Nets coach Jacque Vaughn doesn't want to tinker with lineup despite 5-game skid
Head coach Jacque Vaughn of the Nets reacts during the first half against the Denver Nuggets at Barclays Center on Friday, Dec. 22, 2023. Credit: Jim McIsaac
The Nets played their best game in over a week. They gave the defending champion Nuggets all they could handle for four quarters Friday night.
It went for naught, however, as the Nuggets prevailed, 122-117. Now the Nets sit with a five-game losing streak and more questions on how to fix things.
“Our energy was better, our effort was better, just our overall vibe,” Nic Claxton said. “So, that's definitely something that we can build on going into these next few games. We took a few L's in a row, but we just got to be consistent with our habits and play like we did tonight and we'll have a shot against anybody.”
A strong bench performance — 47 points — will spark more questions about potential lineup changes. But coach Jacque Vaughn won’t look at changing his starting lineups just yet.
The Nets have started the same group for the last 10 games with Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Cam Thomas, Spencer Dinwiddie and Claxton. Because of injuries, it’s the most continuity a starting lineup has had all season.
That’s partially why Vaughn is resisting the urge to tinker with the first five. The only lineup to play as much as his current starters are when Dorian Finney-Smith started eight games with Bridges, Johnson, Dinwiddie and Claxton while Thomas was injured.
That group was 4-4 while this current group is 4-6.
“I'm just going to get on my knees tonight again and pray that the same group is available to play,” Vaughn said Friday. “So that's what we're going to get to.”
The only possible change is swapping out Thomas for Finney-Smith. The Nets did that at times Wednesday for offense/defensive substitutions and it kept things close late in the fourth quarter before the Nuggets pulled away.
Thomas has four consecutive games with at least 20 points, his longest streak of the season. He’s struggled with his efficiency — 42.9% shooting since his return compared to 47.9% before his ankle injury — but he and Bridges put pressure on defenses with their shot creation.
Finney-Smith brings value as a 3-and-D player but also his versatility playing inside or outside. He’s a valuable floor spacer, shooting a career-best 44.8% on three-pointers. As a starter, he shot 46.1% on threes compared to 41.5% as a reserve.
The Nets’ 7-2 stretch prior to this losing streak featured both starting lineups. As for advanced stats, the four starters with Finney-Smith are outscoring teams by 6.8 points per 100 possessions, per NBA.com. The starters with Thomas are being outscored by 18.5 points.
The Nets have a defensive rating of 121.7 when it’s the starters with Thomas on the floor compared to 111.7 with Finney-Smith. Offensively, the lineup with Finney-Smith has an offensive rating of 118.5 compared to 103.2 with Thomas.
There’s an argument that Thomas’ scoring is better suited off the bench and the Nets initially had that role for him with a healthy Ben Simmons. However, there are games where Thomas’ scoring keeps his team in games when others are struggling.
Thomas is also eligible for a rookie extension after this season. Could the Nets be evaluating him more with the starters to better assess his future? It’s possible.
At the same time, Finney-Smith’s shooting, rebounding and defense have helped on the court. After Saturday, five of the Nets’ next seven opponents have winning records and while scoring matters, defense could be more important.
Ultimately, Vaughn is right for now. The Nets need to see more data with a healthy Smith and Lonnie Walker IV’s potential return next week. But it’s not wrong to think the Nets might need some changes to shake things up after this poor stretch.
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
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