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Assessing Brooklyn Nets’ Recent String of Losses

By Zack Collura

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 13: Head coach Kenny Atkinson of the Brooklyn Nets reacts during the game between the Washington Wizards and the Brooklyn Nets at Capital One Arena on January 13, 2018 in Washington, DC. 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. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 13: Head coach Kenny Atkinson of the Brooklyn Nets reacts during the game between the Washington Wizards and the Brooklyn Nets at Capital One Arena on January 13, 2018 in Washington, DC. 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. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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The Brooklyn Nets have the worst record in the NBA since January 22. What’s been plaguing them as of late?

Since January 22, the Brooklyn Nets have been the worst team in the NBA, winning just one game and losing eleven. With their recent skid, the Nets find themselves just one game ahead of the East’s worst team, the Hawks. With no incentive to tank, the Nets are trending in the wrong direction.

That said, there have been significant improvements from last season. Rookie Jarrett Allen has entered the starting lineup. Both Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Spencer Dinwiddie have made huge strides. D’Angelo Russell has returned from injury and is getting back to form. And yet, the Nets suddenly look like the worst team in the NBA. What’s going on?

Defensive Woes

Unsurprisingly, the problems start on the defensive end. The Nets have the worst defensive rating in basketball during this recent stretch, giving up 115 points per 100 possessions, per NBA.com. Prior to January 22nd, their defensive rating was 106.1, 17th in the NBA.

Among the issues plaguing the Nets defense has been the team’s rebounding. Their rebounding rate has been second worst in the NBA during the last 12 games, and they have given up an average of 11.6 offensive rebounds per game to opponents, comfortably the most in the league. Naturally, this has translated to points for their opponents. Moreover, the Nets have given up the most second chance points in the league, with opponents scoring over 16 second chance points per game.

Their Pace Has Slowed Down, Too

Under head coach Kenny Atkinson, the Nets run one of the fastest-paced offenses in basketball. Last season, they ran the fastest pace in the NBA. This year, they’ve ranked sixth.

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Oddly enough, during this stretch, they’ve run at a much slower pace than normal. Their pace of late puts them in a category with notoriously slow-moving teams like the Spurs and Grizzlies. The Nets rebounding woes play right into this. They thrive on collecting misses and pushing the ball in transition.

Defensive stops and rebounds are a key component to pushing the ball in transition and playing up-tempo basketball. The Nets struggles on defense and rebounding have had an impact on their ability to play their brand of basketball.

Lineup Changes

The Nets prefer to play small-ball, rarely rolling out two traditional bigs in any lineups. In the past several weeks, though, the Nets have had a number of players come in and out of their lineup. Jarrett Allen is in the starting lineup. Tyler Zeller is in Milwaukee, while Jahlil Okafor and Dante Cunningham have joined the team. D’Angelo Russell has returned from injury. Caris LeVert has missed time due to injury. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, perhaps most importantly, has missed the last 10 games due to injury.

Hollis-Jefferson Injury

A big shift in the Nets lineup has been the absence of Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. He went down with an injury on January 26 against the Bucks. Kenny Atkinson called the injury “a big blow to our defense.”  Judging from his team’s performance as of late, Atkinson is right on the money.

According to Cleaning The Glass, the Nets give up fewer points per possession with Hollis-Jefferson on the court. Hollis-Jefferson is a huge part of what the Nets like to do, both on offense and defense. He is the most versatile defender on the roster, able to switch screens and guard almost any position on the court. Normally a starter at the four, he shifts to the five in some small-ball lineups.

As a result of his injury, the Nets have lacked the same flexibility. Quincy Acy has taken his spot in the starting lineup, but they are remarkably different players. Same with the newly acquired Dante Cunningham. Both players can stretch the floor, but lack the quickness and length of Hollis-Jefferson. His return to the lineup should help the Nets return to playing their style of basketball.

Tough Stretch of Games

On top of injuries and lineup changes, the schedule has been unkind to Brooklyn as of late. Nine of their eleven opponents had a winning record. The Rockets hung 123 on them. The Bucks put up 116 points. In a double-overtime loss to the Pelicans, they gave up 138 points.

The Nets will be looking to rebound out of the All-Star Break, and have an opportunity to get started quickly. Three of their four upcoming games are against teams outside of the playoffs. If they can get Hollis-Jefferson back, and further integrate Dante Cunningham and Jahlil Okafor, they’ll have a good chance to turn things around to close out February.

Next: Nets who could be in next year's All-Star games