Dennis Schroder stands up for Nets on and off court
Nets guard Dennis Schroder shoots a free throw after the Milwaukee Bucks were charged with a flagrant foul in the second half of an NBA game at Barclays Center on Sunday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Before Sunday’s Nets win over the Bucks, Dennis Schroder didn’t want to say much about defending Ben Simmons from a young heckler on Friday.
To recap: a fan yelled at Simmons in the visitor’s tunnel after the Nets lost at the Magic. Simmons yelled back but kept walking. Schroder emerged a few moments later to confront the fan and his father before being separated by Nets security.
“No matter what happens to one of my teammates, I’m going to stand up for them,” Schroder said before the game. “Whenever something happens like that, I’m going to speak up.”
His play did the talking Sunday in the Nets’ first win this season. Schroder had 15 first half points to spur them to a 48-45 halftime lead. He finished with 29. It was his second consecutive game with at least 20 points.
More than scoring, he picked up defenders full court. He helped run the offense but also benefited from the Nets’ ball movement as he made five three-pointers. It was the kind of play that coach Jordi Fernandez wants when he talks about the Nets being aggressive and selfless on both ends.
Through three games, one could argue Schroder’s been as impactful as any Nets player. Cam Thomas' scoring and Nic Claxton’s defense off the bench are important. But Schroder’s consistent play sets a tone for a team seeking leadership.
“He’s a tough competitor, leader and he does it in his own way, and he’ll let you know, and I like it,” Fernandez said Sunday. "Also his teammates and everybody else can feel him. It’s important because when we’re going back to who do we want to be and how do we want to do it? How do we represent the Brooklyn grit and the Brooklyn way?
“Dennis can definitely help us with that part with his toughness [and] with the way he competes.”
With the Nets rebuilding, they need veterans to lean on even if they possibly could leave as free agents or be trade bait. Schroder fits that description, being on an expiring contract.
He’s spoken about his love for Brooklyn and how the Nets treated him right after trading for him last season. He’s rewarded them with a selfless, team-first attitude where he’s often said his numbers are less important than success.
It carried over what he showed this summer with the German men’s basketball team as one of the best players during the Summer Olympics. It’s kept the Nets focused on the present instead of outside expectations predicting they’ll be one of the league’s worst teams.
“We’re just focusing on us [and] what we do. [It's] what we want to do every single day, every single night when we play,” Schroder said. “Let’s come out here and get a W. Like I always say, we want to outcompete the other team and win a basketball game.”
Notes & quotes: The Nets assigned 2023 first-round pick Dariq Whitehead to the G League on Monday. Whitehead played in only one of the Nets' first three games.
Evan Barnes covers the Nets for Newsday. He previously covered Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
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