January 22, 2025 • 36 mins
On episode 13 of The Backcourt, Sarah Kustok of YES and Lucas Kaplan of NetsDaily recap the team’s West Coast road trip, preview the second half of the season, and highlight players to watch. The duo praises the team’s ability to stick together as the grind of the season continues. To wrap it up, Sarah and Lucas share their personal memories of Vince Carter as his Nets jersey is set to be retired this Saturday, honoring his unforgettable legacy.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
You are now in the backcourt.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
A Brooklyn Nets podcast presented by Ticketmaster. I am your host,
Lucas Kaplan of NETS Film Focus and a writer for
NETS Daily, covering who else but the Brooklyn Nets. As
always alongside me is Sarah a cousta color commentator.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Yes, network, a whole bunch of other things, but that's
what we're focused on today. Sarah, what's up.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
We're back home.
Speaker 4 (00:32):
Let's go ba the Clays. I know it was a trip,
but but yeah, all is good.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
No complaints, Lucas.
Speaker 4 (00:41):
I get to sit here and hang with you and
talk Nets, so nothing can be better.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
So you did all six games the Nets were in Denver,
and then they had four games on the West West
Coast and then they went to Okac.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
That's only three games? Am I missing one?
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Utah Portland?
Speaker 2 (01:00):
I missed you Denver, Utah West Coast?
Speaker 4 (01:04):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Okay, it's easy.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
It was long. It was long.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
It was it was long. It was long.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
In fact, all four games the Nets have played since
we recorded last time, we're a part of that road trip.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
So the road trip was broken up into two episodes
for us. Since we recorded last time.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
They had a big win in Portland, a big loss
against the Clippers, and then down to the wire against
the Los Angeles Lakers, a game that was very exciting
for my own couch, you know, I'm sure they're in
crypto dot com slash Staples of course was great. And
then a loss to the Thunder where they actually played
(01:42):
pretty well, I thought for like two and a half quarters,
like the majority of the game, and I think we're
buried by a just a slow start, which you know
you can't do against the league's best team, maybe one
of the best teams of all time if you just
look at net rating. So I guess over you were
there for every game, I believe. What were your takeaways
(02:04):
just generally speaking being in the arena, I.
Speaker 4 (02:07):
Would say, Lucas because there was such discrepancy.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
You explained it well.
Speaker 4 (02:12):
I was in the arenas and sitting there calling every
one of the games, and there was vast swings. And
I know we already talked about the early part of
the road trip, but that Portland win felt so enriching
and rewarding for the team. There were so many great
things to take from that, with the collective team effort
(02:32):
of how everyone played, and so I think that's the
stuff you draw from the Clippers loss. A lot of
ugliness to it in a lot of different capacities. What
I will say is that the Nests were missing a
lot of key players. And I know they've been without
players in and out, changing rotations, lineups throughout the course
of this season, but that one not only missing a
(02:54):
lot of players, but it was a Clippers team that
was desperately looking to get back on track. They had
the compliments ofretty much their full roster. They are one of,
if not the best defenses. Well we'll get to that
with Oklahoma City one of the one of I think
when they're when they're all healthy and available and engaged,
one of the best defenses in the league, and they
(03:14):
showed that. So there was a lot of reasons that
I think that one unfolded the way it did the
Lakers loss, and I know we can get into more,
but just generally speaking, again, I thought there was a
lot of good to take from that. That was a
Lakers team that same type of situation, especially when you
look at the Western Conference, especially when you look at
these teams competing for the postseason, were tried to get
(03:38):
themselves in a state in a track of how they
want to play, how they want to perform, very motivated
playing at home. Despite the fact that Anthony Davis was
not playing, you still had Lebron James and a lot
of other characters that in our friend Dorian Finney Smith
congratulations to him for the birth of a baby boy
was not playing with the team. But there was a
lot of areas that I thought the Nets really showed
(04:00):
out well, even though they were unable to close things
out at the end with that final shot. And then finally,
like the last game of the trip, you look at
Oklahoma City, they're to me, I'd just blown away with
how to playing and playing like one of, if not
the best team in the league, going back to that
defense and they were locked in.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Yeah, And that's where.
Speaker 4 (04:25):
I'll finish that off by saying Mark Dagnall, who I
think is a tremendous coach, is but fun and impressive
to watch his growth along with the growth of that team,
Shake Gibs Alexander playing like an MVP candidate, playing like
the MVP candidate.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
Coach to Dagnall talked before the.
Speaker 4 (04:42):
Game about how scary it is to play a team
like the Nets who fight, who are so organized, respect
he has for Jordi Fernandez, just different areas of what
makes this group dangerous. And I felt like you could
feel that in the way that the Thunder started the game.
There was a sense of purpose, there was a respect,
and there was an urgency. And so I think that
(05:05):
lended itself to maybe why the NETS got down so
big early, and then against a team like that playing
at home and that building. I don't know if you've
been it, it's not pay Tom Center chesapeak energy changing name.
That crowd is absolutely tremendous.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
It is a very very, very challenging place.
Speaker 4 (05:23):
I would imagine four opponents to play in fun atmosphere,
but challenging, and so I think that was just, to
your point, too much to overcome, though they did really
I thought, do a good job and showing their resiliency
and how they fought back and had a solid two
and a half quarters there once the game got underway.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Yeah, I think what Okase showed is that I'm just
looking at the NETS stats overall since we recorded last time,
so those four games, okay see, really showed that there's
a difference between.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Playing hard and playing hard.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
In addition to really I guess streamlines efficient like not
just making shots, but in terms of sticking to the.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Game plan and doing what you do.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
And I think Brooklyn has the some of the injuries
have caught up to them.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
It's just tough.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
You have DiAngelo in two games, three games, been in
a couple of games, Cam Johnson, the guys whose ball
you know, who's hands the balls in all the time,
and then they're in and out, and I think that
just caught up to the nets, especially in the Clippers
game and then in the Thunder game. As I said,
I'm looking at the numbers. The rebounding numbers are pretty good,
you know as a general baseline for effort, like offensive
(06:38):
rebound percentage, defensive rebound percentage. You know, they're playing very hard.
They're crashing the glass. Shout out to Dayron Sharp for
a lot of that on the offensive end. But that's
not enough. And we've complimented the fight of this team.
Often that's not always enough against these top shelf teams
that you know what you're getting, you know the identity,
(07:00):
you know the play style, and so I'm definitely curious
they passed the halfway point of the season while you
were on the road on the West coast. So I'm
curious this second half what type of identity emerges. And again,
it's tough when you have such a constantly shuffling roster.
But the day, the game before that OKC game, they
(07:20):
were I was really impressed. I was really impressed twice. Obviously,
the Portland game came all back after the Utah loss,
if you can think all the way back to that,
and we recorded after that, and we talked about the
bounce back that they might show.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
They bounce back with one hundred and thirty two points
and in La.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
You know, LA doesn't get to ninety points in that
game without an incredible shot making display.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
I thought by Lebron and Austin Reeves at the end.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
I mean, I was really impressed by Brooklyn's defense that game,
and Lebron and Austin Reeves just hit some tough shots.
That's kind of a basic takeaway, but that's what it
felt like to me in the fourth.
Speaker 4 (07:56):
Quarter, basic but actual like that was Honestly, that was
one of the more We've had a lot of We've
had a lot of fun games, and I think anytime
it's a close game, but the back and forth of
shot making down the stretch of that fourth quarter was terristic.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
It was fun to watch.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
You had a moment where you just started laughing on
the broadcast after I think Zaire hit a three or
somebody had a three to tie it again, because it
was eighty two to eighty two, and then it was
ninety one ninety one after three threes each on each side.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Zaire hit a three.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
You know, Noah Clowney hit a huge three towards the
end of the game to cut it to one. But
I thought the Nets played very well defensively and very compactly.
Speaker 4 (08:47):
Reeves Austin Reeve, and we've seen that in his career,
but he goes off and has a career hot he
was hitting some of the step back he was he
was in his bag, and it was one of those
circumstance chanswers where yeah, he was playing off Lebron and
then like he was making some some just nasty moves
and shots and really impressive things, and then the Nets
(09:09):
maybe missed a shot and Lebronic go coast to coast
and just be a locomotive just coming through and bully
his way through and just do some unreal things.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
But you saw that and.
Speaker 4 (09:21):
You saw again the the motivation of the Lakers to
win it home. They knew that was a game they
absolutely needed, but the Nets kept responding and I think
that's why, you know, and even that shot at the
end of the game in Russell that you know, making
his return, the second return as in that back back
(09:42):
to play the Lakers there in la Offtuny potentially hit
the three to like. There was a lot of things
about it that the outcome, no, you don't like, but
the process you go about with it, And I think
those are the things with this group as as they're
building and as they're building out a foundation. Noah Clown
hitting that big shot, those to me are moments you're
(10:04):
going to carry through your career because everything, everything always
is muscle memory. And for as much as you want
to talk about wins and losses and certain stats and
what things look like, especially for young players, when you
experience things in a league and you whether you find success,
you find failure, or whatever it is, you're going to
know how that feels. So the next time you're in
(10:25):
that moment, you're gonna be able to perform in a
different way or you're going to learn or take something
from it if you are engaged in wanting to be
a better player, be a better teammate, and be a
better team collectively, and no shared experiences that I think
a lot of these players are having now stood and
will hopefully benefit. And I think that Lakers game is
a perfect example of that of Yeah, I've been here
(10:48):
before and I've hit a really big shot in a
very clutch moment or a timely moment, and I'm going
to come back and have that level of confidence next time.
And I think you see that in players, you see
that progression of their career. But I think that's hope
for this group in that situation, in that circumstance, specifically,
same thing without Oklahoma City game, like feeling that type
(11:09):
of defense just swallowing you up, swarming, what that looks like,
How that looked early with the thunder, just in.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
Everyone's jerseys all over.
Speaker 4 (11:20):
The place, getting seals, getting picks draining through them, and
they shot threes in a way that they never shoot.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
That also snowballed that early lead.
Speaker 4 (11:31):
But then the nets settled in and they had their composure,
and I think the players had a better understanding of
the time and the feel of the physicality all of that,
and that was about, like, that is what it's about,
especially sometimes when you're playing groups for the first time
or getting these experiences for the first time.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
Yeah, especially an okay, see game that again is not
just great, but historically so, especially on defense and the
way they swarm and turn you over. You know, at
this part of the season that Noah Clowney three, you know,
like you mentioned, it was great and one of my
favorite things about it. Again, I remember it was one
hundred and ninety eight. There was like forty seconds left.
The Nets got a two for one, which led to
(12:08):
them having a chance to win the game, and Noah
ran off movement and it was a cut that the
Nets often run.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
Not to get too specific.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
But no, please, that's what we're here for, you know.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
You know that shout out to former tar Heel and
NBA champion Danny Green. The Danny Green cut along the
baseline where you will go from the weak side to
the strong side corner while an action is taking place.
Not to put the Net secrets out there, but that
is not a staple, but you know, a factor, a
little tweak in their offense that they often run guys
(12:40):
cutting through baseline while there's a ball screen, a handoff
going on.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
Noah Clowney.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
Forty seconds left, you know, big possession, need to have it,
makes that cut as he would do.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
If they were up thirty with.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Forty seconds left, gets to the corner, hits a three,
kind of like off movement with a hand in his face.
So these are the moments that you really reflect on
and when you talk about growth and long term growth,
playing in these close games, or playing against historically elite teams,
or putting up one hundred and thirty two points against
the Blazers, because every NBA team goes through the highs
(13:16):
and lows of a season, but you need some of
those highs. And I guess we can circle all the
way back to that because last week we were like, how.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Will they respond against Portland?
Speaker 2 (13:24):
The healthiest they've been in a while, d Lo, Ben
Cam Johnson, they all played and man, that offense looked good.
There's still, like real a lot of offensive talent on
this team, and every team has to get healthy. But
the nets, I think especially, So what did you see
that game besides just shot making cis numbers.
Speaker 4 (13:43):
Yeah, the fun they were playing with, the joy they
had of all being out there and.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
There are no excuses.
Speaker 4 (13:49):
But when this team is healthy, when they have the
compliments of the roster and everyone, and give credit to
everyone who has contributed at different moments. This is not
to say everyone not as one through seventeen, but you
felt it. You saw, you saw how they played and
performed and it continued to build off of one another.
(14:10):
And there was a variety in how they're able to score.
I thought too defensively, they did such a nice job.
But that response to after Utah, that's those are the
things that show. It's kind of the character of the group,
the disposition of this group.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
That's what I can't and I should have it.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
I don't have the exact assist total, but you felt
everyone doing something in an important, timely moment in it
through the game and hearing from the guys and watching
them and stuff, you could see that togetherness, and that
to me is the special stuff that we continue to
witness with this group.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
Yeah, the togetherness is very impressive. And even like when
I'm looking at guys on the bench or in street
clothes with the injuries, yes, you can see it. The
assist numbers, they had thirty six assists in that game, uh,
not a season high, but definitely up there one of
their ten highest totals. My favorite stat from that game
is that all twelve players that touched the court won
(15:09):
their minutes finished with a positive plus minus So I
don't know how often that happens, but.
Speaker 4 (15:15):
Not often in it's little in its little things like that,
and I think the numbers back the eye test and
what you were watching.
Speaker 5 (15:26):
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on TV, but nothing compares to catching them irl. And
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(15:46):
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Speaker 2 (15:55):
As we move to Brooklyn's finest player that we want
to shout out and gives love too. I got to
give it to D'Angelo Russell. You know, it really would
have been a slam done case if he made that
shot in La I think sometimes I think sometimes you
want it more.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
For them than they want it for themselves.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
You know, it's like, yes, he wanted it, but as
a professional athlete, I'm sure he's used to missing some
shots that he'd want back. I really was watching from home,
you know, it was like one am here on the
East Coast.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
I was, I wanted it for Dlo, But it'll be okay.
He doesn't. You know, he's got enough going on.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
And speaking of stuff he's got going on when he
touches the court for the Nets, I mean their offense
and the ball movement. We know he's a great pick
and roll passer, We've known that since we first saw
him play in Brooklyn. But just the hit ahead passes,
I've said it so many times, that extra passes. He
(16:53):
had a big, a real nice one to Jalen Wilson
in the Lakers game, cleaning the glass. Great stats website.
He's played one hundred and forty minutes right for the
Nets so far. So the sample sizes aren't huge when
you think about all the minutes they've played without him
on the court, but their transition offense goes is like
(17:15):
six points better five points better per one hundred possessions,
which is the difference between the worst transition team in
the league and the best. And that'll obviously normalize as
he plays more minutes. But he just gets them into offense.
He makes the right play, the balls hopping more when
he's on.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
The court and is a point guard.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
You know, who's coming into a new system, who has
a lot to learn, who's playing with new teammates, some injured,
some not. He's just done everything everything you've asked for.
And something I noticed on TV that you might have
noticed in courtside is the way he talks on defense,
the way he communicates and points guys and puts guys
into place.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
I've just been really impressed with de Loo.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
You know who is in a tough spot, coming into
new team midseason, all the shuffling stuff. But I have
to give him my Brooklyn's finest. Yeah, yeah, I just
loved watching him play.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
We've been doing this for too long together.
Speaker 4 (18:11):
Like this, he took all the work.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
He took the player out of my mouth and all.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
The works in my mouth.
Speaker 4 (18:15):
I think the most important all of those things I
would double down on. I think the most important thing
to remember, despite the fact, he's coming back on the second.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
Stit with the nets.
Speaker 4 (18:27):
As you said, this is an entirely new situation. So yeah,
he may know where the locker room is and the
weight room is and how to get from one place
to another into Barclays entirely different coaching staff, entirely different roster,
brand new team system. All of these things are are
extremely different. And that is ninety five percent of what
(18:48):
a player is going through on a day.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
To day basis.
Speaker 4 (18:51):
On top of the fact that he has been a
little in and out with injury, his presence on the floor,
you cannot replicate how that changes what the nets are
able to do and how others play. And I think
as you continue to watch to your point about a communication,
think about how many like easy layups Aam Johnson has gotten,
or nick clact or just different players with their ability
(19:13):
to cut off of him, because the feel, because the reads,
because you've got smart intelligence basketball players on the floorida
that understand how to play with one another, and that
like savviness or veteran presence, you see a quick eye
glance and a beautiful play happens. All of those things
I think have been a progression of how we watch
(19:34):
and witness what D'Angelo Russell was earlier on in his career,
and I think anytime you can see a player on
a day to day basis up close and there is
a visible difference of the growth and play, the growth
and field, the growth and maturity, the growth and.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
Leadership, that's fun.
Speaker 4 (19:51):
Like, that's fun to see. It makes you really excited
and proud for that player, for the work that they
put in and for the different challenges to their journey.
And so I think, yeah, it's just been it's been
great to see. He's given us a lot of highlight plays.
Speaker 3 (20:06):
But also just how the team plays.
Speaker 4 (20:08):
I think there's a different level of composure and poison
production that has very much been the fingerprints in the
impact that he's had.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
Yeah, and that's exactly what you would want from him
in a trade. I mean, Dorian Finney Smith, the Lakers
get the role player that they you know, we're searching for.
The Nets probably needed more of that offensive creation and
offensive just leadership given their roster. So I think you
can say the trade has been the one of those
(20:39):
rare win wins for both sides, you know, in six games,
right with the Nets so far, he's averaging thirteen points
and eight assists. He's shooting thirty seven percent from three shooting.
You know, yeah, he's missed one free throw so far.
But he's winning his minutes drastically. I mean it again,
(21:00):
small sample size, but he has the greatest, the highest
plus mile differential on the team.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
They are seventeen points better when he plays.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
Again, small sample size, you know it'll normalize, but man,
the numbers, the eye test, all this stuff bears out
his impact since I guess rejoining the franchise. And it's
kind of a funny. The first half of the season.
You forget how long the NBA season is, especially me.
You know, I was covering the Liberty. The WNBA season
(21:31):
was forty games. It's going to be forty four. The
playoffs are like best of three. The first round is
best of five. First half of the NBA season is
a long journey, and we're there right now. The Nets
have now crossed the forty one game threshold.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
A lot happened.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
They made a couple trades, they went through two different
long West coast road trips, and I'm hey, second half
of the season, like sixty percent of their games at home.
They were the most home games left in the league,
which is nice, but just general takeaways. You think back
to the first episode we recorded. We wanted to see
(22:08):
how rookie head coach Jordi Fernandez. Can't believe he's still
a rookie at this point. We wanted to see how
he would be in game, We wanted to see how
the team would take after him, all of these kind
of big picture stuff, these questions, So where are you
at thinking about the first half of the season so far?
Speaker 1 (22:24):
Has that gone to your expectations?
Speaker 2 (22:27):
Has Jordi Fernandez made a certain impact on you? I
guess zooming out a little bit. You know, what do
you have to say about the first half of the season.
Speaker 4 (22:36):
He is I don't even know if I had true
expectations of what we could expect, both from him, from
the staff, from the team performance, all of that. However,
everything from the start of how impressed I was during
the preseason, during the sitting and watching practices during training camp,
looking at the organization, looking at the attitude of mentality,
(22:58):
the energy, all of that has continued to exceed what
I believe is what you watch on a day to
day basis for a team who has dealt with a
lot of ups and downs, a lot of challenges, a
lot of struggles, a lot of changes, and it's hard
to think I don't even consider him a Rickie head coach.
(23:19):
Sometimes there's opponents you're playing, or oh this this individual
in their first year.
Speaker 3 (23:23):
As a head coach.
Speaker 4 (23:24):
This, and it's because yes, he's been a head coach
in different stops. He's has a long resume of places,
in very successful places that he was system associate head coach.
Speaker 3 (23:36):
But it's to.
Speaker 4 (23:38):
Me been so fluid in how he's able to in
game coach, how he's able to resonate with players, in
the management of that off the court, and aside from
those game situations, practices, even the distribution of how well
the coaching staff works together. You could feel that, you
could see that, the responsibilities that are shared, how players
(24:01):
react to that, even going back to the response of
teams after a tough loss, all of those things to
me just continue to be so exciting, give you so
much optimism for what's to come in the future and
the type of success you're going to. And I've said
this probably a handful of times before, and the last
(24:22):
thing I'll say is to me, the mark of the
way other coaches and opposing coaches speak about him in
such a genuine, authentic, full of respect and impressed way.
That's when you know your counterparts, your colleagues, when you
have earned the respect in a way that they know
(24:46):
the job you're doing, and it forces them to be
better at their job and better for their players and
better for the teams because they know that they're up
against you and the type of competition then they.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
Will see back to me is.
Speaker 4 (24:58):
When you hit a point that you're doing things the
right way, and you never see a point where he
or the team feels complacent or oh, we're doing it,
We've reached We've done this, this is what we needed
to do. We've established ourselves now every single day showing
up in the same way, with the same attitude, with
(25:18):
same hunger, the same motivation, and that that's what you want.
Speaker 1 (25:22):
And part of that is having a roster that is
suited for him.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
You know, players that you know need to get one
percent better every day, as is kind of his mantra,
get one percent better every day, whether that's Cam Johnson,
you know, trying to become a player that has more
offensive responsibility on a team, that isn't just a role
player but can be, you know, a featured component of a.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
High level offense.
Speaker 2 (25:45):
Whether that's Ben Simmons trying to come back from injuries
and be a stable rotation piece for a whole season,
you know, not that the injuries were his fault, but
just the value he can provide over an eighty two
game season, whether that's like Keon Johnson and Tyree Smart
need to get one percent better every day to cement
themselves as NBA players inside kind of the fringes of
(26:06):
a rotation.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
So I think the roster.
Speaker 2 (26:10):
There was a lot of opportunity for him when he
took this job, and I think he has made the
most of that opportunity. The thing that's jumped out to
me is like there is one message from everyone you
hear and there's no talking at it. Both sides of
his mouth. He's like, we're going to do this. I
want this team to be about this. And then you
(26:31):
watch him play and it's like that, And that's hard
in the NBA, in professional sports, when everybody's got to
get their own everybody's.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
Career is at stake.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
Managing these locker rooms, kind of getting the team on
one track is hard, and with the Nets, I feel
like everything I use this word before talking about the Thunder,
but I mean the whole organization right now is streamlined
in one direction. When he says something, it's not lip service.
You see it on the court. When he says he
(27:02):
wants Noah Clowney to shoot threes, you know and have
no conscience, you see it on the court. And so
that's what I've been most impressed by by a rookie
head coach. You know again, I should say rookie NBA
head coach. He's been the coach of a G League team,
he's been the coach of Canada men's basketball. But for me,
it's that is such a crucial detail that I don't
(27:25):
really know that I thought about.
Speaker 1 (27:26):
Before this season.
Speaker 2 (27:27):
They just feel like they are all on the same
page and you just know that's going to pay pay
off in the long term. And speaking about the long
term now, looking at the second half of this season,
I thought that'd be a nice time to bring up
now the next NET taking it back.
Speaker 1 (27:44):
This is our thirteenth episode.
Speaker 2 (27:46):
Thirteen episodes ago, I talked about Sean Mark's introductory comments
on the season. General manager Sean Mark said this season,
you know, as we kind of enter this new phase
of Brooklyn Nets basketball with a new head coach, right,
we're looking to find the next Nets who's going to
be here long term? So I thought, oh, the next
net good name for a little podcast segment. Who do
(28:06):
we want to see from in the future? What do
we want to see them do so this second half
of the season. Do you have a name or two names.
Speaker 1 (28:13):
That all right? They had this first half of the season.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
Maybe once they get to the All Star break and
they get a week off, their legs will refresh. You know,
what do you want to see from this player? You
think they could have a breakout second half or you
think it's a great opportunity for growth. Who do you
want to bestow the crown of next Net upon?
Speaker 4 (28:32):
I think we shit everyone throughout the course of all
our gast things, So no, I'm gonna make it brief
and go with Zirah Williams.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
I think he is.
Speaker 4 (28:40):
A player who's shown so much promise in what you
had anticipated of him coming from Memphis at the length,
the energy, the defensive presence of versatility and how he
can guard, and then he's shown growth on the offensive side.
And that's always been the question with him about the
consistency of three point shooting, and it feels like he's
(29:01):
really shown flashes of that and more than just flashes.
Speaker 3 (29:05):
And so I'm.
Speaker 4 (29:06):
Excited to watch what does this look like in the
second half and what does this look like in terms
of him continuing to get comfortable, hopefully continuing to be
healthy and on the floor, and how he's able to
work towards that player. I mean the fact that he's
only twenty three years old, he's in his fourth year
in the league. He's still a young player, but being
(29:26):
a tent overall pick, what does it look like now
that he's in a situation and a fit that has
seemingly really benefited him, And so he's the guy that
then I'm going to have an ion because I have
a lot of optimism for what he can be and
what his potential is in this league.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
Yeah, and it was impressive that he's been playing his
best basketball after an injury that caused him to miss
you know.
Speaker 1 (29:50):
At least this season exactly.
Speaker 2 (29:52):
That's not easy to do, and he came back shooting confidently.
So I think that gives you some insight into the
type of player, mindset worker he is, which should give
you optimism for that second half. For me, I'm gonna
go with Jalen Wilson. I use my pick last time
for just looking at a shorter term view.
Speaker 1 (30:11):
But he struggled to shoot the ball a little bit
and then he came back right.
Speaker 2 (30:16):
I think some of his best player of the season
came in Portland, came in, came in against the Thunder,
against the Lakers. He led the nets and scoring in
that Clippers game. Yes, yeah, he's had some good games.
Speaker 1 (30:28):
Did you notice anything from him on the road trip.
Speaker 3 (30:31):
I think he's in some ways.
Speaker 4 (30:33):
You mentioned the Clippers game stood out because he was
the one person that was knocking down shots even when
he seemed like a real big struggle and sometimes that's
hard to do when it feels like the walls are
crashing in on everyone. I think it continues to be
making sure the whether shots are going in or out,
still doing all the little things and the attention to
(30:56):
detail on the defensive side, and that's the stuff that
probably you know, we can make He's a shot maker,
whether shots are going in or not. A belief that
he can shoot the ball and he can knock down
three's and be that in this league. But it's all
the other continuing to do that we saw early, the rebounding,
the offensive rebounding, the hustle plays, getting on the floor,
(31:18):
and especially defensively being in the right spots. How he
can bring a solid presence on that end of the floor.
That's the stuff that would be watching with him.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
Yeah, and you just want to see again I kind
of mentioned this, but him carve out that role beyond
a shot maker.
Speaker 1 (31:35):
What's he going to bring to the floor.
Speaker 2 (31:36):
You know, the second half of this season is going
to represent a huge chunk of his total minutes as
a professional player by the time we get to the
end of it. So still early in his career and
still time for him obviously to kind of make his
way and create kind of his identity. So I'm looking
forward if I could sum it up in a sense,
him continuing to create his identity as an NBA player.
(31:58):
And normally now we would do trivia and we would
sign off.
Speaker 1 (32:01):
But it's a special week in nuts world.
Speaker 2 (32:04):
On Friday Saturday, Miami comes to Brooklyn to play the Heat.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
But that's not even the main event of the night.
Speaker 2 (32:12):
It surrounds the main event of the night, which is
Vince Carter's jersey retirement, his number fifteen jersey which I
wear when I play rec league when I was in
high school because of Vince Carter. I got this poster
behind me, Vince carter is jersey going up into the
rafters at Barcley Center.
Speaker 1 (32:30):
I'm so glad I'm gonna be there for it.
Speaker 4 (32:32):
I am.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
I'm just so excited for it.
Speaker 2 (32:35):
And it's going to be a great, a great day
in Nets history and for him. And so just now
you're you know, this is your coworker. Now, so how
are you feeling watching watching Vince's How are you excited
for it?
Speaker 1 (32:48):
Now?
Speaker 2 (32:48):
We don't know what's gonna look like yet, but you
know VC's.
Speaker 4 (32:51):
I just think, as much as he's a tremendous player,
professional Hall of Famer, the list goes out, he is
just such a tremendous person who an honored to call
a colleague, I'm honored.
Speaker 3 (33:02):
To call a friend.
Speaker 4 (33:03):
I appreciate how much he values and cares about his
time with the Nets and Nets organization, the teammates he's had,
the team, And I think the thing that stands out
to me, maybe not most because obviously his highlight plays
and dunks and game winners, and he's.
Speaker 3 (33:18):
Got it all.
Speaker 4 (33:21):
How gracefully and beautifully he finished and played his career.
I think about the times when when I got to
know him best, was when he was in Sacramento, or
when he was in Atlanta and the veteran he became.
And it's different for everyone they as they finish out
their playing career. But I think he understood the value
of the leadership he could provide, how he could mentor
(33:43):
young players. The addition that he could be in an organization,
in a group talking to him throughout. You know, so
many of those times were seeing him or I can't
even imagine the value that it had on players now
of experiencing that and being his teammate in a place
that he knew his role, he understood it. He accomplished
(34:03):
so much, but he wanted to be there to do
those things, and.
Speaker 3 (34:06):
That to me is just truly special.
Speaker 4 (34:09):
Of your love and the respect that you pay to
the game because you care so much about making sure
that it continues to grow and continues to be better
for all of those that you've played with and that
you call brothers.
Speaker 2 (34:24):
It's hard to find someone who does not have glowingly
positive things to say about Vince Carter, and at the
end of the day, that's above all, and obviously for me,
the basketball memories are so important to me and a
certain generation in NETS fans that obviously supersedes it.
Speaker 1 (34:40):
But here's some trivia. Here's just a fact.
Speaker 2 (34:43):
He still has the greatest scoring season in NETS history
points per possession. He scored thirty eight points per one
hundred after the trade when he came to the Nets
in two thousand and four.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
That's the best ever. That would have ranked fifth.
Speaker 2 (34:55):
That would rank fifth in the NBA this year in
scoring per possession, So he was an all time scorer.
Last thing, my favorite memory. I went to bed. They
were on the West Coast. They were playing the Jazz.
They were the number one seed. I'm like, they're not
gonna beat the Jazz. I was like seven. I was scared,
you know. I was like, Ah, they got Darren Williams,
Andre Carolinko, Paul millsat Memedo Core.
Speaker 1 (35:12):
I was like, they're not being the Jazz.
Speaker 2 (35:14):
I wake up watching Sports Center flashes across the bottom line.
Speaker 1 (35:17):
Nets one sixteen Jazz one fifteen.
Speaker 2 (35:19):
I watched the highlight before I go to school, pulls
up from thirty five The Game Winner.
Speaker 1 (35:24):
Now, I've rewatched it so many times, I feel like
I lived it.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
I could go on and on and on, but we're
gonna stop there, and I'm sure we'll pick back up
next Tuesday, when yeah, Wednesday, when it comes out, and
we'll talk about the night that was Saturday that we're
currently looking forward to. Vince Carter Legend, New Jersey Nets
Legend NETS Franchise Legend number fifteen.
Speaker 1 (35:46):
So happy it's going up and that'll do it for us.
Speaker 2 (35:49):
On this episode of the Backcourt, episode number thirteen, a
Brooklyn nets podcast presented by Ticketmaster from Sarah, this is
Lucas Kaplan of Nets Daily.
Speaker 1 (35:58):
Nets Film focus Off.
Speaker 2 (36:01):
Thank you guys for listening, Make sure you like subscribe,
rate us five stars, whatever it is. We appreciate you guys,
and looking forward to the second half of this net
See
You are now in the backcourt.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
A Brooklyn Nets podcast presented by Ticketmaster. I am your host,
Lucas Kaplan of NETS Film Focus and a writer for
NETS Daily, covering who else but the Brooklyn Nets. As
always alongside me is Sarah a cousta color commentator.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Yes, network, a whole bunch of other things, but that's
what we're focused on today. Sarah, what's up.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
We're back home.
Speaker 4 (00:32):
Let's go ba the Clays. I know it was a trip,
but but yeah, all is good.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
No complaints, Lucas.
Speaker 4 (00:41):
I get to sit here and hang with you and
talk Nets, so nothing can be better.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
So you did all six games the Nets were in Denver,
and then they had four games on the West West
Coast and then they went to Okac.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
That's only three games? Am I missing one?
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Utah Portland?
Speaker 2 (01:00):
I missed you Denver, Utah West Coast?
Speaker 4 (01:04):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Okay, it's easy.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
It was long. It was long.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
It was it was long. It was long.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
In fact, all four games the Nets have played since
we recorded last time, we're a part of that road trip.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
So the road trip was broken up into two episodes
for us. Since we recorded last time.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
They had a big win in Portland, a big loss
against the Clippers, and then down to the wire against
the Los Angeles Lakers, a game that was very exciting
for my own couch, you know, I'm sure they're in
crypto dot com slash Staples of course was great. And
then a loss to the Thunder where they actually played
(01:42):
pretty well, I thought for like two and a half quarters,
like the majority of the game, and I think we're
buried by a just a slow start, which you know
you can't do against the league's best team, maybe one
of the best teams of all time if you just
look at net rating. So I guess over you were
there for every game, I believe. What were your takeaways
(02:04):
just generally speaking being in the arena, I.
Speaker 4 (02:07):
Would say, Lucas because there was such discrepancy.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
You explained it well.
Speaker 4 (02:12):
I was in the arenas and sitting there calling every
one of the games, and there was vast swings. And
I know we already talked about the early part of
the road trip, but that Portland win felt so enriching
and rewarding for the team. There were so many great
things to take from that, with the collective team effort
(02:32):
of how everyone played, and so I think that's the
stuff you draw from the Clippers loss. A lot of
ugliness to it in a lot of different capacities. What
I will say is that the Nests were missing a
lot of key players. And I know they've been without
players in and out, changing rotations, lineups throughout the course
of this season, but that one not only missing a
(02:54):
lot of players, but it was a Clippers team that
was desperately looking to get back on track. They had
the compliments ofretty much their full roster. They are one of,
if not the best defenses. Well we'll get to that
with Oklahoma City one of the one of I think
when they're when they're all healthy and available and engaged,
one of the best defenses in the league, and they
(03:14):
showed that. So there was a lot of reasons that
I think that one unfolded the way it did the
Lakers loss, and I know we can get into more,
but just generally speaking, again, I thought there was a
lot of good to take from that. That was a
Lakers team that same type of situation, especially when you
look at the Western Conference, especially when you look at
these teams competing for the postseason, were tried to get
(03:38):
themselves in a state in a track of how they
want to play, how they want to perform, very motivated
playing at home. Despite the fact that Anthony Davis was
not playing, you still had Lebron James and a lot
of other characters that in our friend Dorian Finney Smith
congratulations to him for the birth of a baby boy
was not playing with the team. But there was a
lot of areas that I thought the Nets really showed
(04:00):
out well, even though they were unable to close things
out at the end with that final shot. And then finally,
like the last game of the trip, you look at
Oklahoma City, they're to me, I'd just blown away with
how to playing and playing like one of, if not
the best team in the league, going back to that
defense and they were locked in.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Yeah, And that's where.
Speaker 4 (04:25):
I'll finish that off by saying Mark Dagnall, who I
think is a tremendous coach, is but fun and impressive
to watch his growth along with the growth of that team,
Shake Gibs Alexander playing like an MVP candidate, playing like
the MVP candidate.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
Coach to Dagnall talked before the.
Speaker 4 (04:42):
Game about how scary it is to play a team
like the Nets who fight, who are so organized, respect
he has for Jordi Fernandez, just different areas of what
makes this group dangerous. And I felt like you could
feel that in the way that the Thunder started the game.
There was a sense of purpose, there was a respect,
and there was an urgency. And so I think that
(05:05):
lended itself to maybe why the NETS got down so
big early, and then against a team like that playing
at home and that building. I don't know if you've
been it, it's not pay Tom Center chesapeak energy changing name.
That crowd is absolutely tremendous.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
It is a very very, very challenging place.
Speaker 4 (05:23):
I would imagine four opponents to play in fun atmosphere,
but challenging, and so I think that was just, to
your point, too much to overcome, though they did really
I thought, do a good job and showing their resiliency
and how they fought back and had a solid two
and a half quarters there once the game got underway.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Yeah, I think what Okase showed is that I'm just
looking at the NETS stats overall since we recorded last time,
so those four games, okay see, really showed that there's
a difference between.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Playing hard and playing hard.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
In addition to really I guess streamlines efficient like not
just making shots, but in terms of sticking to the.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Game plan and doing what you do.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
And I think Brooklyn has the some of the injuries
have caught up to them.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
It's just tough.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
You have DiAngelo in two games, three games, been in
a couple of games, Cam Johnson, the guys whose ball
you know, who's hands the balls in all the time,
and then they're in and out, and I think that
just caught up to the nets, especially in the Clippers
game and then in the Thunder game. As I said,
I'm looking at the numbers. The rebounding numbers are pretty good,
you know as a general baseline for effort, like offensive
(06:38):
rebound percentage, defensive rebound percentage. You know, they're playing very hard.
They're crashing the glass. Shout out to Dayron Sharp for
a lot of that on the offensive end. But that's
not enough. And we've complimented the fight of this team.
Often that's not always enough against these top shelf teams
that you know what you're getting, you know the identity,
(07:00):
you know the play style, and so I'm definitely curious
they passed the halfway point of the season while you
were on the road on the West coast. So I'm
curious this second half what type of identity emerges. And again,
it's tough when you have such a constantly shuffling roster.
But the day, the game before that OKC game, they
(07:20):
were I was really impressed. I was really impressed twice. Obviously,
the Portland game came all back after the Utah loss,
if you can think all the way back to that,
and we recorded after that, and we talked about the
bounce back that they might show.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
They bounce back with one hundred and thirty two points
and in La.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
You know, LA doesn't get to ninety points in that
game without an incredible shot making display.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
I thought by Lebron and Austin Reeves at the end.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
I mean, I was really impressed by Brooklyn's defense that game,
and Lebron and Austin Reeves just hit some tough shots.
That's kind of a basic takeaway, but that's what it
felt like to me in the fourth.
Speaker 4 (07:56):
Quarter, basic but actual like that was Honestly, that was
one of the more We've had a lot of We've
had a lot of fun games, and I think anytime
it's a close game, but the back and forth of
shot making down the stretch of that fourth quarter was terristic.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
It was fun to watch.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
You had a moment where you just started laughing on
the broadcast after I think Zaire hit a three or
somebody had a three to tie it again, because it
was eighty two to eighty two, and then it was
ninety one ninety one after three threes each on each side.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Zaire hit a three.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
You know, Noah Clowney hit a huge three towards the
end of the game to cut it to one. But
I thought the Nets played very well defensively and very compactly.
Speaker 4 (08:47):
Reeves Austin Reeve, and we've seen that in his career,
but he goes off and has a career hot he
was hitting some of the step back he was he
was in his bag, and it was one of those
circumstance chanswers where yeah, he was playing off Lebron and
then like he was making some some just nasty moves
and shots and really impressive things, and then the Nets
(09:09):
maybe missed a shot and Lebronic go coast to coast
and just be a locomotive just coming through and bully
his way through and just do some unreal things.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
But you saw that and.
Speaker 4 (09:21):
You saw again the the motivation of the Lakers to
win it home. They knew that was a game they
absolutely needed, but the Nets kept responding and I think
that's why, you know, and even that shot at the
end of the game in Russell that you know, making
his return, the second return as in that back back
(09:42):
to play the Lakers there in la Offtuny potentially hit
the three to like. There was a lot of things
about it that the outcome, no, you don't like, but
the process you go about with it, And I think
those are the things with this group as as they're
building and as they're building out a foundation. Noah Clown
hitting that big shot, those to me are moments you're
(10:04):
going to carry through your career because everything, everything always
is muscle memory. And for as much as you want
to talk about wins and losses and certain stats and
what things look like, especially for young players, when you
experience things in a league and you whether you find success,
you find failure, or whatever it is, you're going to
know how that feels. So the next time you're in
(10:25):
that moment, you're gonna be able to perform in a
different way or you're going to learn or take something
from it if you are engaged in wanting to be
a better player, be a better teammate, and be a
better team collectively, and no shared experiences that I think
a lot of these players are having now stood and
will hopefully benefit. And I think that Lakers game is
a perfect example of that of Yeah, I've been here
(10:48):
before and I've hit a really big shot in a
very clutch moment or a timely moment, and I'm going
to come back and have that level of confidence next time.
And I think you see that in players, you see
that progression of their career. But I think that's hope
for this group in that situation, in that circumstance, specifically,
same thing without Oklahoma City game, like feeling that type
(11:09):
of defense just swallowing you up, swarming, what that looks like,
How that looked early with the thunder, just in.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
Everyone's jerseys all over.
Speaker 4 (11:20):
The place, getting seals, getting picks draining through them, and
they shot threes in a way that they never shoot.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
That also snowballed that early lead.
Speaker 4 (11:31):
But then the nets settled in and they had their composure,
and I think the players had a better understanding of
the time and the feel of the physicality all of that,
and that was about, like, that is what it's about,
especially sometimes when you're playing groups for the first time
or getting these experiences for the first time.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
Yeah, especially an okay, see game that again is not
just great, but historically so, especially on defense and the
way they swarm and turn you over. You know, at
this part of the season that Noah Clowney three, you know,
like you mentioned, it was great and one of my
favorite things about it. Again, I remember it was one
hundred and ninety eight. There was like forty seconds left.
The Nets got a two for one, which led to
(12:08):
them having a chance to win the game, and Noah
ran off movement and it was a cut that the
Nets often run.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
Not to get too specific.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
But no, please, that's what we're here for, you know.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
You know that shout out to former tar Heel and
NBA champion Danny Green. The Danny Green cut along the
baseline where you will go from the weak side to
the strong side corner while an action is taking place.
Not to put the Net secrets out there, but that
is not a staple, but you know, a factor, a
little tweak in their offense that they often run guys
(12:40):
cutting through baseline while there's a ball screen, a handoff
going on.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
Noah Clowney.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
Forty seconds left, you know, big possession, need to have it,
makes that cut as he would do.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
If they were up thirty with.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Forty seconds left, gets to the corner, hits a three,
kind of like off movement with a hand in his face.
So these are the moments that you really reflect on
and when you talk about growth and long term growth,
playing in these close games, or playing against historically elite teams,
or putting up one hundred and thirty two points against
the Blazers, because every NBA team goes through the highs
(13:16):
and lows of a season, but you need some of
those highs. And I guess we can circle all the
way back to that because last week we were like, how.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Will they respond against Portland?
Speaker 2 (13:24):
The healthiest they've been in a while, d Lo, Ben
Cam Johnson, they all played and man, that offense looked good.
There's still, like real a lot of offensive talent on
this team, and every team has to get healthy. But
the nets, I think especially, So what did you see
that game besides just shot making cis numbers.
Speaker 4 (13:43):
Yeah, the fun they were playing with, the joy they
had of all being out there and.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
There are no excuses.
Speaker 4 (13:49):
But when this team is healthy, when they have the
compliments of the roster and everyone, and give credit to
everyone who has contributed at different moments. This is not
to say everyone not as one through seventeen, but you
felt it. You saw, you saw how they played and
performed and it continued to build off of one another.
(14:10):
And there was a variety in how they're able to score.
I thought too defensively, they did such a nice job.
But that response to after Utah, that's those are the
things that show. It's kind of the character of the group,
the disposition of this group.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
That's what I can't and I should have it.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
I don't have the exact assist total, but you felt
everyone doing something in an important, timely moment in it
through the game and hearing from the guys and watching
them and stuff, you could see that togetherness, and that
to me is the special stuff that we continue to
witness with this group.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
Yeah, the togetherness is very impressive. And even like when
I'm looking at guys on the bench or in street
clothes with the injuries, yes, you can see it. The
assist numbers, they had thirty six assists in that game, uh,
not a season high, but definitely up there one of
their ten highest totals. My favorite stat from that game
is that all twelve players that touched the court won
(15:09):
their minutes finished with a positive plus minus So I
don't know how often that happens, but.
Speaker 4 (15:15):
Not often in it's little in its little things like that,
and I think the numbers back the eye test and
what you were watching.
Speaker 5 (15:26):
Hey that fans dunks, dimes and no looks are great
on TV, but nothing compares to catching them irl. And
that starts with buying tickets. A ticketmaster, the official ticket
marketplace of the Nets in the NBA. Ticketmaster gets you
to the game so you can catch every highlight in person,
from seeing your favorite Nets stars up close to hearing
the squeak of the sneakers on the hardwood. Put that
(15:46):
jersey collection to use and get tickets a ticketmaster. There's
no better brag than saying you saw it live. See
your courtside Brooklyn.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
As we move to Brooklyn's finest player that we want
to shout out and gives love too. I got to
give it to D'Angelo Russell. You know, it really would
have been a slam done case if he made that
shot in La I think sometimes I think sometimes you
want it more.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
For them than they want it for themselves.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
You know, it's like, yes, he wanted it, but as
a professional athlete, I'm sure he's used to missing some
shots that he'd want back. I really was watching from home,
you know, it was like one am here on the
East Coast.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
I was, I wanted it for Dlo, But it'll be okay.
He doesn't. You know, he's got enough going on.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
And speaking of stuff he's got going on when he
touches the court for the Nets, I mean their offense
and the ball movement. We know he's a great pick
and roll passer, We've known that since we first saw
him play in Brooklyn. But just the hit ahead passes,
I've said it so many times, that extra passes. He
(16:53):
had a big, a real nice one to Jalen Wilson
in the Lakers game, cleaning the glass. Great stats website.
He's played one hundred and forty minutes right for the
Nets so far. So the sample sizes aren't huge when
you think about all the minutes they've played without him
on the court, but their transition offense goes is like
(17:15):
six points better five points better per one hundred possessions,
which is the difference between the worst transition team in
the league and the best. And that'll obviously normalize as
he plays more minutes. But he just gets them into offense.
He makes the right play, the balls hopping more when
he's on.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
The court and is a point guard.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
You know, who's coming into a new system, who has
a lot to learn, who's playing with new teammates, some injured,
some not. He's just done everything everything you've asked for.
And something I noticed on TV that you might have
noticed in courtside is the way he talks on defense,
the way he communicates and points guys and puts guys
into place.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
I've just been really impressed with de Loo.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
You know who is in a tough spot, coming into
new team midseason, all the shuffling stuff. But I have
to give him my Brooklyn's finest. Yeah, yeah, I just
loved watching him play.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
We've been doing this for too long together.
Speaker 4 (18:11):
Like this, he took all the work.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
He took the player out of my mouth and all.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
The works in my mouth.
Speaker 4 (18:15):
I think the most important all of those things I
would double down on. I think the most important thing
to remember, despite the fact, he's coming back on the second.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
Stit with the nets.
Speaker 4 (18:27):
As you said, this is an entirely new situation. So yeah,
he may know where the locker room is and the
weight room is and how to get from one place
to another into Barclays entirely different coaching staff, entirely different roster,
brand new team system. All of these things are are
extremely different. And that is ninety five percent of what
(18:48):
a player is going through on a day.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
To day basis.
Speaker 4 (18:51):
On top of the fact that he has been a
little in and out with injury, his presence on the floor,
you cannot replicate how that changes what the nets are
able to do and how others play. And I think
as you continue to watch to your point about a communication,
think about how many like easy layups Aam Johnson has gotten,
or nick clact or just different players with their ability
(19:13):
to cut off of him, because the feel, because the reads,
because you've got smart intelligence basketball players on the floorida
that understand how to play with one another, and that
like savviness or veteran presence, you see a quick eye
glance and a beautiful play happens. All of those things
I think have been a progression of how we watch
(19:34):
and witness what D'Angelo Russell was earlier on in his career,
and I think anytime you can see a player on
a day to day basis up close and there is
a visible difference of the growth and play, the growth
and field, the growth and maturity, the growth and.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
Leadership, that's fun.
Speaker 4 (19:51):
Like, that's fun to see. It makes you really excited
and proud for that player, for the work that they
put in and for the different challenges to their journey.
And so I think, yeah, it's just been it's been
great to see. He's given us a lot of highlight plays.
Speaker 3 (20:06):
But also just how the team plays.
Speaker 4 (20:08):
I think there's a different level of composure and poison
production that has very much been the fingerprints in the
impact that he's had.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
Yeah, and that's exactly what you would want from him
in a trade. I mean, Dorian Finney Smith, the Lakers
get the role player that they you know, we're searching for.
The Nets probably needed more of that offensive creation and
offensive just leadership given their roster. So I think you
can say the trade has been the one of those
(20:39):
rare win wins for both sides, you know, in six games,
right with the Nets so far, he's averaging thirteen points
and eight assists. He's shooting thirty seven percent from three shooting.
You know, yeah, he's missed one free throw so far.
But he's winning his minutes drastically. I mean it again,
(21:00):
small sample size, but he has the greatest, the highest
plus mile differential on the team.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
They are seventeen points better when he plays.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
Again, small sample size, you know it'll normalize, but man,
the numbers, the eye test, all this stuff bears out
his impact since I guess rejoining the franchise. And it's
kind of a funny. The first half of the season.
You forget how long the NBA season is, especially me.
You know, I was covering the Liberty. The WNBA season
(21:31):
was forty games. It's going to be forty four. The
playoffs are like best of three. The first round is
best of five. First half of the NBA season is
a long journey, and we're there right now. The Nets
have now crossed the forty one game threshold.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
A lot happened.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
They made a couple trades, they went through two different
long West coast road trips, and I'm hey, second half
of the season, like sixty percent of their games at home.
They were the most home games left in the league,
which is nice, but just general takeaways. You think back
to the first episode we recorded. We wanted to see
(22:08):
how rookie head coach Jordi Fernandez. Can't believe he's still
a rookie at this point. We wanted to see how
he would be in game, We wanted to see how
the team would take after him, all of these kind
of big picture stuff, these questions, So where are you
at thinking about the first half of the season so far?
Speaker 1 (22:24):
Has that gone to your expectations?
Speaker 2 (22:27):
Has Jordi Fernandez made a certain impact on you? I
guess zooming out a little bit. You know, what do
you have to say about the first half of the season.
Speaker 4 (22:36):
He is I don't even know if I had true
expectations of what we could expect, both from him, from
the staff, from the team performance, all of that. However,
everything from the start of how impressed I was during
the preseason, during the sitting and watching practices during training camp,
looking at the organization, looking at the attitude of mentality,
(22:58):
the energy, all of that has continued to exceed what
I believe is what you watch on a day to
day basis for a team who has dealt with a
lot of ups and downs, a lot of challenges, a
lot of struggles, a lot of changes, and it's hard
to think I don't even consider him a Rickie head coach.
(23:19):
Sometimes there's opponents you're playing, or oh this this individual
in their first year.
Speaker 3 (23:23):
As a head coach.
Speaker 4 (23:24):
This, and it's because yes, he's been a head coach
in different stops. He's has a long resume of places,
in very successful places that he was system associate head coach.
Speaker 3 (23:36):
But it's to.
Speaker 4 (23:38):
Me been so fluid in how he's able to in
game coach, how he's able to resonate with players, in
the management of that off the court, and aside from
those game situations, practices, even the distribution of how well
the coaching staff works together. You could feel that, you
could see that, the responsibilities that are shared, how players
(24:01):
react to that, even going back to the response of
teams after a tough loss, all of those things to
me just continue to be so exciting, give you so
much optimism for what's to come in the future and
the type of success you're going to. And I've said
this probably a handful of times before, and the last
(24:22):
thing I'll say is to me, the mark of the
way other coaches and opposing coaches speak about him in
such a genuine, authentic, full of respect and impressed way.
That's when you know your counterparts, your colleagues, when you
have earned the respect in a way that they know
(24:46):
the job you're doing, and it forces them to be
better at their job and better for their players and
better for the teams because they know that they're up
against you and the type of competition then they.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
Will see back to me is.
Speaker 4 (24:58):
When you hit a point that you're doing things the
right way, and you never see a point where he
or the team feels complacent or oh, we're doing it,
We've reached We've done this, this is what we needed
to do. We've established ourselves now every single day showing
up in the same way, with the same attitude, with
(25:18):
same hunger, the same motivation, and that that's what you want.
Speaker 1 (25:22):
And part of that is having a roster that is
suited for him.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
You know, players that you know need to get one
percent better every day, as is kind of his mantra,
get one percent better every day, whether that's Cam Johnson,
you know, trying to become a player that has more
offensive responsibility on a team, that isn't just a role
player but can be, you know, a featured component of a.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
High level offense.
Speaker 2 (25:45):
Whether that's Ben Simmons trying to come back from injuries
and be a stable rotation piece for a whole season,
you know, not that the injuries were his fault, but
just the value he can provide over an eighty two
game season, whether that's like Keon Johnson and Tyree Smart
need to get one percent better every day to cement
themselves as NBA players inside kind of the fringes of
(26:06):
a rotation.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
So I think the roster.
Speaker 2 (26:10):
There was a lot of opportunity for him when he
took this job, and I think he has made the
most of that opportunity. The thing that's jumped out to
me is like there is one message from everyone you
hear and there's no talking at it. Both sides of
his mouth. He's like, we're going to do this. I
want this team to be about this. And then you
(26:31):
watch him play and it's like that, And that's hard
in the NBA, in professional sports, when everybody's got to
get their own everybody's.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
Career is at stake.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
Managing these locker rooms, kind of getting the team on
one track is hard, and with the Nets, I feel
like everything I use this word before talking about the Thunder,
but I mean the whole organization right now is streamlined
in one direction. When he says something, it's not lip service.
You see it on the court. When he says he
(27:02):
wants Noah Clowney to shoot threes, you know and have
no conscience, you see it on the court. And so
that's what I've been most impressed by by a rookie
head coach. You know again, I should say rookie NBA
head coach. He's been the coach of a G League team,
he's been the coach of Canada men's basketball. But for me,
it's that is such a crucial detail that I don't
(27:25):
really know that I thought about.
Speaker 1 (27:26):
Before this season.
Speaker 2 (27:27):
They just feel like they are all on the same
page and you just know that's going to pay pay
off in the long term. And speaking about the long
term now, looking at the second half of this season,
I thought that'd be a nice time to bring up
now the next NET taking it back.
Speaker 1 (27:44):
This is our thirteenth episode.
Speaker 2 (27:46):
Thirteen episodes ago, I talked about Sean Mark's introductory comments
on the season. General manager Sean Mark said this season,
you know, as we kind of enter this new phase
of Brooklyn Nets basketball with a new head coach, right,
we're looking to find the next Nets who's going to
be here long term? So I thought, oh, the next
net good name for a little podcast segment. Who do
(28:06):
we want to see from in the future? What do
we want to see them do so this second half
of the season. Do you have a name or two names.
Speaker 1 (28:13):
That all right? They had this first half of the season.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
Maybe once they get to the All Star break and
they get a week off, their legs will refresh. You know,
what do you want to see from this player? You
think they could have a breakout second half or you
think it's a great opportunity for growth. Who do you
want to bestow the crown of next Net upon?
Speaker 4 (28:32):
I think we shit everyone throughout the course of all
our gast things, So no, I'm gonna make it brief
and go with Zirah Williams.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
I think he is.
Speaker 4 (28:40):
A player who's shown so much promise in what you
had anticipated of him coming from Memphis at the length,
the energy, the defensive presence of versatility and how he
can guard, and then he's shown growth on the offensive side.
And that's always been the question with him about the
consistency of three point shooting, and it feels like he's
(29:01):
really shown flashes of that and more than just flashes.
Speaker 3 (29:05):
And so I'm.
Speaker 4 (29:06):
Excited to watch what does this look like in the
second half and what does this look like in terms
of him continuing to get comfortable, hopefully continuing to be
healthy and on the floor, and how he's able to
work towards that player. I mean the fact that he's
only twenty three years old, he's in his fourth year
in the league. He's still a young player, but being
(29:26):
a tent overall pick, what does it look like now
that he's in a situation and a fit that has
seemingly really benefited him, And so he's the guy that
then I'm going to have an ion because I have
a lot of optimism for what he can be and
what his potential is in this league.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
Yeah, and it was impressive that he's been playing his
best basketball after an injury that caused him to miss
you know.
Speaker 1 (29:50):
At least this season exactly.
Speaker 2 (29:52):
That's not easy to do, and he came back shooting confidently.
So I think that gives you some insight into the
type of player, mindset worker he is, which should give
you optimism for that second half. For me, I'm gonna
go with Jalen Wilson. I use my pick last time
for just looking at a shorter term view.
Speaker 1 (30:11):
But he struggled to shoot the ball a little bit
and then he came back right.
Speaker 2 (30:16):
I think some of his best player of the season
came in Portland, came in, came in against the Thunder,
against the Lakers. He led the nets and scoring in
that Clippers game. Yes, yeah, he's had some good games.
Speaker 1 (30:28):
Did you notice anything from him on the road trip.
Speaker 3 (30:31):
I think he's in some ways.
Speaker 4 (30:33):
You mentioned the Clippers game stood out because he was
the one person that was knocking down shots even when
he seemed like a real big struggle and sometimes that's
hard to do when it feels like the walls are
crashing in on everyone. I think it continues to be
making sure the whether shots are going in or out,
still doing all the little things and the attention to
(30:56):
detail on the defensive side, and that's the stuff that
probably you know, we can make He's a shot maker,
whether shots are going in or not. A belief that
he can shoot the ball and he can knock down
three's and be that in this league. But it's all
the other continuing to do that we saw early, the rebounding,
the offensive rebounding, the hustle plays, getting on the floor,
(31:18):
and especially defensively being in the right spots. How he
can bring a solid presence on that end of the floor.
That's the stuff that would be watching with him.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
Yeah, and you just want to see again I kind
of mentioned this, but him carve out that role beyond
a shot maker.
Speaker 1 (31:35):
What's he going to bring to the floor.
Speaker 2 (31:36):
You know, the second half of this season is going
to represent a huge chunk of his total minutes as
a professional player by the time we get to the
end of it. So still early in his career and
still time for him obviously to kind of make his
way and create kind of his identity. So I'm looking
forward if I could sum it up in a sense,
him continuing to create his identity as an NBA player.
(31:58):
And normally now we would do trivia and we would
sign off.
Speaker 1 (32:01):
But it's a special week in nuts world.
Speaker 2 (32:04):
On Friday Saturday, Miami comes to Brooklyn to play the Heat.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
But that's not even the main event of the night.
Speaker 2 (32:12):
It surrounds the main event of the night, which is
Vince Carter's jersey retirement, his number fifteen jersey which I
wear when I play rec league when I was in
high school because of Vince Carter. I got this poster
behind me, Vince carter is jersey going up into the
rafters at Barcley Center.
Speaker 1 (32:30):
I'm so glad I'm gonna be there for it.
Speaker 4 (32:32):
I am.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
I'm just so excited for it.
Speaker 2 (32:35):
And it's going to be a great, a great day
in Nets history and for him. And so just now
you're you know, this is your coworker. Now, so how
are you feeling watching watching Vince's How are you excited
for it?
Speaker 1 (32:48):
Now?
Speaker 2 (32:48):
We don't know what's gonna look like yet, but you
know VC's.
Speaker 4 (32:51):
I just think, as much as he's a tremendous player,
professional Hall of Famer, the list goes out, he is
just such a tremendous person who an honored to call
a colleague, I'm honored.
Speaker 3 (33:02):
To call a friend.
Speaker 4 (33:03):
I appreciate how much he values and cares about his
time with the Nets and Nets organization, the teammates he's had,
the team, And I think the thing that stands out
to me, maybe not most because obviously his highlight plays
and dunks and game winners, and he's.
Speaker 3 (33:18):
Got it all.
Speaker 4 (33:21):
How gracefully and beautifully he finished and played his career.
I think about the times when when I got to
know him best, was when he was in Sacramento, or
when he was in Atlanta and the veteran he became.
And it's different for everyone they as they finish out
their playing career. But I think he understood the value
of the leadership he could provide, how he could mentor
(33:43):
young players. The addition that he could be in an organization,
in a group talking to him throughout. You know, so
many of those times were seeing him or I can't
even imagine the value that it had on players now
of experiencing that and being his teammate in a place
that he knew his role, he understood it. He accomplished
(34:03):
so much, but he wanted to be there to do
those things, and.
Speaker 3 (34:06):
That to me is just truly special.
Speaker 4 (34:09):
Of your love and the respect that you pay to
the game because you care so much about making sure
that it continues to grow and continues to be better
for all of those that you've played with and that
you call brothers.
Speaker 2 (34:24):
It's hard to find someone who does not have glowingly
positive things to say about Vince Carter, and at the
end of the day, that's above all, and obviously for me,
the basketball memories are so important to me and a
certain generation in NETS fans that obviously supersedes it.
Speaker 1 (34:40):
But here's some trivia. Here's just a fact.
Speaker 2 (34:43):
He still has the greatest scoring season in NETS history
points per possession. He scored thirty eight points per one
hundred after the trade when he came to the Nets
in two thousand and four.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
That's the best ever. That would have ranked fifth.
Speaker 2 (34:55):
That would rank fifth in the NBA this year in
scoring per possession, So he was an all time scorer.
Last thing, my favorite memory. I went to bed. They
were on the West Coast. They were playing the Jazz.
They were the number one seed. I'm like, they're not
gonna beat the Jazz. I was like seven. I was scared,
you know. I was like, Ah, they got Darren Williams,
Andre Carolinko, Paul millsat Memedo Core.
Speaker 1 (35:12):
I was like, they're not being the Jazz.
Speaker 2 (35:14):
I wake up watching Sports Center flashes across the bottom line.
Speaker 1 (35:17):
Nets one sixteen Jazz one fifteen.
Speaker 2 (35:19):
I watched the highlight before I go to school, pulls
up from thirty five The Game Winner.
Speaker 1 (35:24):
Now, I've rewatched it so many times, I feel like
I lived it.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
I could go on and on and on, but we're
gonna stop there, and I'm sure we'll pick back up
next Tuesday, when yeah, Wednesday, when it comes out, and
we'll talk about the night that was Saturday that we're
currently looking forward to. Vince Carter Legend, New Jersey Nets
Legend NETS Franchise Legend number fifteen.
Speaker 1 (35:46):
So happy it's going up and that'll do it for us.
Speaker 2 (35:49):
On this episode of the Backcourt, episode number thirteen, a
Brooklyn nets podcast presented by Ticketmaster from Sarah, this is
Lucas Kaplan of Nets Daily.
Speaker 1 (35:58):
Nets Film focus Off.
Speaker 2 (36:01):
Thank you guys for listening, Make sure you like subscribe,
rate us five stars, whatever it is. We appreciate you guys,
and looking forward to the second half of this net
See
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