The Brooklyn Nets haven’t started their season in the best way possible. While the excitement surrounding the big three of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Ben Simmons was massive, the Nets’ offense fell flat. Despite Simmons starting in his preferred role as the point guard, the former All-Star had a disappointing debut.
Fouling out after 23 mins, the former Philadelphia 76ers player ended his night with 4 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. Kyrie Irving didn’t impact the game much as well. Often a reliable scorer, Irving uncharacteristically missed many shots shooting only 6-19 from the field. With no one stepping up offensively, Kevin Durant’s game-high 32-points went in vain and the Nets suffered a blowout 130-108 loss against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Stephen A. Smith Analyzes What’s Wrong With The Brooklyn Nets
After Nets’ crushing defeat against the Pelicans, fans and pundits have been critical of the team. Veteran analyst Stephen A. Smith is no exception to this. In a recent episode of ESPN’s ‘The First Take’, Smith revealed what he thinks is wrong with the Nets.
.@stephenasmith weighs in on the Nets 👀
"I'm disappointed in what I saw from the Brooklyn Nets because they got their butts whipped. … Ben Simmons was awful last night, too. No factor whatsoever." pic.twitter.com/5y6zd2xkMp
— First Take (@FirstTake) October 20, 2022
“They got a lot of talent, but they don’t have that girth… They don’t have somebody like Big Perk on their front line out there just to bang bodies and to hurt people if necessary.”
The veteran analyst rightly pointed out that the Nets lack a good center. While Nicolas Claxton is a decent rotation piece for the Lakers, he is no match for some of the best forwards and centers in the league defensively.
Given that so many teams have power forwards like Zion Williamson and centers like Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid leading the way, the Nets need to find a solution for their frontcourt.
Ever since the Nets formed a superteam, they have had one glaring concern: defense. While the Big Three of Harden, Kyrie, and KD for the most part made it up with their electrifying offensive displays, the same might not be the case with the current iteration of the roster.
One way to solve this massive problem would be to use Ben Simmons as a forward. Given his size, he can excel as a hybrid forward who can run the floor as well as defend the other team’s best player. If Simmons can be molded into such a role, the Nets can be a scary prospect to play against.
