Nets' interior defense painting an ugly picture
Brooklyn Nets forward Jalen Wilson stretches out in an attempt to block a shot by Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell. Credit: AP/Doug McSchooler
AUSTIN, Texas — During the second half of the Nets’ loss at Indiana Saturday, Cam Johnson and Dennis Schroder chatted on the bench. It was friendly but pointed.
“Looking for solutions and how to address what’s kind of been plaguing us for a long time,” Johnson said of the conversation. “How we can get through that because it’s on us at the end of the day."
The Nets’ issues are well known and well worn by now. The newest edition was allowing 42 paint points in the second half, one fewer than the Nets’ entire second-half scoring total.
A 43-point half against the league’s second-worst scoring defense entering Saturday was bad enough. Allowing the NBA’s best paint-scoring team to lean heavily on that strength would be understandable if it didn’t feel like surrender in a 121-100 loss.
After allowing 40 paint points in the first half, the Nets allowed the Pacers to score the first three baskets of the second half at the rim. It was like they ignored or abandoned whatever adjustments came at the break.
As the Nets, who have lost five of their last seven games, wrap up a back-to-back Sunday against the Spurs, what was once a strength of the defense is now a weakness.
Earlier this season, the Nets were so committed to protecting the rim, they allowed teams to make three-pointers at a high rate. Former coach Jacque Vaughn said he was willing to live with it as long as the Nets defended the paint.
Now, that centerpiece of the defense is failing them. Over the last 10 games, the Nets are 24th out of 30 teams in paint points allowed (52.2). They’ve allowed at least 50 paint points five times.
Between that, playing too much one-on-one ball Saturday and not creating enough shots, things just keep adding up. Interim coach Kevin Ollie noted the Nets have to play with more heart and toughness in their last 15 games.
“They want to win and they think they want to do it by themselves sometimes and they got the pride to win,” Ollie said. “I'm not questioning their winning. It's just the way we're trying to do it. We've seen the method what makes us win, and we have to continue that.”
That method is sharing the ball, communicating on defense and being physical. All three parts failed Saturday, starting with only 18 assists, tying their season low. The Pacers had 22 of their 30 second-chance points on tips, putbacks and layups, a glaring sign of the Nets’ lack of awareness and physicality.
It almost didn’t matter the Nets held the Pacers to 6-for-30 shooting on threes. Not when you allow a team to shoot 58.7% on two-pointers and 65.1% in the paint.
It’s just another indictment of their interior defense despite center Nic Claxton being seventh in blocks. The paint issue isn’t all on Claxton, though. Part of the blame is poor perimeter defense forcing Claxton to help and leave the inside open with smaller defenders.
“We just got to guard the ball a little better and help each other on shifts and everything,” Mikal Bridges said.
Johnson said that Ollie’s postgame message in the locker room was keep competing. It will start by not giving teams easy baskets inside, another problem on a long list of things the Nets must address.
“I’m done talking about it. Just got to do it,” Schroder said. “Go out there and compete on the highest level, even if you have to pick up 48 minutes full-court.”
Evan Barnes covers the Nets for Newsday. He previously covered Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
