When the Brooklyn Nets upped the stakes this January by signing James Harden to their studded lineup of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, the basketball world held its breath. The trade hinted at a few issues. First and foremost, the Nets need a championship—or even a division title.
Second, the decision to take on Harden from the Rockets left a lot of possibilities. In the best-case scenario, Harden would fall in line with the killer offense to offer both support and leadership. Worst case scenario, he might attempt to steer the reigns ineffectively.
Two months later, Harden had found his place on the offense—and the Nets once again pushed for a star roster when they signed Blake Griffin. The news gave pundits plenty to chew on halfway through the season. Usually, during a regular-season start in October, pundits take an early look at how a star-studded lineup is shaping up on the court.
After all, major talents don’t always gel as teammates, exemplified in Harden’s last run in Houston alongside Chris Paul and Dwight Howard. But in other cases, like Kobe and Shaq’s early 2000s Lakers team, that tension can fuel greatness. For leading analysts who provide NBA betting tips, understanding inter-team dynamics is one crucial way to predict how a team will perform.
As for the Nets, it looks like Steve Nash has the killer offense they meticulously built with January’s Harden signing and March’s Griffin signing. The team isn’t just living up to the hype, but giving all basketball fans a roster worth following closely. So, what’s keeping the Nets from taking the eastern conference? Defense.
A Strong Start
After trading future draft picks to create one of the most hyped offensive trios the NBA has seen in recent history, the Nets didn’t disappoint. Harden quickly fell into a supporting position, balancing 25 points per game in the first half of the season along with 8 rebounds and 11 assists.
Irving took the reigns prior to the All-Star break to account for Durant’s 18-game absence and currently leads the team with an average of 25 points per game. In their February 15 game against the Kings, the team posted a three-point field goal franchise record. That same month, the team posted a 9-4 record, which greatly improved on their 3-2 and 10-7 records in December and January, respectively.
Despite Durant’s hamstring injury in mid-February, the Nets have kept their offensive momentum going. Though Harden recently injured his hamstring and is now out on the injured reserve, Durant’s still clearly looking for a Finals run this year.
Questions for Defense
Sitting second in the Atlantic East Division, Nash’s star-studded roster is chalking up to be the lethal team he traded ample first-round options for when acquiring Harden from the Rockets. Given the team’s promising offense and their league-leading three-pointer percentages, it’s not a hugely pressing issue—until the playoffs, at least.
The Nets are lagging behind in the league’s defensive efficiency ratings, and top competitors in the Eastern Conference like the Bucks and the 76ers will take full advantage of breakdowns in the box. It seems Nash’s method to curb these weaknesses is…. more offense.
So far this season, Durant, Irving, and Harden have played less than 200 minutes together. Given their ability to gel, it’s likely the trio will continue to build a dynasty, especially with Griffin serving as a depth player as a power forward and center.
The Nets may have traded away defensive players like Jarrett Allen, but they’re now banking on transferring their offensive cohesion into their defense. So far, there are glimpses that this could work, like Harden drawing an offensive foul from Kawhi Leonard to defeat the Clippers in late February.
So, how will the Nets develop their defense? With the basics, it seems—and a little extra elbow grease. The Nets have their offensive rhythm down pat, which gives them more time to focus on how they move as a defensive unit. If a team can’t score, the necessity for a strong defense is critical—but with a trifecta of offensive power (and Joe Harris’s three-pointer average), the Nets can afford to build their defense brick by brick.
