Rebounding a big focus for undersized Nets
Nic Claxton , center for the Brooklyn Nets speaking to the media after practice at the Brooklyn Nets HSS Training Center on Thursday Oct. 5, 2023. Credit: Errol Anderson
One of the lingering numbers from the Nets’ first-round playoff loss to the 76ers in April was 54. That’s how many more rebounds Philadelphia had in its four-game sweep.
It was the final statement on a glaring weakness last season. The Nets were one of the NBA’s worst rebounding teams, finishing 29th out of 30 in total rebounds per game and offensive rebounds.
But the team didn’t add much size in the offseason. Lonnie Walker IV and Dennis Smith Jr., their main free-agent acquisitions, are guards. Forwards Harry Giles III and Darius Bazley are on non-guaranteed contracts and fighting for minutes.
The solution, for now, is a committee approach. That means everyone — including guards — will be asked to rebound to help center Nic Claxton and forward Day’Ron Sharpe.
Forward Royce O’Neale is fine with it.
“I think it’s just a balance. Finding the right balances [with] guys that crash,” O’Neale said. “I think just everybody being a rebounder on the team. Can’t really just rely on Nic, Day’Ron, Harry and the other bigs.”
O’Neale’s 5.1 rebounds per game last season ranked third among the Nets’ returners. At 6-4, though, O’Neale also represents the size disadvantage the Nets have with their slew of guards and wings on the perimeter.
Part of the fix is that the Nets are implementing more drop coverage on defense. In drop coverage, the defender guarding the player who sets the screen moves back — or drops — into the paint to prevent the ballhandler from driving to the basket.
It also puts that defender closer for rebounds, which fits the multi-player approach that coach Jacque Vaughn and general manager Sean Marks want.
“It’ll continue to be a committee because Dikembe [Mutombo] is not walking through the doors,” Vaughn said Friday. “So dudes have come in, come back and rebound. I think the best part is we’ve been challenging each other, so you see boxouts and physicality.”
A healthy Ben Simmons also helps. It’s one of the ways the Nets hope to benefit from the 6-10 guard being back at full strength.
Despite being limited by back issues last season, Simmons averaged 6.3 rebounds. He has averaged 7.8 per game in his first five seasons in the NBA.
“It’s a mindset,” Simmons said. “Not everyone wants to rebound, but it’s something that if it’s gonna help the team win a few extra games, we all gotta buy in and do that.”
But as Vaughn said, one player can’t make a difference. It’s a group responsibility, and Vaughn is betting on the Nets’ length and athleticism paying off despite a lack of size.
For the players, it’s a welcome challenge after the way the 76ers ended their season.
“It’s been a war in the paint,” forward Dorian Finney-Smith said. “The bigs being in the drop obviously helps more with rebounding and also the way we’re going to guard this year. It should keep guys in the paint and keep other teams out.”
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.
