April 17, 2023 • 30 mins
Chris and his radio partner Tim "The Capper" Capstraw review game 1 of the Brooklyn Nets' first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
All right, it's the voice of the Nets.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
This is Game one Reaction Chris Carino and my longtime
radio partner Tim Kapstraw joining me and Caper. You know,
just like sometimes when you're hungry and you it's the
summertime and you got a little you know, a little
piece of chicken or something you throw that marinate on there,
and you're hungry, so you just you just cook it
up right away. Maybe it doesn't have as much flavor,
(00:32):
but if you're patient and you kind of let it
marinate for a few hours, you know, throw it to
the grill, the spices sink in a little bit. And
I think I feel like after Game one, we needed
to let the spices sink in a little bit and
really marinate on what we saw so that we can
kind of get rid of the initial knee jerk reaction
(00:55):
to things and break it down. And then we'll preview
a little bit game too, which is coming up, so
there'll be a small window here before this is released
and then we get game two happens. But I thought
we'd did a good job to bring you in and
let's see what marinated overnight.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Pepper.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
When you when you watch this thing, because because when
I watched it back, you know, I have a It's
hard when I'm doing play by play, I'm really focused
on describing the action and seeing everything that's going on,
the details that are going on, and I'm looking at
the stats and we're trying to tell the story, and
(01:30):
you're you're you're kind of looking at it more from
a you know, big picture standpoint and can analyze the game.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
But I don't.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
I feel like until I watch it back, I don't
I miss a lot of things. When you watched it back,
what are were some of the things that stood out
to you, Because on the surface, this looked like just
a twenty point loss against the team that.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
Was just a lot better. So what did you what
did you see?
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Well, first of all, I have a really good Guinness marinate,
you know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
That really worked for me overnight.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
I just want you to know that I have a
terrific I gift you the recipe to that.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
It's all about how you time the pouring of it.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
But it's a beautiful way to break down a game
or the timing of the game worked very well from
my Guinness.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
You know, Guinness will bring out the truth, to bring
out the truth. There's no doubt about it.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
They're not a sponsor, but they should be right. I
feel like they are.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
What stood out to me initially before you know, and I, uh,
you know, watch it again. It is not the entire game,
but certainly portions of the game was that in my mind,
I'm thinking, Okay, do the Nets have any kind of
chance in this series? Can they do things better than
they did yesterday? That's that's really all you can ask.
(02:49):
Can they be better than they were yesterday? And what
areas can they get better in one game? Because it's
Game two or the rest of the series. And I
thought there were areas that they could get better at.
And if they can get better and in different areas,
and you have the Sixers not make quite as many shots,
(03:12):
and maybe because you're in a little better positioning, they
don't make as many shots. And maybe if you're in
better positioning, maybe you force your body and into people better.
And you understand now the importance of rebounding. I think
they can do better. Does that mean they are winning
the series? I didn't say that. Does that mean they
(03:33):
can compete better than they did yesterday?
Speaker 4 (03:35):
I do believe that.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
I thought there are things, and there are areas, and
there are periods of the game where they shouldn't have
been beaten, and that's what they've got to clean up
to have a chance.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
When I watched it back, I just I was struck,
and I was struck at the time. How well the
Sixers played yesterday. I mean, I think they played extremely well.
I think you see what the Nets have tried to
do in recent weeks is what you can to take
the other team's best player out of the game to
the extent you can. You know, through the Nets have
used a lot of trapping and double teaming on the
(04:07):
other team's best player. In this case it was Joe
el Embiid and Sarah. I let other guys beat you,
other guys beat them. I mean Tobias Harris early set
of tone was making shots. And I thought James Harden
played extremely well and and his his three point barrage
at the end of the second quarter. Now that game
(04:29):
was a tight game and it didn't blow it open.
You know, they only had a nine point lead at
the half. But I thought that they're looking back at it,
I mean Harden was making contested threes.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
Yes, yes, they were not the kind you know, we're
talking so much about trapping and rotating and guys are
open or off of offensive rebounds.
Speaker 4 (04:50):
The amount of threes that the open.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
Threes that the Sixers are able to get, the hardened
ones were those basic Harden onto dribble, he's lining.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
Me up, he's eyeing the up and and then he's
let it fly.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
And we know that he can make them because he's
done that throughout his career, but we've also seen to
miss a decent amount and it really hasn't it's a
big part of his game still, but he was able
to make those three in a row at the end
of the second quarter.
Speaker 4 (05:15):
I thought that was a big deal. I thought there
were a lot of big deals along.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
I think, like I thought, the beginning of the second
quarter was a time where the Nets had to make
an impact on the game, and they didn't.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
I didn't.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
You know, you got your reserves, and the six of
the reserves are obviously aren't bad.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
In fact, they're good.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
But the Nets, well, you know, I think they have
some depth, they have players, and it came out and
I didn't. I thought they lost that area when Embiid
was not on the floor, when Harden was orchestrating with
four other reserves. They were beating the Nets. That shouldn't happen.
That's an area they've got to do. Nets played zone
during that time. I don't really I didn't know why.
(05:57):
I don't think they had to play zone. I think
that's a time when you can play a man and man.
I also don't know that you have to go after
James Harden and double team him Embiid. I totally understand,
and you better give him different. Here's the thing about
MB double teams, right, here's he knew you do NFL
every week of the year. I missed you on Sundays
(06:18):
all the time. But this is here's the thing. And
Beid was like a quarterback, knowing exactly where the blitz
was going to come from yesterday. So he got the
ball in the top of it in the fall line area.
He caught, and he saw the blitz coming and to trap, well,
in basketball there has to be a trap. Nets couldn't
(06:39):
even trap him. He got rid of the ball that quickly.
So if the first pass out of a trap is quick,
everything is in trouble then. So I think the Nets
got to shake it up with and they did. In
the second half, you saw them delaying. A couple of times,
they didn't double. A couple other times they delayed till
he put the ball on the deck, got into the paint.
Then they sent the defender I think, keeping him having
(07:02):
the same intent that you want to get it out
of his hands, but you've got to give him different
ways to look at it. Was he was like a
quarterback that knew exactly what the defense was going to
do from the start of the game. Don't get me wrong,
you've got a double team him an awful lot, but
you've got to disguise it a little bit better. Well,
and when you commit to it, it better be a
real trap. High hands, toe to toe into the body.
(07:25):
I know he's seven to.
Speaker 4 (07:26):
Two, but still make it a little more difficult to
just throw the ball direct.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Well, and here's the other part about when you trap,
it's a trap, meaning we trap the ball handler. And
then really where the effectiveness of a trap comes is
where's the other defenders? Because then it's the pass out
of the trap that a lot of time leads to trouble. Right,
that's a lot of time where either you're going to
(07:51):
get a steal, because that's what you're trying to do
You're trying to trap the guy into making kind of
a pressured decision and then you're going to get a
steal out of that.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
Right, you're making it up.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
I don't know that you necessarily you're just trying to
get the ball out of the MB.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Well, what I'm saying, my point is being is that
I think that you know, Jacques Ballin talked about this
before the game, and he talked about it again after me.
We have to be risk takers, right, he said, we
have to be risk takers. We're the underdog here. We're
going up against the MVP. We're going to get against
another a former MVP. Right, we've got to be risk takers.
(08:28):
And I felt like the Nets didn't take it. You
could say, well they turned it over all these times
they would taking a lot of risk. No, I'm talking
about defensively, the Nets didn't force a lot of turnovers.
And if a lot of times the pass out of
that double team is what was leading to the threes,
or it was leading to a lot of drible penetration
by the sixers.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
There wasn't you know there.
Speaker 4 (08:51):
Or rebounds or angles for offensive rebounds.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
Yeah, so like if if Embiid's going to get rid
of the ball and it's going to be Tyree's or
it's going to be James Harden it gets the next
pass and you're scrambling and they're going to beat off
the dribble, I'd rather see you at least go try
and steal the ball. You know, jump out in the
passing lane, know where it's going. You know, if you're
going to give up a drible penetration anyway, and that
(09:15):
leads to even an offensive rebound, like, let's go try
and make for some things to happen.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
Well, yeah, you want to be more aggressive, But again
it comes back to you can't be I think the
nets they did a little of this again in the
second half. You can't be so obvious that you're gonna
just on the catch of Embiid. Every time the double
team is coming from the crowded side of the floor.
Speaker 4 (09:37):
You see how they always.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Have an alignment of three guys on one side and
on one guy in a ball side corner. The trap
can't come from the ball side to corner. It comes
from where the three guys are. But I think you
got to mix again. If you don't mix up your timing.
If you don't have different looks, you can you know,
against that with that trap. Uh you know, I think
I think it's too easy for a quarterback like Embiid
(10:02):
to pick you apart and he can also repost and
get it back. You gotta have some variety in it.
You got to mix it up. On the hardened Embiid
ball screens pick and rolls. Now, there weren't a time.
There weren't even that many of them last night, yesterday afternoon.
But I think you got to give that different looks
also where you might switch it, but you might then
(10:23):
when the ball goes back to him, then double team.
You've got to have just variety and everybody's got to
be on the same page. That can keep the other
guys on the floor more at home at times they
can stay closer at home. And so they were rotating
so early that they had no angles to recover a
for dribble penetration, for three point shots, dribble penetration and
(10:44):
offensive rebounds.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
Yeah, and there was also a problem with it. What
they just kept doing with Embiid was repost. So yes,
you know, so Embiid would get it, the trap would come,
he get rid of it right away, and then the
trapper would scramble back, and now he'd get it right
back and then he was open he would drive it.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
Nah, this is some challenge. Don't get me wrong. I'm
not saying I got to answer. I'm just saying, you.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
Know, what was funny is that I I had to
I put out this this little clip during the week
and and it got a lot of a lot oft
traction because it got caught.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
Up in Philadelphia Twitter, you know.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
But it was basically because I had been watching that
game from back in February that they played, and it
was just one possession that just jumped out of me
and I said, wow, this is the way you have
to play, right And it was where and b got
it in the high post. They scrambled quickly over to
double and they did it the way you're talking about
high hands, really up into them and didn't what he
(11:36):
anticipated where the next pass was going to go, and
be turned it over and nets ran it got a
dunk on the other end, and you're and I'm like,
I put it out there saying all right, here's the formula,
you know, like not saying this is I see, this
is what's going to happen, or that this is going
to happen over and over again. No, it was it
was more of if the Nets are going to have success,
this is what it's got to look like. And they
(12:00):
you know it, but anyway, you know, kind of went
off the rails a little bit. Ah, God, that's what
it is. It's like, yeah, you know, that's that's what
it has to look like. And I feel like in
that game, the Nets clade, in that game in February
we're talking about when they were all together for the
first time, the Nets clade with a very excited energy
(12:21):
and nothing to lose kind of attitude. We all just
got together here, let's just go play, you know whatever,
off the wall here and just and I didn't see
that enough that you want to be you want to
be risk takers, you want to play with energy, you
want to double team and trap Nets have good individual defenders.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
You just got to go after it a little bit more.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
And if that's going to be fatiguing, well then maybe
you go into your bench a little bit more and
get some guys some rest here and there. But the
only way you're going to beat a team like the
Sixers when they're playing as well as they are. Is
if you do trap and recover and scramble and do
it with real energy and play hard, they just even
(12:59):
job bad after the game. That the second effort kind
of stuff that the second you know where you talk
about in defense, right, the possession doesn't end ntil it
is a misshot or a shot log, multiple multiple efforts.
It just there wasn't enough of that to win a
game on the road.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Against the team as good as a Sixers.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
Yeah, and you can just see, you know, you saw
it in the first minute of the play as PJ.
Tucker came in from the dunker spot and offensively got
a rebound. He physically went through everybody on the Nets
and got a rebound. He was able to get that.
I thought he was He's a problem, that guy, he's
a problem. But the Nets got to know that that's
what he's capable of doing. I don't know that the
(13:39):
rebounding part of it maybe surprise the Nets because the
Philadelphia hasn't been a team that's attacked the glass throughout
the year, and maybe maybe they thought they'd be scared
if they attacked and the Nets rebounded, they'd be able
to get out and run but the nets, the formula
they had for a team that likes to get back,
they only get eight and a half rebounds a game
(13:59):
offs rebounds a game was attack to Glass and PJ
Tucker and I think the net's got to be ready
for it, and I think it could. You know what
I'll be curious about. Also, will be matchups tomorrow. So
we saw a little bit different matchups to start the game.
First of all, I was very surprised looking at the
minutes Drian Finney Smith only played seventeen and a half
(14:21):
minutes in the game. I think his physicality. You asked
me who the X factor would be, and we've talked
about different people talking about his shooting. I think you
need his physicality on the floor for a longer period
of time. And I think and I and you know,
he was matched with Harden to start the game, right,
because obviously he can guard Harden. But if there's a
(14:42):
Harden and be pick and roll, he can then you know,
switch it and be physical enough with him be you know,
on February eleventh, Mickel Bridges had James Harden right, he
started off on him in the beginning of the game.
Speaker 4 (14:56):
You know, maybe there.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
Can be some adjustments in who's playing who. Maybe that
can help some and then between that, between strategy. But
I think you are so right. It's about attitude. There
are some things you can do coaching wise, but it's
an attitude and it's an approach. Like if you don't
meet PJ. Tucker or Tobias Harris is getting on the glass,
(15:17):
or Paul Reid comes in there and he's a problem
getting guys getting rebounds. Listen, you can accept embiid, you
can't accept other people in a dominant way. And you've
got to have an attitude and an edge about you
to give your It's only to give yourself a better
chance in this game.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
Well, you're talking about they ended up bringing in Royce O'Neil,
and he would pick up hard in full court and
get into him a little bit. You know, they have
a history going back to when in their days with
Houston and Utah and Royce O'Neil kind of made his
bones as a rookie in the league guarding James Harden
in the playoff series and kind of got that defensive reputation.
Maybe you need to do more of that, you know,
bringing in even we talked about late in the game
(16:02):
and Edmund Sumner just come in for a few minutes
and just.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
Just sort of nag James Harden a little bit. Get
into them.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Remember we saw a game, you know, a few years ago,
well right after the Hardened trade, and I know it's different.
Harden wasn't in great shape back that year, the first
year he went to Philadelphia. But remember what Kyrie Irving
did to him picking him up full court in a game, Like,
maybe you've got to do a little bit more to
bother James Harden.
Speaker 4 (16:29):
I you know, I don't disagree with that. I think
you got to do a little bit more of everything
you've got to.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
And you know something, we've seen this team, and we've
seen these guys individually and collectively as a group now
and we like them because they put they go hard,
and they have an aggressiveness and a positive attitude about them.
Speaker 4 (16:48):
And they're capable of better, that's all. You know.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
They're capable of being more physical, defending better. They're capable
of a little bit more mental if you want to
shake it up and do different different blitzes at times.
They're capable of meeting people outside the lane and hitting
first on blockouts. They're capable of five guys going to
(17:12):
get the ball. I'll be surprised if we don't see
I know this group. I'll be surprised if they don't
give you a more physical effort on the offensives on
the defensive side and rebounding the ball. Now, you can't
necessarily count on this NET team shooting the ball at
the level they did. It's not an effective field goal
(17:33):
percentage of sixty five percent, but you can expect them
not to turn the basketball over.
Speaker 4 (17:39):
Also, that's another part of it.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Well, that brings a couple of things, because there's a
couple of things with that is Number one, the Sixers
end up attempting nineteen more shots than the Nets. Yes,
and that's because of offensive rebounding, where the Sixers had
fourteen of them turnovers. The Nets had twenty turnovers in
the game. And you know the the Nets.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
You know you said the effective field goal persented.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
Yes, they shot it well, but they had fourteen fewer
three point attempts, yes, than the Sixers in the game.
And yes, you may shoot a higher percentage. Nets need
to take more threes. Like that part I think about
being risk takers. You know there were times the Nets
(18:26):
played very conservatively early on. And what I mean conservatively
is the ball be swung to a shooter and right
there put up a quick three. If you're Dorian Phinney Smith,
you're Royce O'Neill, you gotta you get that off rotation.
I'm not talking about when you walk the ball up
and pull up. I'm talking about when the ball swings
(18:48):
to you. There were times, and I saw a few
of these instances where guys like Phinny Smith.
Speaker 1 (18:54):
Yes, yes, they drove it instead and they turn it over.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
Yeah, you know, like and that's where a lot of
the turnovers were coming from, as well as like, no,
take some more risk in terms of that ball swung
to you, shoot us three, even if it's a little contested,
rather than hey, let's drive it into the paint and
then we and then we lose it and turn it
over or throughout.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
Life, I love drives into the paint. I just like
drives into the paint, kick it out to the other side,
you know. I don't love out of control eli oops
that are going nowhere. And that's Finny Smith. Now Spencer
didn't what he had a ton of those yesterday. I
had not a ton, but he had that happened too
many times with him, Claxton. You got to be able
to either connect on that pass or pull up or
(19:36):
shoot it or.
Speaker 4 (19:36):
Kick it out. And they got they can again another
area they can do better. We've seen them play well.
Speaker 3 (19:43):
Philadelphia plays, you know, and embiide is intimidating there, but
their perimeter defense is not something you can't handle and
just just make smarter decisions. Yes, and that's turned it
over twenty times. And they, like you said before, they
got to be riskier on defense. They only turned it
over the Philadelphia seventy six is nine times and it
didn't seem like it was like at four or five
(20:05):
for the majority of the game. So they've got to
get more active on D and then be able to
you know, get the stops and get out and run.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
Let's talk Let's talk about mckel bridges, because there were
you know, for a stretch there he was just incredible,
I mean outstanding. You look at his first half numbers,
ten of sixteen from the floor, twenty three points and
only three turnovers at the time, which he's got the
ball in his hands a lot, so you know, all right,
(20:34):
three turnovers, but you know, his efficiency, his ability. They
were playing in beating a drop and Bridges was just
torching him right.
Speaker 1 (20:42):
And the net score fifty.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
Eight points in the first half, they're shooting sixty three percent.
Second half. Mckl bridges attempts two shots. Yeah, the whole
second half. He attempts one shot in the third quarter
of the game.
Speaker 1 (20:59):
Yeah. Uh, mckel bridges.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
We're excited about how good he is and how he's
going to another level, Like they've got to ride him
a little bit more. He could have you know, I
don't when you're looking at it, could you could you see?
Was that was there something that that's got away from
him or is it something that the Sixers were doing.
Obviously the Sixers knew going in the second half, we've
(21:25):
got to do something about mckel.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
Bridge exactly exactly, so they overplayed them more. But certainly
the Nets could have got him a lot more touches
and just played through them significantly more than they did
in that third quarter. You know, they weren't helping off
of him. They were going to stay attached there, trying
to be physical with him. He was brilliant in the
first half, so he was obviously what they talked about
at halftime but the Nets should have done a better
(21:48):
better job getting him free, getting him open, setting screens
for him, calling his number, and understanding that he really
had it going. And it's you know, unfortunate. And again,
you know it just sometimes the games that start getting
away from me, you know, and then you're you're in
the games to the flow of the game, and you know,
that's where you got to kind of understand.
Speaker 4 (22:10):
Listen, you know, that's when you got.
Speaker 3 (22:12):
To flat out call play for a guy, you know,
I mean, you can't let them have that much freedom.
You got to make sure you're getting the ball in
the hands of a guy like mckel bridges when he
has it, certainly when he has a game going like that.
Speaker 2 (22:23):
Yeah, and I think you know, there's about two minutes
to go in a third quarter, Nets are down seven.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
I mean, it's a it's a it's a game. It's
right there.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
And then the Nets didn't score for about five minutes
and Sixergen score a lot either. It was it was
the game was stuck for a while, but it was
like a ten nothing run. So it went from seven
to seventeen and then that was kind of it, you know,
like it hit that but it was that period of
like too and changed to go third quarter till about
the nine minute mark of the fourth quarter is where
(22:53):
the game kind of got out of hand. And that's
a point because you know, Nets couldn't score over that stretch.
So yeah, I think I think we talk about defensively
you got to do some things better, but offensively there
there was there was room. They left some points on
the board as well. All the time. You know, Nick
Claxton ends up with I think four field goal attempts
(23:15):
in the game because they just couldn't connect with him.
You know, he was there and and and that's got
to you know, Nick's got to be more involved offensively
as well.
Speaker 3 (23:24):
Absolutely, you saw that he there were times he got
behind Embid and it was there, but I mean it's
not an easy Embid is an outstanding interior defender.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
We know that.
Speaker 3 (23:33):
But the Nets they didn't have touch on the passes,
they didn't have a great feel. He didn't get involved.
He wasn't able to ever use his Yeah, you see
Claxton now he has the ability to use his speed
at times to go by and around guys and even
when you're not throwing them lots.
Speaker 4 (23:48):
No, he wasn't he wasn't much. You know, he's got
to be a bigger.
Speaker 3 (23:52):
Factor in the games, absolutely, and you know, I believe
in him offensively.
Speaker 4 (23:56):
Just they weren't able to connect over.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
The top, and you know, he wasn't involved enough just
in the mid post area where he can do some damage.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
Yeah, I think that's going to be an important, important thing.
Just they need they they gotta, they gotta.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
They left a lot of points on the board, like
they would say, with not being able to get the
ball to clax and and and and where Embiid is
going to start anchoring is going to be a big
key as to whether or not the nets can make
an impact in this series. Right, Can they get him
further from the basket? That'll help Claxton get some more stuff,
you know, can they ll start killing him in the
(24:31):
mid range a little bit more so that, you know,
because when he's back all the way, I mean, probably
how to move him, because then what happens is if
you're you know, you're talking about Bridges being able to
get it. We talked about Dinwoody getting in the paint
all the time. Bridges is able to get there too.
He's got to, you know, you know, the evolution of
Michel Bridges game. And we've talked about this or Jacque
won late in the season. The next the next level
(24:54):
for him is to be a passer, you know, I
mean think about it, looking at it. You know, had
that great first half. Yes they had one assist, you know,
and we talked about how you know he ends up
with that's it. Now I'm looking at the final box
one assist in the game for Michael Bridges and the
kind of you know, attention he's going to get, you know,
(25:15):
because a couple of times his turnovers would come when
he just he got a match up he wanted drove it,
got into the paint, but then help came and then
he ended up turning it over. Like I think there's
there's a room to make some plays off bridges penetration
because he can get now where he's showing you his bag,
he can get a lot of attention. He can get
anywhere he wants you on the floor right now. So
(25:37):
his ability to maybe give it up can open up
things a little bit more offensively.
Speaker 3 (25:43):
Well, I think yeah, I think the Sixers will pay
attention to him obviously, even at a higher level. I
think he could he could make more plays off the
pick and roll action because I especially if Mbid is
in the drop defense, because he's so adepted in mid range.
Speaker 4 (25:57):
It's so like it's a little like Kyrie and Kevin Durant.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
I mean, he gets in that fifteen foot mark and
you think it's going in all the time.
Speaker 4 (26:04):
So then that's ran a couple of things for him.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
That's what they ran out of a timeout, a dribble
handoff where he gets it, then Claxton sets the screen.
Speaker 4 (26:11):
That's the only you know, they can get that.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
Look they he's probably got to initiate a little bit more,
even with Claxton just playing out you know, high pick
and roll and see what make make Embiid make a
decision because at mid if he's in a drop I
trust Michel Bridges that in that mid range area, especially
when he hasn't gotten a whole lot of touches, and
if he goes into scoring, just give him the ball
(26:35):
and just let him.
Speaker 4 (26:36):
Let him make a play either by himself or with
the assistance of a screen.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
With Claxton, he had thirty yesterday again and it was easy.
I mean it was it was twelve of eighteen. I mean,
Bridges made it look easy. Another thirty points that he dropped.
I mean, this guy, I keep I keep waiting for
him to bump his head into the ceiling, and the
ceiling keeps going up and up. Michel Bridges, you know
(27:01):
what I mean. And I think I'm encouraged. I mean,
like I was a little down after Game one. I'm
going but I'm you know, listen, we talked about with
Iron Eagle on our pregame show yesterday on on Fan
was that you know that you go back and compare
four years ago when the Nets are in the same
playoff series in Philadelphia, but that group was kind of
(27:21):
waiting for the cavalry. You know, there was cap space
and there are rumors about star players coming, and maybe
that group had had bump bits head on the ceiling.
But this is a different group now. I think we're
looking at this group as more. They're just blossoming, they're
just starting. There's something growing here, so let's look at
(27:44):
what it is that you can build around. And I
think seeing Michel Bridges even in a loss, and and
I even love his leadership after the game because he
didn't even want to talk about his thirty I mean,
he was he was he was annoyed and he's like,
doesn't mean anything. We lost the game, So I think
those are the case, seeing how easy he can score,
seeing his leadership, seeing where he can still grow. I
(28:08):
you know that to me is I take out something
encouraging from game one?
Speaker 4 (28:12):
Absolutely?
Speaker 1 (28:13):
Absolutely?
Speaker 3 (28:14):
And you're really mean, what do you what do you
always say? And everybody says reputations. Reputations are made in
the playoffs and uh and Christmas parties too, by the way, Reputations.
Speaker 1 (28:24):
Can be office Christmas party, yeah they can. They can
be caring fire to the Christmas party.
Speaker 3 (28:29):
Yes, But I thought him is stepping in, stepping up,
going back to Philadelphia. That was impressive to watch what
he is. Listen, nobody's not impressed with you know. I mean,
I don't know impressed. But everybody feels that the Nets
have made the best of a tough situation this year,
and it's encouraging to watch guys grow. But you know something, Chris,
(28:54):
I can't marinate on that. Again, I can't marinate on
that right now. I'm I want to see a better
perform tomorrow night right.
Speaker 1 (29:01):
Game two, Yes, Game two, I.
Speaker 4 (29:04):
Want to see I want to see all those things
we were just talking about. I'm talking strategically.
Speaker 3 (29:08):
You could argue forever, but like you said, intent, effort, aggressiveness, approach,
risk taking. Well, this group, you know, I keep saying
that they are capable, and I'm that's what i want
to see. That's what I'm anxious about. And I'll after
the season is over, I'll say, you, boy, you know
what's the right addition to take. I'll tell you what
(29:30):
you really do? Evaluate guys. So I'm sure management and
that in playoffs too. We talked about reputations for star players.
How about for like, you know, guys you might want
to keep around or you're not really sure how you
you know, you know what contract you might sign them on?
Speaker 4 (29:46):
Contract? The playoffs make a big deal. That's a big,
big evaluation time.
Speaker 1 (29:51):
All right, very good, Capper.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
We'll do this after each game, and you know, sometimes
maybe we'll we'll react quickly. Sometimes we'll marinate a little bit,
like we said. But Game two is in Philly. That's
Monday night, April seventeenth, seven thirty Star. We get on
the air on our pregame coverage seven on the fan,
one on one nine FM, and we'll also be on
(30:15):
sixty six AM and of course the Brooklyn Nets app
series XM and all that kind of stuff. Capper, see
you back in Philly on Monday night for Game two
before the Nets and the Sixers. All right, all right,
that's the Capper, Tim Capstraw. I'm Chris Carrino. This has
been a special edition of the Voice of the Nets
reacting to Game one, looking ahead to Game two with
(30:37):
the Net Sixers series. We'll talk to you again next time.
Thanks for tuning in on the Voice of the Nets.
All right, it's the voice of the Nets.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
This is Game one Reaction Chris Carino and my longtime
radio partner Tim Kapstraw joining me and Caper. You know,
just like sometimes when you're hungry and you it's the
summertime and you got a little you know, a little
piece of chicken or something you throw that marinate on there,
and you're hungry, so you just you just cook it
up right away. Maybe it doesn't have as much flavor,
(00:32):
but if you're patient and you kind of let it
marinate for a few hours, you know, throw it to
the grill, the spices sink in a little bit. And
I think I feel like after Game one, we needed
to let the spices sink in a little bit and
really marinate on what we saw so that we can
kind of get rid of the initial knee jerk reaction
(00:55):
to things and break it down. And then we'll preview
a little bit game too, which is coming up, so
there'll be a small window here before this is released
and then we get game two happens. But I thought
we'd did a good job to bring you in and
let's see what marinated overnight.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Pepper.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
When you when you watch this thing, because because when
I watched it back, you know, I have a It's
hard when I'm doing play by play, I'm really focused
on describing the action and seeing everything that's going on,
the details that are going on, and I'm looking at
the stats and we're trying to tell the story, and
(01:30):
you're you're you're kind of looking at it more from
a you know, big picture standpoint and can analyze the game.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
But I don't.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
I feel like until I watch it back, I don't
I miss a lot of things. When you watched it back,
what are were some of the things that stood out
to you, Because on the surface, this looked like just
a twenty point loss against the team that.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
Was just a lot better. So what did you what
did you see?
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Well, first of all, I have a really good Guinness marinate,
you know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
That really worked for me overnight.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
I just want you to know that I have a
terrific I gift you the recipe to that.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
It's all about how you time the pouring of it.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
But it's a beautiful way to break down a game
or the timing of the game worked very well from
my Guinness.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
You know, Guinness will bring out the truth, to bring
out the truth. There's no doubt about it.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
They're not a sponsor, but they should be right. I
feel like they are.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
What stood out to me initially before you know, and I, uh,
you know, watch it again. It is not the entire game,
but certainly portions of the game was that in my mind,
I'm thinking, Okay, do the Nets have any kind of
chance in this series? Can they do things better than
they did yesterday? That's that's really all you can ask.
(02:49):
Can they be better than they were yesterday? And what
areas can they get better in one game? Because it's
Game two or the rest of the series. And I
thought there were areas that they could get better at.
And if they can get better and in different areas,
and you have the Sixers not make quite as many shots,
(03:12):
and maybe because you're in a little better positioning, they
don't make as many shots. And maybe if you're in
better positioning, maybe you force your body and into people better.
And you understand now the importance of rebounding. I think
they can do better. Does that mean they are winning
the series? I didn't say that. Does that mean they
(03:33):
can compete better than they did yesterday?
Speaker 4 (03:35):
I do believe that.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
I thought there are things, and there are areas, and
there are periods of the game where they shouldn't have
been beaten, and that's what they've got to clean up
to have a chance.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
When I watched it back, I just I was struck,
and I was struck at the time. How well the
Sixers played yesterday. I mean, I think they played extremely well.
I think you see what the Nets have tried to
do in recent weeks is what you can to take
the other team's best player out of the game to
the extent you can. You know, through the Nets have
used a lot of trapping and double teaming on the
(04:07):
other team's best player. In this case it was Joe
el Embiid and Sarah. I let other guys beat you,
other guys beat them. I mean Tobias Harris early set
of tone was making shots. And I thought James Harden
played extremely well and and his his three point barrage
at the end of the second quarter. Now that game
(04:29):
was a tight game and it didn't blow it open.
You know, they only had a nine point lead at
the half. But I thought that they're looking back at it,
I mean Harden was making contested threes.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
Yes, yes, they were not the kind you know, we're
talking so much about trapping and rotating and guys are
open or off of offensive rebounds.
Speaker 4 (04:50):
The amount of threes that the open.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
Threes that the Sixers are able to get, the hardened
ones were those basic Harden onto dribble, he's lining.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
Me up, he's eyeing the up and and then he's
let it fly.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
And we know that he can make them because he's
done that throughout his career, but we've also seen to
miss a decent amount and it really hasn't it's a
big part of his game still, but he was able
to make those three in a row at the end
of the second quarter.
Speaker 4 (05:15):
I thought that was a big deal. I thought there
were a lot of big deals along.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
I think, like I thought, the beginning of the second
quarter was a time where the Nets had to make
an impact on the game, and they didn't.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
I didn't.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
You know, you got your reserves, and the six of
the reserves are obviously aren't bad.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
In fact, they're good.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
But the Nets, well, you know, I think they have
some depth, they have players, and it came out and
I didn't. I thought they lost that area when Embiid
was not on the floor, when Harden was orchestrating with
four other reserves. They were beating the Nets. That shouldn't happen.
That's an area they've got to do. Nets played zone
during that time. I don't really I didn't know why.
(05:57):
I don't think they had to play zone. I think
that's a time when you can play a man and man.
I also don't know that you have to go after
James Harden and double team him Embiid. I totally understand,
and you better give him different. Here's the thing about
MB double teams, right, here's he knew you do NFL
every week of the year. I missed you on Sundays
(06:18):
all the time. But this is here's the thing. And
Beid was like a quarterback, knowing exactly where the blitz
was going to come from yesterday. So he got the
ball in the top of it in the fall line area.
He caught, and he saw the blitz coming and to trap, well,
in basketball there has to be a trap. Nets couldn't
(06:39):
even trap him. He got rid of the ball that quickly.
So if the first pass out of a trap is quick,
everything is in trouble then. So I think the Nets
got to shake it up with and they did. In
the second half, you saw them delaying. A couple of times,
they didn't double. A couple other times they delayed till
he put the ball on the deck, got into the paint.
Then they sent the defender I think, keeping him having
(07:02):
the same intent that you want to get it out
of his hands, but you've got to give him different
ways to look at it. Was he was like a
quarterback that knew exactly what the defense was going to
do from the start of the game. Don't get me wrong,
you've got a double team him an awful lot, but
you've got to disguise it a little bit better. Well,
and when you commit to it, it better be a
real trap. High hands, toe to toe into the body.
(07:25):
I know he's seven to.
Speaker 4 (07:26):
Two, but still make it a little more difficult to
just throw the ball direct.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Well, and here's the other part about when you trap,
it's a trap, meaning we trap the ball handler. And
then really where the effectiveness of a trap comes is
where's the other defenders? Because then it's the pass out
of the trap that a lot of time leads to trouble. Right,
that's a lot of time where either you're going to
(07:51):
get a steal, because that's what you're trying to do
You're trying to trap the guy into making kind of
a pressured decision and then you're going to get a
steal out of that.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
Right, you're making it up.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
I don't know that you necessarily you're just trying to
get the ball out of the MB.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Well, what I'm saying, my point is being is that
I think that you know, Jacques Ballin talked about this
before the game, and he talked about it again after me.
We have to be risk takers, right, he said, we
have to be risk takers. We're the underdog here. We're
going up against the MVP. We're going to get against
another a former MVP. Right, we've got to be risk takers.
(08:28):
And I felt like the Nets didn't take it. You
could say, well they turned it over all these times
they would taking a lot of risk. No, I'm talking
about defensively, the Nets didn't force a lot of turnovers.
And if a lot of times the pass out of
that double team is what was leading to the threes,
or it was leading to a lot of drible penetration
by the sixers.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
There wasn't you know there.
Speaker 4 (08:51):
Or rebounds or angles for offensive rebounds.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
Yeah, so like if if Embiid's going to get rid
of the ball and it's going to be Tyree's or
it's going to be James Harden it gets the next
pass and you're scrambling and they're going to beat off
the dribble, I'd rather see you at least go try
and steal the ball. You know, jump out in the
passing lane, know where it's going. You know, if you're
going to give up a drible penetration anyway, and that
(09:15):
leads to even an offensive rebound, like, let's go try
and make for some things to happen.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
Well, yeah, you want to be more aggressive, But again
it comes back to you can't be I think the
nets they did a little of this again in the
second half. You can't be so obvious that you're gonna
just on the catch of Embiid. Every time the double
team is coming from the crowded side of the floor.
Speaker 4 (09:37):
You see how they always.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Have an alignment of three guys on one side and
on one guy in a ball side corner. The trap
can't come from the ball side to corner. It comes
from where the three guys are. But I think you
got to mix again. If you don't mix up your timing.
If you don't have different looks, you can you know,
against that with that trap. Uh you know, I think
I think it's too easy for a quarterback like Embiid
(10:02):
to pick you apart and he can also repost and
get it back. You gotta have some variety in it.
You got to mix it up. On the hardened Embiid
ball screens pick and rolls. Now, there weren't a time.
There weren't even that many of them last night, yesterday afternoon.
But I think you got to give that different looks
also where you might switch it, but you might then
(10:23):
when the ball goes back to him, then double team.
You've got to have just variety and everybody's got to
be on the same page. That can keep the other
guys on the floor more at home at times they
can stay closer at home. And so they were rotating
so early that they had no angles to recover a
for dribble penetration, for three point shots, dribble penetration and
(10:44):
offensive rebounds.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
Yeah, and there was also a problem with it. What
they just kept doing with Embiid was repost. So yes,
you know, so Embiid would get it, the trap would come,
he get rid of it right away, and then the
trapper would scramble back, and now he'd get it right
back and then he was open he would drive it.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
Nah, this is some challenge. Don't get me wrong. I'm
not saying I got to answer. I'm just saying, you.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
Know, what was funny is that I I had to
I put out this this little clip during the week
and and it got a lot of a lot oft
traction because it got caught.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
Up in Philadelphia Twitter, you know.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
But it was basically because I had been watching that
game from back in February that they played, and it
was just one possession that just jumped out of me
and I said, wow, this is the way you have
to play, right And it was where and b got
it in the high post. They scrambled quickly over to
double and they did it the way you're talking about
high hands, really up into them and didn't what he
(11:36):
anticipated where the next pass was going to go, and
be turned it over and nets ran it got a
dunk on the other end, and you're and I'm like,
I put it out there saying all right, here's the formula,
you know, like not saying this is I see, this
is what's going to happen, or that this is going
to happen over and over again. No, it was it
was more of if the Nets are going to have success,
this is what it's got to look like. And they
(12:00):
you know it, but anyway, you know, kind of went
off the rails a little bit. Ah, God, that's what
it is. It's like, yeah, you know, that's that's what
it has to look like. And I feel like in
that game, the Nets clade, in that game in February
we're talking about when they were all together for the
first time, the Nets clade with a very excited energy
(12:21):
and nothing to lose kind of attitude. We all just
got together here, let's just go play, you know whatever,
off the wall here and just and I didn't see
that enough that you want to be you want to
be risk takers, you want to play with energy, you
want to double team and trap Nets have good individual defenders.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
You just got to go after it a little bit more.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
And if that's going to be fatiguing, well then maybe
you go into your bench a little bit more and
get some guys some rest here and there. But the
only way you're going to beat a team like the
Sixers when they're playing as well as they are. Is
if you do trap and recover and scramble and do
it with real energy and play hard, they just even
(12:59):
job bad after the game. That the second effort kind
of stuff that the second you know where you talk
about in defense, right, the possession doesn't end ntil it
is a misshot or a shot log, multiple multiple efforts.
It just there wasn't enough of that to win a
game on the road.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Against the team as good as a Sixers.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
Yeah, and you can just see, you know, you saw
it in the first minute of the play as PJ.
Tucker came in from the dunker spot and offensively got
a rebound. He physically went through everybody on the Nets
and got a rebound. He was able to get that.
I thought he was He's a problem, that guy, he's
a problem. But the Nets got to know that that's
what he's capable of doing. I don't know that the
(13:39):
rebounding part of it maybe surprise the Nets because the
Philadelphia hasn't been a team that's attacked the glass throughout
the year, and maybe maybe they thought they'd be scared
if they attacked and the Nets rebounded, they'd be able
to get out and run but the nets, the formula
they had for a team that likes to get back,
they only get eight and a half rebounds a game
(13:59):
offs rebounds a game was attack to Glass and PJ
Tucker and I think the net's got to be ready
for it, and I think it could. You know what
I'll be curious about. Also, will be matchups tomorrow. So
we saw a little bit different matchups to start the game.
First of all, I was very surprised looking at the
minutes Drian Finney Smith only played seventeen and a half
(14:21):
minutes in the game. I think his physicality. You asked
me who the X factor would be, and we've talked
about different people talking about his shooting. I think you
need his physicality on the floor for a longer period
of time. And I think and I and you know,
he was matched with Harden to start the game, right,
because obviously he can guard Harden. But if there's a
(14:42):
Harden and be pick and roll, he can then you know,
switch it and be physical enough with him be you know,
on February eleventh, Mickel Bridges had James Harden right, he
started off on him in the beginning of the game.
Speaker 4 (14:56):
You know, maybe there.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
Can be some adjustments in who's playing who. Maybe that
can help some and then between that, between strategy. But
I think you are so right. It's about attitude. There
are some things you can do coaching wise, but it's
an attitude and it's an approach. Like if you don't
meet PJ. Tucker or Tobias Harris is getting on the glass,
(15:17):
or Paul Reid comes in there and he's a problem
getting guys getting rebounds. Listen, you can accept embiid, you
can't accept other people in a dominant way. And you've
got to have an attitude and an edge about you
to give your It's only to give yourself a better
chance in this game.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
Well, you're talking about they ended up bringing in Royce O'Neil,
and he would pick up hard in full court and
get into him a little bit. You know, they have
a history going back to when in their days with
Houston and Utah and Royce O'Neil kind of made his
bones as a rookie in the league guarding James Harden
in the playoff series and kind of got that defensive reputation.
Maybe you need to do more of that, you know,
bringing in even we talked about late in the game
(16:02):
and Edmund Sumner just come in for a few minutes
and just.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
Just sort of nag James Harden a little bit. Get
into them.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Remember we saw a game, you know, a few years ago,
well right after the Hardened trade, and I know it's different.
Harden wasn't in great shape back that year, the first
year he went to Philadelphia. But remember what Kyrie Irving
did to him picking him up full court in a game, Like,
maybe you've got to do a little bit more to
bother James Harden.
Speaker 4 (16:29):
I you know, I don't disagree with that. I think
you got to do a little bit more of everything
you've got to.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
And you know something, we've seen this team, and we've
seen these guys individually and collectively as a group now
and we like them because they put they go hard,
and they have an aggressiveness and a positive attitude about them.
Speaker 4 (16:48):
And they're capable of better, that's all. You know.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
They're capable of being more physical, defending better. They're capable
of a little bit more mental if you want to
shake it up and do different different blitzes at times.
They're capable of meeting people outside the lane and hitting
first on blockouts. They're capable of five guys going to
(17:12):
get the ball. I'll be surprised if we don't see
I know this group. I'll be surprised if they don't
give you a more physical effort on the offensives on
the defensive side and rebounding the ball. Now, you can't
necessarily count on this NET team shooting the ball at
the level they did. It's not an effective field goal
(17:33):
percentage of sixty five percent, but you can expect them
not to turn the basketball over.
Speaker 4 (17:39):
Also, that's another part of it.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Well, that brings a couple of things, because there's a
couple of things with that is Number one, the Sixers
end up attempting nineteen more shots than the Nets. Yes,
and that's because of offensive rebounding, where the Sixers had
fourteen of them turnovers. The Nets had twenty turnovers in
the game. And you know the the Nets.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
You know you said the effective field goal persented.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
Yes, they shot it well, but they had fourteen fewer
three point attempts, yes, than the Sixers in the game.
And yes, you may shoot a higher percentage. Nets need
to take more threes. Like that part I think about
being risk takers. You know there were times the Nets
(18:26):
played very conservatively early on. And what I mean conservatively
is the ball be swung to a shooter and right
there put up a quick three. If you're Dorian Phinney Smith,
you're Royce O'Neill, you gotta you get that off rotation.
I'm not talking about when you walk the ball up
and pull up. I'm talking about when the ball swings
(18:48):
to you. There were times, and I saw a few
of these instances where guys like Phinny Smith.
Speaker 1 (18:54):
Yes, yes, they drove it instead and they turn it over.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
Yeah, you know, like and that's where a lot of
the turnovers were coming from, as well as like, no,
take some more risk in terms of that ball swung
to you, shoot us three, even if it's a little contested,
rather than hey, let's drive it into the paint and
then we and then we lose it and turn it
over or throughout.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
Life, I love drives into the paint. I just like
drives into the paint, kick it out to the other side,
you know. I don't love out of control eli oops
that are going nowhere. And that's Finny Smith. Now Spencer
didn't what he had a ton of those yesterday. I
had not a ton, but he had that happened too
many times with him, Claxton. You got to be able
to either connect on that pass or pull up or
(19:36):
shoot it or.
Speaker 4 (19:36):
Kick it out. And they got they can again another
area they can do better. We've seen them play well.
Speaker 3 (19:43):
Philadelphia plays, you know, and embiide is intimidating there, but
their perimeter defense is not something you can't handle and
just just make smarter decisions. Yes, and that's turned it
over twenty times. And they, like you said before, they
got to be riskier on defense. They only turned it
over the Philadelphia seventy six is nine times and it
didn't seem like it was like at four or five
(20:05):
for the majority of the game. So they've got to
get more active on D and then be able to
you know, get the stops and get out and run.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
Let's talk Let's talk about mckel bridges, because there were
you know, for a stretch there he was just incredible,
I mean outstanding. You look at his first half numbers,
ten of sixteen from the floor, twenty three points and
only three turnovers at the time, which he's got the
ball in his hands a lot, so you know, all right,
(20:34):
three turnovers, but you know, his efficiency, his ability. They
were playing in beating a drop and Bridges was just
torching him right.
Speaker 1 (20:42):
And the net score fifty.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
Eight points in the first half, they're shooting sixty three percent.
Second half. Mckl bridges attempts two shots. Yeah, the whole
second half. He attempts one shot in the third quarter
of the game.
Speaker 1 (20:59):
Yeah. Uh, mckel bridges.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
We're excited about how good he is and how he's
going to another level, Like they've got to ride him
a little bit more. He could have you know, I
don't when you're looking at it, could you could you see?
Was that was there something that that's got away from
him or is it something that the Sixers were doing.
Obviously the Sixers knew going in the second half, we've
(21:25):
got to do something about mckel.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
Bridge exactly exactly, so they overplayed them more. But certainly
the Nets could have got him a lot more touches
and just played through them significantly more than they did
in that third quarter. You know, they weren't helping off
of him. They were going to stay attached there, trying
to be physical with him. He was brilliant in the
first half, so he was obviously what they talked about
at halftime but the Nets should have done a better
(21:48):
better job getting him free, getting him open, setting screens
for him, calling his number, and understanding that he really
had it going. And it's you know, unfortunate. And again,
you know it just sometimes the games that start getting
away from me, you know, and then you're you're in
the games to the flow of the game, and you know,
that's where you got to kind of understand.
Speaker 4 (22:10):
Listen, you know, that's when you got.
Speaker 3 (22:12):
To flat out call play for a guy, you know,
I mean, you can't let them have that much freedom.
You got to make sure you're getting the ball in
the hands of a guy like mckel bridges when he
has it, certainly when he has a game going like that.
Speaker 2 (22:23):
Yeah, and I think you know, there's about two minutes
to go in a third quarter, Nets are down seven.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
I mean, it's a it's a it's a game. It's
right there.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
And then the Nets didn't score for about five minutes
and Sixergen score a lot either. It was it was
the game was stuck for a while, but it was
like a ten nothing run. So it went from seven
to seventeen and then that was kind of it, you know,
like it hit that but it was that period of
like too and changed to go third quarter till about
the nine minute mark of the fourth quarter is where
(22:53):
the game kind of got out of hand. And that's
a point because you know, Nets couldn't score over that stretch.
So yeah, I think I think we talk about defensively
you got to do some things better, but offensively there
there was there was room. They left some points on
the board as well. All the time. You know, Nick
Claxton ends up with I think four field goal attempts
(23:15):
in the game because they just couldn't connect with him.
You know, he was there and and and that's got
to you know, Nick's got to be more involved offensively
as well.
Speaker 3 (23:24):
Absolutely, you saw that he there were times he got
behind Embid and it was there, but I mean it's
not an easy Embid is an outstanding interior defender.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
We know that.
Speaker 3 (23:33):
But the Nets they didn't have touch on the passes,
they didn't have a great feel. He didn't get involved.
He wasn't able to ever use his Yeah, you see
Claxton now he has the ability to use his speed
at times to go by and around guys and even
when you're not throwing them lots.
Speaker 4 (23:48):
No, he wasn't he wasn't much. You know, he's got
to be a bigger.
Speaker 3 (23:52):
Factor in the games, absolutely, and you know, I believe
in him offensively.
Speaker 4 (23:56):
Just they weren't able to connect over.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
The top, and you know, he wasn't involved enough just
in the mid post area where he can do some damage.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
Yeah, I think that's going to be an important, important thing.
Just they need they they gotta, they gotta.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
They left a lot of points on the board, like
they would say, with not being able to get the
ball to clax and and and and where Embiid is
going to start anchoring is going to be a big
key as to whether or not the nets can make
an impact in this series. Right, Can they get him
further from the basket? That'll help Claxton get some more stuff,
you know, can they ll start killing him in the
(24:31):
mid range a little bit more so that, you know,
because when he's back all the way, I mean, probably
how to move him, because then what happens is if
you're you know, you're talking about Bridges being able to
get it. We talked about Dinwoody getting in the paint
all the time. Bridges is able to get there too.
He's got to, you know, you know, the evolution of
Michel Bridges game. And we've talked about this or Jacque
won late in the season. The next the next level
(24:54):
for him is to be a passer, you know, I
mean think about it, looking at it. You know, had
that great first half. Yes they had one assist, you know,
and we talked about how you know he ends up
with that's it. Now I'm looking at the final box
one assist in the game for Michael Bridges and the
kind of you know, attention he's going to get, you know,
(25:15):
because a couple of times his turnovers would come when
he just he got a match up he wanted drove it,
got into the paint, but then help came and then
he ended up turning it over. Like I think there's
there's a room to make some plays off bridges penetration
because he can get now where he's showing you his bag,
he can get a lot of attention. He can get
anywhere he wants you on the floor right now. So
(25:37):
his ability to maybe give it up can open up
things a little bit more offensively.
Speaker 3 (25:43):
Well, I think yeah, I think the Sixers will pay
attention to him obviously, even at a higher level. I
think he could he could make more plays off the
pick and roll action because I especially if Mbid is
in the drop defense, because he's so adepted in mid range.
Speaker 4 (25:57):
It's so like it's a little like Kyrie and Kevin Durant.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
I mean, he gets in that fifteen foot mark and
you think it's going in all the time.
Speaker 4 (26:04):
So then that's ran a couple of things for him.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
That's what they ran out of a timeout, a dribble
handoff where he gets it, then Claxton sets the screen.
Speaker 4 (26:11):
That's the only you know, they can get that.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
Look they he's probably got to initiate a little bit more,
even with Claxton just playing out you know, high pick
and roll and see what make make Embiid make a
decision because at mid if he's in a drop I
trust Michel Bridges that in that mid range area, especially
when he hasn't gotten a whole lot of touches, and
if he goes into scoring, just give him the ball
(26:35):
and just let him.
Speaker 4 (26:36):
Let him make a play either by himself or with
the assistance of a screen.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
With Claxton, he had thirty yesterday again and it was easy.
I mean it was it was twelve of eighteen. I mean,
Bridges made it look easy. Another thirty points that he dropped.
I mean, this guy, I keep I keep waiting for
him to bump his head into the ceiling, and the
ceiling keeps going up and up. Michel Bridges, you know
(27:01):
what I mean. And I think I'm encouraged. I mean,
like I was a little down after Game one. I'm
going but I'm you know, listen, we talked about with
Iron Eagle on our pregame show yesterday on on Fan
was that you know that you go back and compare
four years ago when the Nets are in the same
playoff series in Philadelphia, but that group was kind of
(27:21):
waiting for the cavalry. You know, there was cap space
and there are rumors about star players coming, and maybe
that group had had bump bits head on the ceiling.
But this is a different group now. I think we're
looking at this group as more. They're just blossoming, they're
just starting. There's something growing here, so let's look at
(27:44):
what it is that you can build around. And I
think seeing Michel Bridges even in a loss, and and
I even love his leadership after the game because he
didn't even want to talk about his thirty I mean,
he was he was he was annoyed and he's like,
doesn't mean anything. We lost the game, So I think
those are the case, seeing how easy he can score,
seeing his leadership, seeing where he can still grow. I
(28:08):
you know that to me is I take out something
encouraging from game one?
Speaker 4 (28:12):
Absolutely?
Speaker 1 (28:13):
Absolutely?
Speaker 3 (28:14):
And you're really mean, what do you what do you
always say? And everybody says reputations. Reputations are made in
the playoffs and uh and Christmas parties too, by the way, Reputations.
Speaker 1 (28:24):
Can be office Christmas party, yeah they can. They can
be caring fire to the Christmas party.
Speaker 3 (28:29):
Yes, But I thought him is stepping in, stepping up,
going back to Philadelphia. That was impressive to watch what
he is. Listen, nobody's not impressed with you know. I mean,
I don't know impressed. But everybody feels that the Nets
have made the best of a tough situation this year,
and it's encouraging to watch guys grow. But you know something, Chris,
(28:54):
I can't marinate on that. Again, I can't marinate on
that right now. I'm I want to see a better
perform tomorrow night right.
Speaker 1 (29:01):
Game two, Yes, Game two, I.
Speaker 4 (29:04):
Want to see I want to see all those things
we were just talking about. I'm talking strategically.
Speaker 3 (29:08):
You could argue forever, but like you said, intent, effort, aggressiveness, approach,
risk taking. Well, this group, you know, I keep saying
that they are capable, and I'm that's what i want
to see. That's what I'm anxious about. And I'll after
the season is over, I'll say, you, boy, you know
what's the right addition to take. I'll tell you what
(29:30):
you really do? Evaluate guys. So I'm sure management and
that in playoffs too. We talked about reputations for star players.
How about for like, you know, guys you might want
to keep around or you're not really sure how you
you know, you know what contract you might sign them on?
Speaker 4 (29:46):
Contract? The playoffs make a big deal. That's a big,
big evaluation time.
Speaker 1 (29:51):
All right, very good, Capper.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
We'll do this after each game, and you know, sometimes
maybe we'll we'll react quickly. Sometimes we'll marinate a little bit,
like we said. But Game two is in Philly. That's
Monday night, April seventeenth, seven thirty Star. We get on
the air on our pregame coverage seven on the fan,
one on one nine FM, and we'll also be on
(30:15):
sixty six AM and of course the Brooklyn Nets app
series XM and all that kind of stuff. Capper, see
you back in Philly on Monday night for Game two
before the Nets and the Sixers. All right, all right,
that's the Capper, Tim Capstraw. I'm Chris Carrino. This has
been a special edition of the Voice of the Nets
reacting to Game one, looking ahead to Game two with
(30:37):
the Net Sixers series. We'll talk to you again next time.
Thanks for tuning in on the Voice of the Nets.
Host
Chris Carrino
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