The Brooklyn Nets finished the preseason with a dismal record of 1-5. We had a handful of blowout losses and a couple of close losses. Despite the losses, there was a team on the floor that fans could get behind. There were players that were performing well and had potential.
There are a few things the Nets taught us fans this preseason and they should transfer over to the regular season. At the same time, the regular season usually differs mightily from the preseason, so maybe things will change. But for now…
Jeremy Lin is Really Good at Basketball
Jeremy Lin was an absolute monster this preseason. The face of the franchise averaged 17.2 points while shooting an incredible 61.9% from the field, which includes a 50% average from three-point range. Needless to say, Lin got the ball, shot the ball, and, more often than not, scored the ball.
When Lin was not scoring himself, he was usually responsible for his team mate scoring the ball. Lin had a solid average of 5.6 assists per game. He did not rebound too well, 2 a game, but he did force turnovers. Lin had 1.4 steals a game.
Lin got the ball and made things happen.
If Lin can continue to make things happen and possibly reincarnate Linsanity, Brooklyn will be a really fun place to be. Lin sustaining a 62% shot form the field and 50% from range will be a challenge. His minutes will most certainly increase, only at 23 a game in the preseason, which will result in more shots and more points and more assists and more stats across the board.
Luis Scola Was A Great Acquisition
The Argentinean had a very solid preseason. He averaged 9,4 points a game on 38.5% shooting which includes a 31.6% average from long range. He did not shoot well but he got the ball in the Net and produced elsewhere on the floor.
Scola was a contributor all over the floor. He got 5.0 rebounds a game and 3.4 assists a game. On top of that, Scola averaged a stellar 1.4 steals a game. Scola is a fighter and a tough guy who will fight for the ball.
He may not have the best shot, but he has really good heart and passion. Scola will be a solid scorer for this team, but, he will have a larger influence as a leader and as a consistent role player.
He will fight and fight and fight. He wants to win.
The Brooklyn Nets Are Not That Good
Even though there were good things about this preseason, at the end of the day, the team did not perform at the level the team needs to in order to emerge victorious.
The Nets finished at 1-5 and had a awful point differential of -61. That means we lost all five games by an average of 12.2.
If the Nets want to have a respectable record, they need to not get outscored and beaten by double digits almost every night. They need to have heart and play tough and compete .
There are good players, there is potential, but as of now, the Nets are not good and we all knew that.
30 wins is a very good possibility and fans should look forward to watching this team. They have young talent, good veteran presence, and stars in Jeremy Lin and Brook Lopez.
We won’t be very good but we will be very fun.
We Are Not A Bad Offense
The Nets are not good but they can certainly score. Brooklyn averaged 101 points a game trough their six preseason games. Their shooting was not too good as they averaged about 42%, but they found ways to score.
Jeremy Lin is a clear leader on offense whether it be through scoring or through dishing. Brook Lopez will finalize the Brook-Lin combination all game long. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Trevor Booker and Bojan Bogdanovic and Joe Harris will all get what is theirs and will be able to shoot the ball and drive to the net.
The role players and stars are all not afraid to shoot and try and score on you. They may not make it the first time they try, but they will keep fighting and points will be scored.
If this team can continue to average 101 points a game in the regular season, we will have an accomplished season.
I say accomplished because we are projected to be terrible this year, bottom of the NBA, and even ESPN is saying that we have the third worst roster in sports so there is nowhere to go but up.
We may not have a great roster on paper, but paper is nothing. It is what happens on the floor that matters. The floor may not give us the ultimate team, but it will give us a team that has fun and gets along.
It will be a refreshing season here in Brook-Lin and fans should be excited for the present and the future.
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