Nets' balanced scoring attack has helped them get out to a respectable start

The philosophy, at least to Dennis Schroder’s way of thinking, is remarkably similar to the one he learned so long ago.

Five players attacking at all times. Five options every time down the court. Five scoring threats on every possession.

It is how he understood basketball in his embryonic stages. And now, as a professional all these years later, the point guard believes that his teammates are becoming accustomed to its intricacies.

“I love it. I think everybody else in the locker room likes it too,” Schroder said after Nets practice Thursday. “It’s, of course, a change because a lot of NBA players or teams don’t do it like that. But I love that unique style of play. Reminds me of Europe a little bit. I said it before: Everybody’s happy, everybody’s touching it, shooting it. Everybody has confidence. And I think that’s great to have.”

Especially because it is helping the Nets be competitive in a season in which many observers believed they would not be.

Entering Friday night’s NBA Cup contest at Wells Fargo Center against the imploding 76ers, the Nets find themselves third in the Atlantic Division with a 6-9 record, due partially to an offensive approach that is generating 111.7 points per game.

Four Nets — Cam Thomas (24.6 points), Cam Johnson (18.1), Schroder (17.8) and Dorian Finney-Smith (11.2) — are averaging in double figures. Jalen Wilson (9.2), Ziaire Williams (9.2) and Nic Claxton (8.6) are scoring slightly below that mark.

For a team that’s about to embark on a road trip in which they will go up against dynamic scorers such as Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, De’Aaron Fox, Stephen Curry and Devin Booker, group scoring is a way to stay in — and potentially win — games.

In each of their six wins, the Nets have had at least five players finish in double figures, including seven accomplishing the feat in a 107-105 win over the Pelicans on Nov. 11. In their last game, a 116-115 win over the Hornets at Barclays Center on Tuesday night, six players finished in double figures. Johnson had 34 points, Wilson 17, Finney-Smith 15, Schroder 14, and Ben Simmons and Trendon Watford 10 each.

“It’s a big benefit,” Thomas said. “Having everybody contribute, everybody making shots, it helps the team and it helps everybody be a threat out there. So it makes it easier on myself and everybody else. It’s good to have everybody contributing and being a threat all of the time.”

Notes & quotes: The Nets announced on X that Day’Ron Sharpe (left hamstring) is progressing on schedule and has begun one-on-one workouts with coaches. He is expected to be integrated into team activities in the next seven to 10 days. The team also said Claxton (strained lower back) returned to practice and is questionable for Friday against the 76ers . . . Thomas (lower back tightness) reported that he is “feeling better” but was unsure if he will play Friday. The starting shooting guard used the phrase “we’ll see” six separate times when asked if there was a possibility that he will play.