As Brooklyn fans continue to enjoy the Nets‘ dominant play throughout this season, we are all amazed by the excellent playmaking skills of James Harden, the masterful scoring moves of Kyrie Irving, and the accurate shooting of Joe Harris.
The have Nets welcomed Kevin Durant’s return as well as the additions of Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge, but there’s one player who fans need to make sure they don’t forget: Bruce Brown Jr.
Brown is a 6-foot-4 guard from the University of Miami. He was selected 42nd by the Detroit Pistons in the 2018 NBA Draft. After playing two seasons in the Motor City. The Pistons traded Brown to Brooklyn in a three-team deal before the start of this season.
Over his first year with the Nets, Brown has helped provide needed stability for a team with three of the top 10 players in the NBA.
Nobody would have expected this heading into the new season, but here are three reasons why Brown is so important to this current Nets team.
3. Brown is a great fit with the Big 3
Brown has a remarkable ability to move without the ball with his solid cuts and dives to the basket. He averages just 8.4 points per game, but his impact on the floor goes beyond his scoring numbers.
Brown is shooting 62.5% from the two-point range and has an overall 56.6% field goal percentage. Efficient.
The Nets guard has a 114.8 offensive rating and a 59.5% true shooting percentage this season. Brooklyn has a 100.28 pace of play rating with him in the lineup and also provides excellent offensive floor spacing and extra scoring options for the Nets. When the floor opens from the inevitable double teams, Brown is there to find the open spot and is a reliable enough shooter at this point to trust.
2. Brown brings defensive intensity and rebounding
Many NBA fans have complained about the Nets’ awful defensive play this season. But don’t include Brown in those complaints! He’s an excellent on-ball defender and uses his 6-foot-9 wingspan to deflect passes, grab steals, and provide help in defensive rotations. Brown contributes significantly to Brooklyn’s 28% steal percentage against their opponents this season.
The former University of Miami guard is allowing just 7.7 opponents points per game and just 5.6 fastbreak points when he’s on the floor, all the while producing a 0.6 defensive win share rating.
What else? Brown is a capable rebounder, averaging 4.7 per game. The second-year player gives up just 6.4 opponent second-chance points while allowing 6.3 points in the paint, and he’s scoring 1.5 points per contest off turnovers.
At 6-foot-4, Brown averages 13.6% of the Nets’ defensive rebounding. He’s also willing to get into the paint and compete against bigger, taller players. The Nets have a 10.8% rebounding percentage with Brown in the lineup, as Brooklyn’s defensive numbers have improved from the start of the year.
Lastly, Brown has an impressive 8.9 PIE (Player Impact Estimate) while playing less than 23 minutes per game.
1. Brown can be an X- Factor in the postseason
As the Nets move closer to this year’s NBA playoffs, Brown’s play could help Brooklyn in a crucial seven-game NBA playoff series, since we can expect most of the attention will be going to the big three of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden.
The young Nets guard will have more scoring chances due to opponents’ double teams in addition to advantages in overcoming one-on-one matchups and benefiting from their rivals’ defensive errors.
Brown’s efficient play could be a crucial X-factor for the Nets. The versatile guard will likely expand his diverse game down the stretch when games mean more, which will help him once the postseason arrives. He’s never dealt with that kind of pressure, but he’s already passed his early tests with the team.
All NBA fans know the big three of Durant, Irving and Harden will have to carry the Brooklyn Nets to their championship destination. But the average fan doesn’t realize that Bruce Brown Jr.’s excellent play this season is a perfect example of the real meaning of Brooklyn Grit. Don’t be surprised if he’s making plays on the big stage in a few weeks’ time.
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