the weak side of the ground has also been problematic for the Nets this season – especially recently. James Harden talked about some of the Nets’ fights away from the ball.
With Joe Harris paired with Larry Nance Jr. (a problematic task all night for Sir Buckets), Jeff Green correctly spins for the pair to force the ball out of Nance’s hands. DeAndre Jordan changes to Andre Drummond to remove the touch of the painting. Things go wrong when Kyrie Irving fails to “fill the gap” and protect both Isaac Okoro and Collin Sexton by moving towards the “nail” or middle of the free throw line (that’s what should have happened). Instead, Irving saves the empty space towards the top of the key (a kind of nearby Sexton), forcing James Harden to “split the difference” and save both Okoro and Darius Garland in the corner. Irving needs to make it easier for his teammates in defense.
Things on the offensive side were similar, well, strange. Below, Kyrie Irving rises on the floor in semitransition, and Joe Harris defines what is known as a “step-up” screen, which is a spherical screen that has an angle that the screener is parallel to the opposite baseline. The screen is usually made quickly almost like a sneak attack.
Irving doesn’t see the screen coming. Literally. He runs straight for Harris’ body, his eyes glued to the ground as he tries to shake Collin Sexton, and this causes Irving to lose his dribble a little. The Nets get together again and try to engage in some dribbling-handoff between Irving and DeAndre Jordan, but that too goes wrong. Cedi Osman reads the play like a book, Irving puts his hands on his knees in defeat instead of running for defense, and that’s all she wrote.
The effort just has to be better.
Turning on a switch? Take the flip here!
Look, the defense has been difficult in the last two games. It’s easy to take a look at the list, it’s an almost overwhelming source of top talent and to say: “things will work themselves out!”
But there is real cause for concern here about how this group protects its own baskets. For Cleaning the Glass, the Nets had the 26th best defense since the first two games of the season – a hit against the Golden State Warriors on their debut and a hit against the Boston Celtics on Christmas Day.
Yes. You are reading this correctly. Brooklyn has been a defense of the worst five.
Kyrie Irving, well aware of the situation, talked about the necessary improvements to Brooklyn as a post-game defensive group.
“We know that what doesn’t work is to press a button,” explained Kyrie. “We have to take these games and take them as seriously as possible in terms of learning. We cannot just use our experience; we really need to dedicate our time to focus on what we want to accomplish. We are playing shorthanded as well trying to figure this out. With all that said, we just want to stay focused on the goal. Each day is used as progress. “
And then the key phrase of the night …
“We don’t want to be the ‘time flip the switch’. We do not. We want to be the team that is always dominating and we will get there. “
Arrival of Norvel Pelle?
No word yet – at least officially – on the Nets’ signing of Norvel Pelle, the center of 6’10 ”. Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Pelle, who played last year in Philadelphia. It will have to pass the NBA health and safety protocols. Your rim protection could have helped tonight.
What is the next
The Nets will be back in action on Saturday when the team hosts the Miami Heat. This will be the last time on the Brooklyn calendar in the first half that the Nets face the same opponent in consecutive games, as the team will host the Heat again on Monday, December 25th.
Saturday’s game report is scheduled for 8 pm Eastern Time and will be broadcast on the YES Network.
For a different perspective, check out Fear The Sword, our sister site on the SB Nation that covers Cavaliers.
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Box Score: Cleveland Cavaliers 125, Brooklyn Nets 113 – NBA.com
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Game highlights: Cleveland Cavaliers 125, Brooklyn Nets 113 (Video) – NBA.com
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Highlights: Kyrie Irving | 38 PTS, 5 AST (Video) – NBA.com
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Highlights: James Harden 19 PTS, 11 AST (Video) – NBA.com
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Nets fall to Cavs, 125-113 (Video) – Ian Eagle and Richard Jefferson – YES Network
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Nets Post Game Plus: BKN @ CLE (Video) – Nancy Newman and Sarah Kustok – YES Network
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Steve Nash in defeat to Cavs (Video) – YES Network
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Joe Harris in tough defeat for Cavs (Video) – YES Network
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James Harden on Friday’s Nets loss (video) – YES Network
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Sexton scores 25, Cavaliers defeated Durant-less Nets 125-113 – Brian Dulik – AP
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Collin Sexton takes Cavaliers past Nets – Larry Fleisher – Reuters
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The defense of the networks baked once again with the full scan of the Cavs – Brian Lewis – New York Post
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Nets defense again fights for defeat to Cavaliers – Greg Logan – Newsday
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Networks need all the defensive help they can get – Greg Logan – Newsday
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Defensive problems of the Nets on full display in the second straight loss to the Cavaliers – Kristian Winfield – New York Daily News
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Steve Nash says Nets ‘need to look inside to improve’ defense – Kristian Winfield – New York Daily News
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Brooklyn Nets’ Kevin Durant defeats the Cleveland Cavaliers to rehabilitate Achilles – Malika Andrews – ESPN
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CAVALIERS 125, NETS 113: KYRIE IRVING POINTS 38 FOR BROOKLYN – Tom Dowd – Brooklyn Nets
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NETS VS. CAVALIERS: DEANDRE JORDAN, JOE HARRIS AND STEVE NASH TOP QUOTES – Tom Dowd – Brooklyn Nets
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GALLERY: NETS VS. CAVS – Brooklyn Nets
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Cleveland Cavaliers dominates second half, overtakes Brooklyn Nets by Kyrie Irving again, 125-113 – Chris Fedor – Cleveland Plain-Dealer