Sean Marks has had quite a run since taking over as Nets General Manager in February 2016. Unfortunately, when the pace quickened to a sprint to the NBA Championship finish line, his team has fallen behind the pack. With Brooklyn on the verge of elimination in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals after a disheartening 109-103 home defeat against Boston on Saturday night, it’s time for Marks to stand up and be held accountable.
I usually agree with your takes full bore. You completely missed the mark on this one. The Nash decision is the only one that he can be blamed for and even that can be reasoned away by the fact that he has had to coach under crazy circumstances. Blaming Marks for Mills having to play too many minutes? That’s pretty unfair I think. Revisionist history is easy pickings …
I agree there is a lot of blame on Sean Marks. The roster construction was always somewhat baffling. With Blake Griffin and Aldridge both playing exclusively at Center last season, Marks was well aware that he was going into this season with 4 centers on the roster in Claxton, Aldridge, Griffin, and Sharpe. Then in a trade he brings back Drummond. So now five centers? Why? And how many backup PFs (zero)? How many back up PG (1ish)?
Historically the two most important bench pieces for any playoff team are a backup PG and a stretch PF that can play big. If a team goes with a tight 7 man rotation the two bench pieces are always PG and PF. Yet, somehow Marks completely overlooked this.
Crazier yet, the Nets do not have a PG in their starting 5. I guess you can say Harden was supposed to be the PG, and Simmons was to be the replacement next season; but when the Harden trade happen, Marks did not fill the PG gap whatsoever. What team plays with no PG?!?
It is so clear that the one of the main problems for the Nets is no PG on the floor. The Celtics pressure, and the Nets fall apart. Any halfway decent PG could at least steady the roster. Instead the Nets panic and turn it over time and time again. Oh how I wish Sherman Douglas was still on the bench.
Moreover, it is clear now that Nash is way over his head. You can, and you do, blame Marks for bringing Nash to Brooklyn, but you also have to blame Nash as well.
The roster rotations are just baffling. Drummond, Curry and Mills are being outplayed in ridiculous fashions. All three are HUGE liabilities on defense and are bringing little to an offense that is sputtering. These three guys do not attack and do help the spacing that Durant should be getting. Why on earth is Nash playing these guys so many minutes when they are getting outplayed?!? And he will even go three small guards (Irving, Curry and Mill) so the Celtics can steamroll even easier for a few minutes. You need aggressiveness and toughness (Griffin). You need a PG that can move the ball when a defense is over-pressing (Dragic). You need a big shooter that spaces the court (Aldridge). These aren't even great pieces, to throw out there, but a lot better than what Nash is doing. For some nutty reason Nash is loyal to his lineup that is simply getting beat in every game.
To be clear, I'm not saying that Aldridge, Griffin and Dragic should be getting all the minutes, but at least try them out. Try and light a few fires.
Further, the coaching is chess vs checkers. The Celtics are playing so much harder. They are also pressuring the ball like crazy, being much more physical, and are making crisp rotations on defense. It's really impressive, but Nash has done nothing to counter it. If someone is bodying, you attack the rim and draw fouls. If Taytum is overplaying the passing lane - go back door. If you can't run your sets because the defense is too aggressive, dump it in the post. If KD can't get the ball in the set; get your offense started earlier and don't let the Celtics set up their defense.
But none of this is even tried. Again, the Celtics defense is playing great, but the Nets aren't even trying to counter. On defense, it's the exact opposite, while the Celtics are playing aggressively and crisp, the Nets are sloppy and lazy.
The only reason the score is close, is Bruce Brown (the one bright spot) along with the ability of KD and Irving to make overly difficult shots. It's laughable how Boston gets a wide open dunk on one end and the best counter by the Nets is an Irving circus shot over two defenders.
You could also blame KD for being lazy. The Celtics are being overly physical and KD is not countering. And that is somewhat on KD. But KD has been playing way to many minutes all season and is tired. Further, it's the coach's job to then convince him of making adjustments (which he has not done).
However, the most frustrating part of all this is I don't enjoy this team.
Irving's non-sense and anti-vaccine stance has been so very off-putting. Ben Simmons has been a joke for the past year. (Irving and Simmons are clearly the two most disliked player in the NBA) Drummond has a foot out the door. Curry has yet to seem like he wants to be here. Joe Harris has been injured for way too long. Most of the roster is fleshed out by one-year vets that will be bailing this summer. Besides Brown and Durant (Harris if healthy), I don't really want to root for these players.
You also had the ridiculous Harden drama that still is unclear what happened.
There is no team camaraderie. The culture is down the tubes. There is no love on this team besides KD and KI ridiculous handshake. These guys do not want to be here.
Lastly, watching the Celtics fans take over the arena was just downright pathetic.
It's clear the Nets are done. Good riddance. Good Luck to the Celtics. This off-season may be the most challenging for Sean Marks. Hopefully he can make magic and turn things around this off-season.
I usually agree with your takes full bore. You completely missed the mark on this one. The Nash decision is the only one that he can be blamed for and even that can be reasoned away by the fact that he has had to coach under crazy circumstances. Blaming Marks for Mills having to play too many minutes? That’s pretty unfair I think. Revisionist history is easy pickings …
I agree there is a lot of blame on Sean Marks. The roster construction was always somewhat baffling. With Blake Griffin and Aldridge both playing exclusively at Center last season, Marks was well aware that he was going into this season with 4 centers on the roster in Claxton, Aldridge, Griffin, and Sharpe. Then in a trade he brings back Drummond. So now five centers? Why? And how many backup PFs (zero)? How many back up PG (1ish)?
Historically the two most important bench pieces for any playoff team are a backup PG and a stretch PF that can play big. If a team goes with a tight 7 man rotation the two bench pieces are always PG and PF. Yet, somehow Marks completely overlooked this.
Crazier yet, the Nets do not have a PG in their starting 5. I guess you can say Harden was supposed to be the PG, and Simmons was to be the replacement next season; but when the Harden trade happen, Marks did not fill the PG gap whatsoever. What team plays with no PG?!?
It is so clear that the one of the main problems for the Nets is no PG on the floor. The Celtics pressure, and the Nets fall apart. Any halfway decent PG could at least steady the roster. Instead the Nets panic and turn it over time and time again. Oh how I wish Sherman Douglas was still on the bench.
Moreover, it is clear now that Nash is way over his head. You can, and you do, blame Marks for bringing Nash to Brooklyn, but you also have to blame Nash as well.
The roster rotations are just baffling. Drummond, Curry and Mills are being outplayed in ridiculous fashions. All three are HUGE liabilities on defense and are bringing little to an offense that is sputtering. These three guys do not attack and do help the spacing that Durant should be getting. Why on earth is Nash playing these guys so many minutes when they are getting outplayed?!? And he will even go three small guards (Irving, Curry and Mill) so the Celtics can steamroll even easier for a few minutes. You need aggressiveness and toughness (Griffin). You need a PG that can move the ball when a defense is over-pressing (Dragic). You need a big shooter that spaces the court (Aldridge). These aren't even great pieces, to throw out there, but a lot better than what Nash is doing. For some nutty reason Nash is loyal to his lineup that is simply getting beat in every game.
To be clear, I'm not saying that Aldridge, Griffin and Dragic should be getting all the minutes, but at least try them out. Try and light a few fires.
Further, the coaching is chess vs checkers. The Celtics are playing so much harder. They are also pressuring the ball like crazy, being much more physical, and are making crisp rotations on defense. It's really impressive, but Nash has done nothing to counter it. If someone is bodying, you attack the rim and draw fouls. If Taytum is overplaying the passing lane - go back door. If you can't run your sets because the defense is too aggressive, dump it in the post. If KD can't get the ball in the set; get your offense started earlier and don't let the Celtics set up their defense.
But none of this is even tried. Again, the Celtics defense is playing great, but the Nets aren't even trying to counter. On defense, it's the exact opposite, while the Celtics are playing aggressively and crisp, the Nets are sloppy and lazy.
The only reason the score is close, is Bruce Brown (the one bright spot) along with the ability of KD and Irving to make overly difficult shots. It's laughable how Boston gets a wide open dunk on one end and the best counter by the Nets is an Irving circus shot over two defenders.
You could also blame KD for being lazy. The Celtics are being overly physical and KD is not countering. And that is somewhat on KD. But KD has been playing way to many minutes all season and is tired. Further, it's the coach's job to then convince him of making adjustments (which he has not done).
However, the most frustrating part of all this is I don't enjoy this team.
Irving's non-sense and anti-vaccine stance has been so very off-putting. Ben Simmons has been a joke for the past year. (Irving and Simmons are clearly the two most disliked player in the NBA) Drummond has a foot out the door. Curry has yet to seem like he wants to be here. Joe Harris has been injured for way too long. Most of the roster is fleshed out by one-year vets that will be bailing this summer. Besides Brown and Durant (Harris if healthy), I don't really want to root for these players.
You also had the ridiculous Harden drama that still is unclear what happened.
There is no team camaraderie. The culture is down the tubes. There is no love on this team besides KD and KI ridiculous handshake. These guys do not want to be here.
Lastly, watching the Celtics fans take over the arena was just downright pathetic.
It's clear the Nets are done. Good riddance. Good Luck to the Celtics. This off-season may be the most challenging for Sean Marks. Hopefully he can make magic and turn things around this off-season.