Brooklyn Nets
The truth is that being a longtime NJ/Brooklyn Nets fan and ex-season ticket holder gives me a very good vantage point on how to explain exactly how bad things were the last year in New Jersey for the Nets at the Prudential Center and what to expect this coming season in Brooklyn.
Is Brooklyn going to solve all of the Nets problems and will this “brand new” roster be able to pull together quickly and surprise the East and be a top four seed?
These are all good questions that all Nets fans want to know.
The stats below are quite glaring when we look at the Nets last season is New Jersey as injuries decimated this team more than any team in the NBA with over 200 player games missed due an assortment of injuries. The Nets were a walking wounded bunch (three players to season ending leg injuries) all last year and had to call up four D-League players at certain points just to be able to field a team.
Think hard for one moment and contemplate a 66 game season and a team having over 200 player games missed.
As per TeamRankings.com the stats for the Nets last year are staggering as seen below.
Defense – Ranked 24th – Team defense was horrendous due to lack of talent and injuries
Rebounding – Ranked 26th – Kris Humphries could not do it alone with Brook Lopez out all year.
Steals – Ranked 19th – Gerald Wallace had a big impact on them in a short period of time with the team.
Turnovers Ranked 19th – Each time they finally made a comeback a turnover short circuited the run.
Three-point FG’s against – Ranked 30th – Worst in NBA by far as no one was comfortable on the floor defensively.
Offense – Ranked 24th – Despite having to use flotsam and jetsam of a roster they still scored enough.
Leadership – Deron Williams could only do so much as he played with a different lineup every night (21 total).
Coaching – Avery Johnson did the best job he could playing with a glorified D-League time at times.
So what will make the “new” Nets to be different this year?
The roster is completely different and full of talent at each position as the starters and the bench now look like a balanced and playoff worthy team. The coach now has a compliment of talent to run his sets and begin to become a deep and talented defensive team along with a winning attitude.
The additions of a signed Williams, newly acquired All Star Joe Johnson, resigning gritty “do-it-all” All Star Wallace, reigning rebounding machine Humphries, resigning Lopez as well as filling out the bench with Euro League leading scorer Mirza Teletovic , CJ Watson, Reggie Evans, Keith Bogans, Josh Childress, Andray Batche , MarShon Brooks, draftees Tyshawn Taylor and Toko Shengalia will change everything.
Last reason the Nets will be a contender – The OWNER
Mikhail Prokhorov told reporters on Friday, at the Barclays Center’s ribbon-cutting ceremony, that he still believes the Nets will win a title by 2015 and guaranteed a trip to the playoffs in 2013. This from the man who thinks paying luxury tax is like paying his credit card bill. No big deal.
“For me, there’s only one place: number one,” Prokhorov said Friday inside his team’s brand-new home, Barclays Center, in Brooklyn. “And I do my best to reach the championship. “We’re moving on … slowly, slowly, step by step. It’s easy to make a strong team, but it’s very difficult to make a championship team. So we’re on the right way. And still, I’m expecting our championship within three years.”
This is NOT the “Same Old Nets”so wipe your memories clean and watch the REVOLUTION as training camp is coming quickly.
