Brooklyn Nets: 5 takeaways from a rough night in Montreal
By Phil Watson
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2. Touch from 3-point range still very brick-like
Save for the second half and overtime against the Detroit Pistons on Monday, the Brooklyn Nets have been really, really bad from 3-point range.
Considering they’re playing mostly 5-out sets looking to space the floor for 3-pointers and runs to the rim, that’s less than ideal.
The Nets were 8-for-19 (42.1 percent) from deep in the second half/overtime in Detroit. That came after a 3-for-16 (18.8 percent first half). Against the New York Knicks in the preseason opener, Brooklyn was 8-for-41 (19.5 percent).
Against Toronto, the Nets were an underwhelming 6-for-26 (23.1 percent). For the preseason, that leaves them at 25-for-102 (24.5 percent). That’s not going to get it done for a pace-and-space offense.
Treveon Graham, signed in part because of his 3-point shooting while he was with the Charlotte Hornets, airballed his lone attempt on Wednesday and is 0-for-6 from deep this preseason.
Spencer Dinwiddie was 0-for-3 and is 1-for-10 in the preseason. Caris LeVert was 1-for-5 and is now 3-for-13. Joe Harris went 1-for-4 and stands at 5-for-17. D’Angelo Russell hit two of his five attempts and is the team’s best shooter from deep at 8-for-22 (36.4 percent).
The looks have been there, but the shots just haven’t fallen often. It’s been easy to call this preseason rust or a little slump or some other rationalization. But at this point, it’s a bit more concerning.
The Nets have one more preseason game in which to figure it out, then the games are for real. Given their offensive style, less than 25 percent won’t create much space.