Brooklyn Nets: dynamic lineups to look forward to in 2017-18

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PHILADELPHIA, PA – APRIL 04: Jeremy Lin #7 of the Brooklyn Nets drives to the basket as T.J. McConnell #1 and Shawn Long #36 of the Philadelphia 76ers defend in the first half during an NBA game at Wells Fargo Center on April 4, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Nets defeated 76ers 141-118. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

PG: Jeremy Lin

SG: D’Angelo Russell

SF: Allen Crabbe

PF: DeMarre Carroll

C: Timofey Mozgov

Conventional wisdom dictates that the NBA is a make or miss league. Crunch time is when the ballers come out and when the weak ones hide in the shadows. In order for a team to close out games in the association, the team must be composed of experience, shooting, and a little thing Russell likes to call “ice.”

Lin, Carroll and Mozgov are all playoff hardened veterans. Lin was a contributor on the Hornets team from two years ago and Carroll made it to back-to-back conference finals. Allen has the potential to eventually man the five spot, but most likely won’t be closing games this season with NBA champion Mozgov ahead of him on the depth chart. Mozgov gets the nod purely out of experience. In tight games for a playoff hopeful team, a rookie can’t be relied upon when push comes to shove.

This lineup is also incredibly dynamic because it can employ a pick and roll with Lin or Russell and Mozgov. lt would be incredibly effective because the other three players could spread the court with their spot up shooting, thus creating space in the lane to drive. This lineup can go four out and have the Russian 7-footer manning the middle, fitting the model of a modern NBA team.

However, the most important part of a closing lineup is inherently the closer. While Lin has had experience taking the last shot before, Russell gets the nod once again. He is the future of this team and the guy who should have the ball in his hands during the final seconds of the game. In his career so far, Russell has proven before that he is not scared to step up in crunch time and he has delivered. If Russell is to become the player that he was once expected to become, then head coach Kenny Atkinson has to put the ball in Russell’s hands so he can grow as a player and tap into his true potential.