Nets having tough time trying to cover opponents' backcourts
The 76ers' Jared McCain goes up for a shot past the Nets' Cameron Johnson during the second half of an Emirates NBA Cup game Friday in Philadelphia. Credit: AP/Matt Slocum
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The worst part of the Nets’ loss Friday wasn’t watching the 76ers' backcourt thrash them in the fourth quarter. It was fearing it as an ominous sign for the rest of this four-game road trip. A trip that includes even better guards capable of taking the Nets apart.
Sunday was another test facing the Kings and All-Star guard De’Aaron Fox. Monday, it’s Stephen Curry with Golden State and on Wednesday Devin Booker greets them in Phoenix.
“It don't get no easier,” Cam Johnson said. “But [losing to the 76ers] shouldn't have to be a wake-up call. It's the NBA. We know who we're playing against.”
On Friday, it was Tyrese Maxey and rookie Jared McCain taking turns cooking the Nets in Philadelphia. At one point, they combined to go 10-for-10 during a stretch in the fourth quarter. Together, they outscored the Nets 23-21 in the period.
It laid bare two facts for the Nets. They’re just 2-7 on the road entering Sunday’s game and Maxey and McCain were just the latest guards to torch the Nets during this stretch of six losses in eight games.
Cavs duo Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell combined for 13 fourth quarter points in the Nets’ loss Nov. 7. Jalen Brunson scored 16 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter Nov. 15, including the game-winning three-pointer for the Knicks.
The Nets’ inability to slow down opposing guards is another widening crack in their defense. They’re already struggling to protect the rim and enter Sunday 25th (out of 30 teams) in defensive efficiency and second-worst in defensive rebounds per game.
It was one thing for Maxey to go off because he was an All-Star last season and voted the league’s Most Improved Player. McCain doing it was more concerning as a first-year player. He made his final six shots of the fourth quarter and didn’t seem intimidated by the Nets at all.
“We got to be better,” Nic Claxton said. “Everybody, we all got to hold each other accountable. We need to talk more down the stretch. We just went flat.”
Kings’ All-Star Fox entered Sunday sixth in the NBA averaging 28.8 points per game. He had 60 points on Nov. 15 and followed that with a 49-point game the next day.
It could overshadow a reunion between coach Jordi Fernandez and Kings coach Mike Brown. Sunday is Fernandez’s first game against the team where he served as an assistant coach the last two seasons.
Brown hired Fernandez 15 years ago to train his son Elijah. It led to Fernandez being hired as a player development coach with the Cavaliers under Brown and that started his path to being hired by the Nets this past summer.
His players will certainly try to make Fernandez’s return a good one. But that starts with overcoming their recent issues of defending guards who can score at will.
It’s just become another thing that’s derailed some of their momentum of starting 4-4. There’s worry that just like last season’s West Coast road trip, this one could sink them in a hole in the Eastern Conference.
That’s why there’s urgency over the next three games to get right on defense and it starts with not letting Fox or Curry be the latest guards to light them up.
“We got some good teams coming up, backcourts,” Claxton said Saturday night. “So we know we have to be better. And if we don't lock in, we are going to get beat by more than what we got beat by tonight.”
Notes & quotes: Dorian Finney-Smith was ruled out Sunday with a left ankle sprain. It’s the same injury that caused him to miss two games earlier this month . . . Ben Simmons being available to play means he’s likely out Monday at Golden State since he’s not cleared to play both games of back-to-backs. He’s missed three games so far for injury management but only one because of new injuries.
Evan Barnes covers the Nets for Newsday. He previously covered Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
