Brooklyn Nets

2022 - 10 - 20

Post cover — Image courtesy of "SB Nation"

Brooklyn Nets: Igor Kokoškov is the hidden genius behind a ... (SB Nation)

Whereas the Warriors used the natural fit of Durant and Stephen Curry to create what is arguably the deadliest offensive duo in NBA history, Durant and Irving ...

The execution leaves a lot to be desired — the timing of the back screen and the roll is way off — but what matters is the intention. — who presents more of a pull-up threat — be the ball handler in this situation to replicate the effect it had with the Warriors. Assistants gaining employment typically don’t command that kind of attention — but those in the know are aware of how big this particular hiring really is. The presence of Patty Mills discourages help on the roll — peep at Jevon Carter rushing back to Mills — and a Durant pocket pass around the handoff sets Day’Ron Sharpe free for the dunk. Timing and execution can be refined over the course of the season, and Kokoškov will certainly help in that department. While scheme played a non-insignificant part, having the best collection of offensive talent was the main driver behind that success. While the Nets ran a fair amount of handoff actions last season (6.2 per 100 possessions, 10th in the league), they scored 0.946 points per possession on them — 5th in the league, per Synergy. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are two of the world’s premier isolation scorers, the ultimate shot creators who are given liberty to take control of a half-court possession while everyone else gets out of their way. There is also the your-turn-my-turn nature of an offense that relies on two shot creators. And then, there are those few teams who — relative to the rest of the league — use ball screens extremely sparingly. [Brooklyn Nets](https://www.netsdaily.com), who ranked 23rd in pick-and-roll frequency — those possessions that were finished by the ball-handler, the roll-man, or a third party — during the 2021-2022 season, per Synergy. Every team runs ball-screen-based sets — some lean on it as the fulcrum of their schemes.

NBA Twitter reacts to Nets getting blown out by New Orleans: 'Nets ... (Yahoo Sports)

24 teams took the NBA courts Wednesday in what was the first packed game day of the 2022-23 season. The Brooklyn Nets once again stole the night's show ...

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Ben Simmons fouls out in debut and Nets sputter without their 'engine' (The Athletic)

Few debuts have been more anticipated than the Kevin Durant-Kyrie Irving-Ben Simmons triumvirate. How opening night at Barclays went wrong.

[Pelicans](https://staging2.theathletic.com/nba/team/pelicans/), led by [Zion Williamson](https://staging2.theathletic.com/nba/player/zion-williamson-l6xjgWmi8X4OMdjm/) and his 25 points, won 130-108 by taking advantage of 16 Nets turnovers for 26 points. The Pelicans also destroyed the Nets on the boards, 61-39, and in second-chance points, 36-4. “Fouling out is not an option,” Irving told Simmons.

Former Sixer Ben Simmons flops in Brooklyn Nets debut (Liberty Ballers)

In his first game since 2021, Ben Simmons tallied just four points and five assists as the Nets lost by 22 to the Pelicans.

They’re looking for their first win in [pic.twitter.com/XZJuHL8Fw2] [October 20, 2022] [pic.twitter.com/NKfgRCJ64c] [October 20, 2022] [pic.twitter.com/IHp0iQn7LU] [October 20, 2022] To be fair, last night was Simmons’ first real game since June 20, 2021. In the first game that counted in his new uniform, the former first overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers recorded just two points, five rebounds, five assists, three turnovers, and six personal fouls in 23 minutes of the Nets’ 130-108 loss at home to the New Orleans Pelicans.

Nets' Ben Simmons scores four points, fouls out in Brooklyn regular ... (Fox News)

Ben Simmons made his regular season debut for the Brooklyn Nets, scoring four points on 2-3 shooting from the floor and fouling out in 23 minutes.

[NETS’ KYRIE IRVING TELLS BIDEN TO GET BRITTNEY GRINER HOME: ‘POTUS, DO YOUR JOB’](https://www.foxnews.com/sports/nets-kyrie-irving-tells-biden-get-brittney-griner-home-potus-do-your-job) [New Orleans coach](https://www.foxnews.com/category/sports/nba/new-orleans-pelicans) Willie Green said. [member of the Philadelphia 76ers](https://www.foxnews.com/category/sports/nba/philadelphia-76ers). "Having back surgery and being away from the game for a year there are little things that your mind might tell you to do something, but your body’s not wanting to do that." [CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM](https://www.foxnews.com/sports) [2022-2023 NBA season](https://www.foxnews.com/category/sports/nba) Tuesday night, getting blown out by the New Orleans Pelicans 130-108.

Nets' Simmons after disappointing debut: 'It takes time' (thescore.com)

Wednesday's contest was Simmons' first official game action since the 2021 playoffs, when he struggled in the Philadelphia 76ers' Game 7 defeat to the Atlanta ...

[Kyrie Irving](https://www.thescore.com/nba/players/6154) told Simmons in the locker room after Wednesday's loss, according to Schiffer. Simmons suffered a back injury and ultimately did not make his return during the 2021-22 season, as the Nets lost to the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. "It's about just bouncing back and coming to work tomorrow and figuring it out." But those are the habits, that’s something that I just need to continue to focus on and be aggressive regardless of the result." “Having back surgery and being away from the game for a year, there’s little things that your mind might tell you to go do something but your body’s not wanting to go do that. He missed both of his free throw attempts.

Should We Be Worried About The Brooklyn Nets After Disastrous ... (Sports Illustrated)

From the drama surrounding Kyrie Irving's future in Brooklyn to Kevin Durant requesting a trade to questions being asked about Ben Simmons' progression and of ...

“It takes time,” Simmons said after the game. Maybe this is a slight overreaction to have, especially since they are not at full-strength right now, but the Nets surely have a lot of work to do if they are to contend in the Eastern Conference, a conference that already has a ton of talented, championship-caliber teams at the top of the standings. The Pelicans are no longer bottom feeders in the NBA, as Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum make up one of the better scoring trios in the entire league right now, but the Nets showing no sense of urgency from the opening tip-off and looking like a team that was just there to play basketball is definitely an alarming sight for Nets fans. Durant made it known that he wanted both GM Sean Marks and head coach Steve Nash gone when he requested a trade from the team and while both sides said that they “hashed things out,” the Nets looked dysfunctional and out of focus in their season opener. From the drama surrounding Kyrie Irving’s future in Brooklyn to Kevin Durant requesting a trade to questions being asked about Ben Simmons' progression and of course, how could we forget the ailments that are beginning to add up for this team. If you were asked to name the team that was in the news the most this past NBA offseason, you would probably have to say the