The Nets are increasingly adopting strategies that show early signs of success.
Without Dayron Sharpe, who is out with a knee injury, the Nets are able to utilize their small-ball lineup more when Nic Claxton needs a break.
Without a traditional big man on the court, Dorian Finney-Smith typically moves to center, with Cam Thomas, Royce O'Neal, or Lonnie Walker IV, who recently returned from his own injury, sliding into the lineup. It means that.
“We're going to have to play more small ball,” Cam Johnson said after Sunday's practice. “[Backup center] harry [Giles] They're going to have to step up and the players are going to have to change their roles a little bit. What I think will change is that we'll see more small ball. clearly, [Claxton] He's done a great job holding down the paint all year, but it's hard to ask him to play at 48. [minutes]. Let's see what happens.
“[Finney-Smith] “He's one of the best players in the league at playing small-ball No. 5. If we get that, it's definitely on the table for us.”
The Nets used the system in the second half of Thursday's 111-102 loss to the Cavaliers in Paris.
Brooklyn sparked a comeback in the second half with Walker and Thomas coming off the bench, outscoring the Cavaliers by 11 points.
“The thing to watch is our ability to play fast,” coach Jacque Vaughn said Sunday of the second-half lineup. “Sometimes that first shot ends up being good for us, even if it's an early shot that we turned down to take a better shot. We thought that ability, our ability to get to the rim. [stood out] And we were more physical on the defensive end of the floor. ”
The Nets have not yet decided whether Ben Simmons, who has been out since Nov. 6 with a compressed nerve in his back, will accompany the team on its next trip to the West Coast.
After Monday night's game against the Heat at Barclays Center, the Nets will play three straight games on the road against the Trail Blazers, Lakers and Clippers.
Spencer Dinwiddie and Finney Smith participated fully in Sunday's practice.
Losses were limited Thursday as both players were sick.
The Nets felt like the trip to Paris strengthened their bond as a team.
“I think we all know what we're sacrificing,” Vaughn said. “That part. Even when I'm with my wife, when I have a son who's 18 and I'm in Paris and I'm not with him, when I see them around my family, everyone It really humanizes you. Sacrifice. Or Lois' mom is there, so you can talk to her. What was Lois like as a child? Without those trips, these interactions wouldn't happen. There isn’t.”
