After bringing back Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving this past summer, there was some real hope that the Brooklyn Nets would be able to compete for a title in the Eastern Conference.
Unfortunately, through the first 5 games of the season, that has not been the case for the Nets, who have failed just about every major test thrown their way so far.
At home, desperate for a win, Brooklyn had the chance to walk away victorious on Thursday night. Instead, they failed to execute down the stretch and gave up 129 points to Luka Doncic and the Mavericks.
The Nets are 1-4.
Yikes. pic.twitter.com/HW4uIxbYRY
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) October 28, 2022
NBA Fans Rip The Nets After Loss To Mavericks
The loss moved the Nets to 1-4 on the season, a mark nobody saw coming considering all the talent on the roster. On social media, fans couldn’t help but overreact to the team’s rough launch.
The Brooklyn Nets are 1-5 to start the season pic.twitter.com/d9D3fjjql0
— Jac Manuell (@JacManuell) October 28, 2022
I guess the Nets are okay with people giving them that work on a nightly basis. I mean they can’t guard senior citizens in a Nursing Home at recess!!! Carry the hell on… Oh btw that Luka is just SPECIAL!
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) October 28, 2022
LMFAOOOOO the Lakers aren’t the only ones in the gutter
— ²³𝙻𝚎𝙱𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚜🏀☄️🌎💞 (@BronGotGame) October 28, 2022
Tough schedule. Pacers twice coming up. Played some good games agains good teams. They’ll be alright
— Matthew Magnani (@mattmag1013) October 28, 2022
Lakers 0-4 with a terrible rosters Nets 1-4 loaded roster keep that same energy in the media
— Von Baylor (@von_baylor) October 28, 2022
Is the era of superteams over?
— John Lazater (@LazaterJohn) October 28, 2022
The Nets still haven’t recovered from this pic.twitter.com/cf3rmdPaZG
— Mink Flow (@currypistonn) October 28, 2022
Andre Drummond's curse on the Lakers, Sixers and Nets continues this season 💀 pic.twitter.com/7V1vpruB2k
— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) October 28, 2022
Nets had Luka drop 41, Giannis drop 42, Siakam drop 37, Desmond Bane and Ja Morant both drop 38 on them pic.twitter.com/EjC63lHsCP
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) October 28, 2022
Lakers fans when they realize they are 1-win away from the Nets' 1-4 record. pic.twitter.com/3YvBFkoUdj
— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) October 28, 2022
Offensively, there is no question that the Nets are one of the best in basketball. Between Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn has the means to put the ball in the hole. If they can just get Simmons to buy in and unlock his game, it could bring their scoring potential to another level.
The problem for the Nets is on defense. Statistically, they are one of the worst defensive teams in the modern era and their play over the last four games proves it.
Of course, fans are looking to Ben Simmons for an answer. As a multiple-time All-Star and defensive specialist, he was supposed to come in and set the tone for Brooklyn on that end of the floor. Instead, he has been a virtual no-show on both ends, and fans made sure to let him have it tonight.
“The scouts who have been dispatched to watch Ben Simmons closely, and there have been a lot early in this season, believe the reason that Ben Simmons doesn’t go aggressive isn’t because he’s afraid of missing the shot as much as he’s afraid of getting fouled,” said Brian WIndhorst. “He has only taken 9 free throws the entire season so far, he has only made three of them… he’s not afraid necessarily of missing the shot. Another thing that has bothered scouts who have watched Ben Simmons play is his reaction to being in foul trouble. I’ve talked to scouts who have watched repeatedly as Ben Simmons gets into foul trouble and gets pulled out of the game and they believe he almost looks like he’s relieved to be coming out of the game at times. So I can understand why his teammates are already trying to be protective of him. But the big worry for the Nets is that Durant, Irving, and Simmons have played 77 minutes together so far this season and they’ve been outscored by 30 points.”
On Thursday, Durant and Kyrie combined to drop 76 points, but it didn’t matter in the end. With another no-show from Simmons and the rest of the supporting cast, the Nets just didn’t have enough fire-power to win — and it’s likely to be a theme for them all season long.
For all this talk about the Lakers, this stacked Brooklyn Nets team may be even more disappointing.
