Nets' offense needs D'Angelo Russell, Spencer Dinwiddie and Caris LeVert firing together
Nets guard D'Angelo Russell, left, and Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie, center, react with Nets guard Caris LeVert after he scores the winning layup against the Knicks at Barclays Center on Oct. 19, 2018. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
SACRAMENTO — The Nets have three dynamic scorers in their backcourt in D’Angelo Russell, Spencer Dinwiddie and Caris LeVert. The trick for coach Kenny Atkinson is to get them firing on all cylinders at the same time to help turn around a Nets offense that has been struggling recently.
Russell enjoyed a stellar 32-point, 10-assist game in Sunday’s loss to the Clippers, but Dinwiddie had a 2-for-16 shooting night, and LeVert had a 6-for-15 effort. Dinwiddie and LeVert combined to go 1-for-11 from three-point range.
“Spencer’s been fantastic,” Atkinson said before the Nets faced the Kings Tuesday night at Golden 1 Center. “Sometimes you have a 2-for-16 game in a long NBA season. We showed him clips, just making the good shot, making that a great shot. Whether that’s a late dish to our big, or a kick-out for a three, I think we collectively — not just Spencer — can do a better job of making that extra pass to open players.”
All three Nets guards focus on getting to the rim for easy baskets, but through the first three games of their current seven-game road trip, all three have attempted acrobatic shots with a high degree of difficulty. Atkinson would like to see improvement in their decision-making.
“Part of it is reading that defense at the rim and who is the defender,” Atkinson said. “If it’s me at the rim, you probably want to go dunk on me or lay it up. If it’s [Jazz center] Rudy Gobert, you might have to look for a better option. Those are decision-making things. Our spacing’s got to be perfect, and then our decision-making’s got to be better.
“Caris, Spencer and DLo, they’re scorers at heart, and we’ve just got to be better. It’s not always scoring in this league. It’s finding the right guy sometimes. It’s an improvement area.”
Notes & quotes: Shabazz Napier (illness) and Allen Crabbe (sore right knee) were out against the Kings.
Greg Logan has worked for Newsday since 1982 covering a wide array of sports and events, currently including the Brooklyn Nets beat.
