Brooklyn Nets: “Kidd”ing Like Jason! 3 Lessons!

Breaking News to Brooklyn’s Finest! The Brooklyn Nets are not good…they’re awful. The Nets lost their fourth straight game (all together now…AND COUNTING!) to the Milwaukee Bucks 103-96. The same Bucks team that got housed by the New York Knicks by 30 points on opening night. The same team being coached by former Nets coach Jason Kidd, who left after an ugly situation unfolded. The Bucks team that was on the same winless, sinking ship the Nets are still on.

Only the Milwaukee Bucks got in a lifeboat and paddled away.

To put this in perspective, the story of the game was the stoppage in play for a pickle being thrown on the floor, and former U.S. President, Mr. Bill Clinton gracing everyone’s presence with an appearance at the game.

But he was there watching the game with Bucks owner, Marc Lasry.

The “Greek Freak” Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 21 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Greg Monroe dominated the middle (more on this later) scoring 23 points and snatching 13 rebounds. Jerryd Bayless started for the Bucks and torched the Nets for 26 points, 18 of those coming by way of the three-ball.

Brooklyn was paced by Brook Lopez who accumulated 18 points and nine rebounds while Jarret Jack scored 15. For the total recap, check out Tim Oakes piece on Brooklyn’s Finest.. As always, it’s a informative read.

Here are the three lessons that I learned:

1) I’m not sure if Donald Sloan can play defense, but it might be time we all found out.

Folks, let me tell you something. When the Brooklyn Nets allow Jerryd Bayless to match the entire basketball team with a career high six three pointers, this qualifies as a problem. In my last “Three Lessons Learned” piece, I mentioned that I thought opposing point guards were chartering limos just to get Jarrett Jack to the games.

Now I think teams are going to take him to dinner afterwards with flowers on the table.

Bayless shot 60% from deep. Sixty Percent. When does it click in the mind of the Nets that he’s got it going? Michael Carter Williams was in foul trouble most of the game and had an off night. Greivis Vasquez had eight assists, but hit as many shots as I did writing this piece and you guys reading it.

I figured this might be a problem in the off-season, and I am going to say it here. Jarrett Jack is not the point guard of the future for the Nets, and after this season his contract is only partially guaranteed for the next year. This is not saying that Jack is selfish and playing for himself because that’s not the case, but he is playing for his next contract. He needs to get numbers, no matter how empty they are. Jarrett Jack is killing the Nets on the defensive end. Opposing guards are either having career nights or sparking runs that the Nets can’t recover from.

I could talk about the offensive side of the ball, but five turnovers to four assists says it all.

2) Brook Lopez got manhandled by Greg Monroe.

Hello Brook Lopez. This is Ronald Agers, columnist at Brooklyn’s Finest, your best choice for all Brooklyn Nets news, previews and reviews. I have a warning for you…

Get used to nights like you had against Milwaukee.

Granted you got 18 points in the game and nine rebounds, but you got pounded on. Greg Monroe dominated the paint and got you in foul trouble. Hitting five jumpers out of the six baskets that you had in the game is not going to get it done. Thaddeus Young is a good player, but he going to be undersized on most nights. The shooters on this team will continue to struggle unless you get in the post, command the double team consistently, play strong, and move the ball to create open shots for others.

Go to Lionel Hollins with this proposal. You tell him that Thaddeus Young needs to be at the high post and you need to be down low. Then after he does it (because it needs to be done), you need to get tough and stop letting the Zach Randolphs, Marc Gasols and Greg Monroes of the world push you around. Because that’s what is happening to you. Oh, by the way, the Nets play Atlanta next. Do you remember what you did to them? Do you remember how you did it? Yep, in the low post.

Oh yeah, one more tiny piece of advice….STOP SHOOTING THREES!

3) Lionel Hollins made a serious coaching error in this game.

Brook Lopez got his fifth foul with five minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Lionel Hollins sat him down. Lionel Hollins and Brook Lopez watched together as the Nets stopped scoring. They only scored one field goal in the last five minutes of the game. Lopez was finally inserted back into the game with 19 seconds left when the game was over.

When asked by the reporters did he regret the decision he says…

“Not really.”

Okay, let me get this straight. You don’t regret sitting your best offensive player on the bench while watching the rest of the team pile up enough bricks to build a new wing at the Barclays Center. Lopez had five fouls, but he is a veteran. You have to believe that he will be able to stay on the floor in that situation. What do you have to lose? Your team has zero wins. Plus if he fouls out, at least the team left everything out on the floor. The fans felt cheated and they have every right to be feel that way.

I like Lionel Hollins a lot, but if he keeps making decisions like this, the Nets are in for a long season. I mean maybe worse than the 12-70 squad. It’s really difficult to be outcoached by Jason Kidd, but you found a way to do it.

Here’s what I learned…NOW LEARN FROM THIS!

Herb Turetzky scored his 2000th game for the Nets. People really need to stop and fully understand this accomplishment. There are 82 games in a NBA season. I don’t have a calculator in front of me, but I do know he didn’t take many nights off. He provided excellence on a consistent basis at a job that goes unnoticed and unappreciated at NBA games across the league.

Brooklyn’s Finest salutes Herb Turetzky.