NBN Roundtable: New Year’s Resolutions For 2017

Dec 10, 2016; San Antonio, TX, USA; Brooklyn Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson reacts during the first half against the San Antonio Spurs at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

Chris Cirillo (@chriscirillo_)

While an 8-24 record is nothing to pop champagne about as we prepare to change calendars, the Nets have started the rebuilding process with speed.

First off, let’s temper expectations. Not many people expected the Nets to be a playoff team, or even a competitive group for that matter. Kenny Atkinson has managed this team with those expectations in mind by building for the future.

Here’s how he’s done it so far.

First, the Nets have nine players averaging at least 20 minutes per game, all of whom are under 30 years old. They are one of just four teams (76ers, Nuggets, Pelicans) with nine players under 30 years old averaging 20 minutes per game.

The Nets have also played very fast. They are first in the league in pace with an average of 104.1 possessions per game, according to NBA.com. They have a relative pace of 5.5, according to Basketball Reference, a number that compares their tempo to the league average per 48 minutes. That is the highest number in Nets history. This is the fastest the Nets have ever played compared to the rest of the league.

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Obviously, tempo does not always translate to more wins. But with a young team building for the future, Atkinson is getting his team as many reps as possible. The Nets have scored 110+ points 10 times this season in 31 games. They did that just 14 times all of last season.

With no incentive to tank, Atkinson has his team playing hard. Brook Lopez is averaging near his career-high in points (20.9) and topping his career-high in assists (2.8). Sean Kilpatrick has scored 20+ points eight times, something he had done just twice in his career before this season.

Next: Nets 2016 Year in Review

The Nets have a long way to go to reach NBA relevancy again. But by playing fast, they are not only speeding up the game, but speeding up the process as well.