In Irving’s Debut, Nets Resuscitated By New Death Lineup In Victory Over Tired and Depleted Pacers
Wednesday was a night for Nets debuts.
The major one was, of course, Kyrie Irving’s first game of the season. The superstar point guard, who is still unvaccinated and therefore ineligible to play games at Barclays Center, found his rhythm in the second half and helped visiting Brooklyn overcome a 19-point deficit to defeat a COVID-19 depleted Pacers squad playing on the back end of a back-to-back, 129-121.
Irving and Kevin Durant combined to score 18 points in the fourth quarter, the last 8:39 of which was played with the Nets using a just unveiled 5-man configuration that followed the principles of the “Death Lineup” from Durant’s former Warriors years.
The Nets’ version had James Harden as the de facto big man guarding Indiana star Domantas Sabonis, with Durant, Irving, Patty Mills and unsung hero DeAndre’ Bembry flying around on the defensive end to contest Pacers shots during the decisive 25-11 run.
Bembry, who was benched until midway through the third quarter because Head Coach Steve Nash wanted to experiment with two-way player David Duke Jr. (Not a horrible idea over the course of a long, arduous regular season, but here’s a tip: Just because a player shines in garbage time, it doesn’t mean they deserve to start the next game), changed the Nets’ mindset with his physicality as soon as he entered the contest, embracing a Draymond Green-type role on defense. In just 20 minutes, Bembry registered 5 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks.
In no way does Bembry possess Green’s skills as a playmaker, but he’s an excellent finisher in the restricted area (72.5%), per NBA.com. He converted all five of Wednesday’s field goal attempts, three during his time in the fourth quarter’s small-ball lineup. I’m guessing the Nets will guarantee his contract this season come Friday.
In my last Nets post, I implored Nash to minimize the minutes where the Nets played multiple non-shooters like Bembry together on the court as it seemed like their stars’ frustrations from navigating a clogged paint was impacting their defensive effort. Unfortunately, Nash didn’t take heed in Wednesday’s first half, as an Indiana squad utilizing a G-League backcourt and rejuvenated Lance Stephenson, who had been out of the league since 2019 and was pulled back in only because of the COVID-19 pandemic, put up an unconscionable 73 points to take a 13-point lead into the break. For the game, the starting duo of center Nic Claxton and Duke Jr. shared the floor for 13.5 minutes, during which the Nets were outscored, 33-26.
The Nets’ discomfort in these lineups was obvious, so Nash threw another one at the wall in an attempt to end Brooklyn’s three-game losing streak--and this time it stuck. The open question is whether this small-ball strategy can work over the long haul.
Offensively, I have no doubt that the Nets will be able to terrorize any and all opponents, more so when wing Joe Harris returns from his left ankle injury, possibly this month. With four shooters on the floor and Bembry cutting into open areas, the middle tends to be wide open for the supreme talents of Brooklyn’s Big 3. It could even be effective in home games sans Kyrie. with Mills and Harris spacing the floor for KD and Harden.
It's on the other end, however, where I have doubts. Maybe this was simply a well-thought trick played by Nash for one night-only to give his guys a boot in the rear, since the mismatches forced them into scramble mode throughout the shot clock. Whereas the first three quarters were littered with effortless rotations out to Indiana’s three-point shooters, the Nets did a better job, though far from perfect, of getting out to contest those looks. After starting out 13-for-30 (43.3%) from three-point land, the Pacers misfired on all nine of their fourth quarter attempts.
Again, though, this was Indiana, not Milwaukee, Friday’s opponent back in Brooklyn. Sabonis is a beast, but Giannis Antetokounmpo is a more freakish animal. He can just step around Harden and dunk it every time he receives the ball within 10 feet of the basket.
Defensive rebounding will also be an issue. The Nets were extremely fortunate to come away with 80% of the available boards in the fourth quarter outside of one harried sequence where Indiana misfired on three straight three-pointers before Sabonis laid one in. Better opponents will surely bludgeon Brooklyn’s undersized defenders on the glass in future outings.
Without Irving and Harris on Friday, though, the Nets don’t even possess four quality shooters to play that style in crunch time, so we probably won’t see it again until the Nets travel to Portland and Chicago next week.
Either way, I think it’s time to send Claxton back to a reserve role. Brooklyn (24-12, No. 2 in the Eastern Conference) is just 6-5 in games he’s started after eking out Wednesday’s victory. To regurgitate more from Tuesday’s post: Get LaMarcus Aldridge back with the starters and give me a little more Cam Thomas off the bench.
To misappropriate a historical quote: Give me more Nets shooters on the court, or give me death.