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Brooklyn Nets: Kenny Atkinson and the ‘Next Man Up’ mentality

By Sean Costello

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - DECEMBER 6: Head Coach Kenny Atkinson chats with Rondae Hollis-Jefferson of the Brooklyn Nets directs during practice as part of the NBA Mexico Games 2017 on December 6, 2017 at the Arena Ciudad de México in Mexico City, Mexico. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - DECEMBER 6: Head Coach Kenny Atkinson chats with Rondae Hollis-Jefferson of the Brooklyn Nets directs during practice as part of the NBA Mexico Games 2017 on December 6, 2017 at the Arena Ciudad de México in Mexico City, Mexico. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Early into his coaching tenure with the Brooklyn Nets, Kenny Atkinson hasn’t had it too easy. With a ton of injuries to his team, Atkinson has had to master the Next Man Up mentality we have seen from him.

When the Brooklyn Nets hired Kenny Atkinson they knew exactly what they were getting from him. Atkinson is “a player’s coach.” Many know him for his player development. In his first season and a half with the team, all of those qualities seem apparent early on.

In his first season with the team, injuries plagued Atkinson’s team. And so far, his second season hasn’t looked all that much different. However, there is one difference between his first and second seasons as Nets’ head coach. That is the amount of competing the team has done so far this season.

Just a little more than forty minutes into his second season as head coach, the team’s starting point guard, Jeremy Lin, suffered a season ending injury. This was not only significant because Lin was one of the team’s leaders, but because of the connection between Atkinson and Lin. One of the main reasons Lin came to the Nets was because of Atkinson. Lin has praised Atkinson’s ability to get the most out of him. Atkinson also knew how much having a floor general would help the team. So to lose the man who has been the leader on the team since his arrival was a tough blow.

Despite losing his leader, Atkinson would look to the newly acquired third year player, D’Angelo Russell. Atkinson immediately looked for Russell to develop the leadership qualities the team will need from him going forward. Early on, Russell showed Atkinson that he can be that leader. A number of late game heroics and an average of 5.7 assists per game showed Kenny got through to Russell. Not only that, for the first time since November 2014, the Nets had a winning record.

Unfortunately, the injury bug bit again. We would learn after a loss to the Jazz, Russell would be hurt and out for multiple games. Many expected him to be out for around a week or two. But we later learned the injury was worse than expected. We found out Russell would undergo surgery and would be out for around 4-6 weeks. Another tough blow for Atkinson and his Nets team.

However, the team has continued to fight through the problems thrown at them. The Nets would now enter a part of the schedule with tough opponents now without their two best players. They would face the Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors on the following Sunday, and Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers three nights later. Not to mention facing the team with the best record in the East, the Boston Celtics, three days after losing Russell.

The Nets did what they have all season long, and fought to the final buzzer. The Nets lost all three of those score mentioned games, but all by less than ten points. These all can be looked at as moral victories for the team. But like we learned after a loss on Black Friday to the Trail Blazers, Atkinson says he doesn’t believe in moral victories.

Two days later, just when you thought the injuries were done, we learned they weren’t. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson would suffer an ankle injury during of the second quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies. Not to mention Allen Crabbe would miss the game due to a lingering lower back injury. So with the score tied entering the second half, the Nets would be looked at to grab a win without arguably their four best players. What could possibly go wrong?

Well in the Nets case, nothing. The Nets would explode out to a big lead thanks to a 15-2 run. Eventually the lead would grow to as big as 19 points.

DeMarre Carroll stepped up in a big way for a team that is massively injured. Carroll would tie his career high of 24 points and grabbed 6 rebounds as well. Joe Harris also played one of his best games all season, shooting 4-8 from behind the arc and scoring 13 points in total. And of course Spencer Dinwiddie stepped up dishing out 7 assists and scoring 9 points. Brooklyn needed a win like that.

The Nets now have began to build some momentum. Not only that they have bought into coach Atkinson’s plan. While they suffered a loss to the team atop the West standings, the Houston Rockets, they bounced back well.

Wednesday night the Nets would head to Dallas for a matchup with the Mavericks. Once again the team was missing four starters. Despite that, the Nets played rallied back. They played exceptionally well after the Mavericks outscored them in the first quarter. The team would win 109-104 in a grind of a game.

Carroll once more showed his junkyard dog mentality and so did Trevor Booker. The combo of forwards combined for 38 points and 17 rebounds. For what the Nets missed scoring wise due to their short handed bench, Caris LeVert made up for.

LeVert was all over the floor. He played one of his best games all season. LeVert poured in 13 points in 27 minutes of play. He also dished out 5 assists and grabbed 6 rebounds. LeVert started the season slow, but now has started to hit his stride. After this game, LeVert is averaging 11.1 points, 3.5 assists and 4 rebounds in the last 11 games. He is also shooting 49% from the field and 38% from behind the arc. This is great for LeVert following his slow start and he has seemed to step up his game lately.

All of this comes back to coach Atkinson. Even without his two best players, Atkinson has shown that he can have his players step up in a big way. Whether it’s the shooting of Harris, the gritty play of his forwards or the leadership of LeVert off the bench, the Nets coach continues to improve the team and has grabbed more wins than he did at this point last season.

Atkinson has successfully input players into critical positions and kept the team in every game they have played up to this point in the season. With all the major injuries to the team, it’s hard to deny how impressive that is. The team has played each of the top two teams in each conference, and played them until the final buzzer. They even came out on top against the second seeded Cavaliers without Russell and Lin. This speaks volumes about the job Atkinson has done so far as head coach of the Nets.

Atkinson’s ability to interchange players in order to make one component on a night to night basis has been crucial to the team’s early and surprising success. It hasn’t matter who is on the floor, the Nets have competed in every game they have played. With that said, it should be time that Atkinson receives credit for just how well he’s coached with his given circumstances. After all, there doesn’t seem to be many coaches who could do better.