For some, the Nets say this is the toughest training camp they've ever been through. And they insist they are confident they will ultimately reap the benefits, especially defensively.
The Nets started showing signs of success on Monday, defeating the visiting Wizards 131-92 in their preseason opener at home.
The Nets nailed the bench with Choi Young Hee's 3-point shot, giving them a lead of up to 43 points.
Again, the obligatory disclaimer that wins and losses in the preseason don't mean much. But habits do exist, and the Nets have had some encouraging results after some bad situations last season.
During a grueling camp, new coach Jordi Fernandes touted conditioning and competitiveness, emphasizing defense and pace.
The Nets tormented Washington, shooting just 40 percent from the field and 7-of-39 from behind the arc.
The Nets forced 19 turnovers, scored 35 points and had a 26-7 advantage in fast break points.
He showed a strong transition game in last week's preseason loss to the Clippers, but the Nets poured it in again after losing a late bench battle.
Cam Thomas led all scorers with 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting and five rebounds. Reserve guard Shake Milton scored 16 points and Jalen Wilson added 14 points to lead the Nets 74-45 in bench points.
“When we lost, you guys carried us with the pressure and trust in each other, and that’s really the key,” Thomas said. “You're going to get beat off the dribble in this league. They're good players offensively. So as long as you can trust your teammates to protect you, I think that's all that matters. And obviously, on the ball. The pressure, we picked it up full court and we made them miss. So I feel like that really helps us.”
Of course, once again, it must be noted that this is preseason and the Wizards are miserable. But what Nets fans will notice is his crisp play and ball movement, with 27 assists and just seven turnovers.
The duo of Dennis Schroder (13 points, 7 assists) and Ben Simmons helped with the passing, but Ben Simmons had to get used to guarding center in place of the injured Nick Claxton. It's just another thing on the to-do list.
“I'm happy now,” Fernandes said. “Obviously, we have to watch the film. We didn't have a great stretch in the second quarter, so I'm not too impressed, but overall I feel good right now.
“But certainly the pressure on the ball was good. When you see everyone making an effort and the players just talking to each other and telling each other, 'Put pressure on the ball,' that's good.” Please do this. “That’s when our communication started to flow and that’s when our defense and stops in the second half took the next step. ”
The Nets took a 45-39 lead on Jordan Poole's layup with 4:04 left in the first half. But Ben Simmons (11 points, 5 rebounds in 13 minutes before being ejected in the first half) sparked the game with a 20-1 run after intermission.
Just before intermission, Schroder found Simmons for a layup to give the Nets a 55-46 lead. Then, just 40 seconds into the second half, Thomas blitzed with a 3-pointer to extend the lead to 59-46.
Wilson came off the bench to fill that cushion. A steal and fast-break pass to Jalen Martin gave the Nets an 89-70 lead at the end of the third quarter, and a Nets 3-pointer with 9:42 left made it 99-74.
Choi (aka “Jackie'')'s 3-point shot was just the icing on the cake.
This Nets team has a lot of rebuilding to do over the next year or two, and that rebuild starts with a grueling camp with high-octane scrimmages and hard work.
“I'm happy that we're getting better. But that doesn't mean we're ready to rock and roll 100 percent,” Fernandez said. “We've got to keep growing and keep trying, not just in the first game, but throughout the season. That's how it should work.”
