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Nets: Brooklyn’s defense finally showing up vs Heat is good news

ByMike Luciano|
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 25: Kendrick Nunn #25 of the Miami Heat falls to the ground as teammate Precious Achiuwa #5 battles Reggie Perry #0 of the Brooklyn Nets (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 25: Kendrick Nunn #25 of the Miami Heat falls to the ground as teammate Precious Achiuwa #5 battles Reggie Perry #0 of the Brooklyn Nets (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

The Miami Heat were entering their second consecutive game against the Brooklyn Nets without the services of either Jimmy Butler or Tyler Herro. Despite that, a win was very much in the cards for Miami, as Brooklyn remains one of the worst defensive teams in the league.

In a rare reversal of fortune, however, the Nets clamped down on the struggling Heat, holding them to just 85 points and taking home a win despite the fact that their trio of offensive superstars was off for most of the night.

The Brooklyn Nets locked down on defense vs the Miami Heat and took home the victory because of it.

The Nets only played nine players Monday night, but one of the key changes they made was limiting the amount of time DeAndre Jordan spent on the floor. After Jordan was roasted by Bam Adebayo in the prior win, the Nets went small, putting Jeff Green at center in a move that paid off immediately. The 85 points allowed were by far the fewest Steve Nash’s squad has allowed this season.

Kevin Durant and the usually clutch Kyrie Irving combined to go just 12-38 from the field, and James Harden looked almost unwilling to shoot for most of the game before taking over in the fourth quarter. With both KD and Kyrie, who is starting to play off the ball more alongside Harden, playing their worst games of the year, the fact that the Nets were able to pull out the victory is a very exciting sign for the future.

Brooklyn’s trio of stars will have some off nights, necessitating the need for the defense to improve, either through a few more signings centered around the defensive end or simply making a greater effort on that side of the floor. While the Heat were compromised without both Butler and Herro, holding any offense to 85 points in the modern NBA is an accomplishment worth celebrating, especially on a Nets team that has made a habit of losing winnable games on the back of their defense.