10/31/17 Game preview: Brooklyn Nets vs. Phoenix Suns
The Brooklyn Nets hope to pick up their fourth win when they take on the Phoenix Suns on Halloween night. It would truly be scary to see the team lose to a dysfunctional franchise like the Phoenix Suns.
The Brooklyn Nets are hoping to rebound from two bad losses to the New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets over the weekend. Since a 3-2 start, one that included a shocking upset over the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Nets have looked overmatched in their past two contests.
In last night’s loss against the Denver Nuggets at home, the Nets looked thoroughly overmatched. Nuggets star Nikola Jokic carved up Brooklyn to the tune of 21 points and 14 assists. All five Nuggets starters scored in double figures.
The Nets struggled to get going offensively. Like Friday against the Knicks, the team lacked energy and played flat. D’Angelo Russell struggled from the field, going just 3-12 to score 12 points. Spencer Dinwiddie was one of the lone bright spots for Brooklyn, posting a line that included 22 points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals.
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At times we saw Kenny Atkinson play his two point guards on the floor together. That may be a good idea going up against the Phoenix Suns. Devin Booker, Phoenix’s high usage superstar, will have the green light to shoot as much as he likes. He would be a tough assignment for Caris LeVert or Allen Crabbe.
Dinwiddie is a better defender than those two and has continued to elevate his play this season. While he is unlikely to start, he could see a lion’s share of minutes on Tuesday night.
Besides Booker, the Nets must focus on containing Phoenix’s athletic young forwards. T.J. Warren and Marquese Chriss have the ability to cause problems for the Nets at the rim. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and the rest of Brooklyn’s frontline will have to be diligent in staying in front of the young Suns bigs.
Luckily for the Nets, they will be playing a porous Suns defense. The Suns rank 29th in opponents’ points per game, giving up over 117 points per game. Of course, the Nets are the only team ranked worse defensively, hemorrhaging 118 points per contest.
Given the futility of both of these teams defensively, this game figures to be a high scoring affair. If Brooklyn is able to play its game and knock down 3-pointers at a high rate, it figures to have a good chance of winning. Of course it would be nice for the team to play some defense after being mostly a turnstile when it comes to stopping other teams from scoring.