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Wednesday afternoon during its press of the media week, Tyler johnson sums up the mood of this accelerated offseason perfectly: “We don’t know how things are going to move.”
Nothing embodies that statement more than Brooklyn’s noisy central platoon, always with minutes and roles to divide and not much time to waste. Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but the Nets have two starting caliber centers. The allocation of minutes in front of the court will be a key scenario to watch as we move into the preseason.
The story of Brooklyn’s ever-evolving gaze at center began in the 2018-19 season, when a 20-year-old (then) sophomore center, Jarrett allen, painted his case as a quality starting five with superstar brushstrokes, pinning 1.5 shots per game to the glass while throwing in a cool 11-point, 8.5-rebound stat line. Allen continued to host this kickoff gig until opening day 2019-2020 and beyond, until fair after the 2020 All-Star hiatus –– as the first of many seismic events rocked the Brooklyn Nets’ snow globe in a storm of personnel changes.
Let’s move on to March 7 when the Nets and their three-year-old coach, Kenny Atkinson, agreed to separate. On The Athletic podcast with David Aldridge this week, Ian Eagle mentioned that the Nets’ decision to leave Atkinson could be attributed to a “felt vibe” by the new owner for the change. Eagle went on to say that the new owners “evaluate everything” and “finally make the call.”
Shortly after promoting interim head coach Jacque Vaughn (who is now the Nets’ defensive assistant coach), Brooklyn made two changes to her starting rotation, swapping Prince Taurus for Wilson chandler, but more importantly, Jarrett allen for DeAndre Jordan.
Allen commented on the move on Wednesday –– a move that knocked him out of his starting spot –– saying, “I’ll be honest, I saw it coming. There was a lot going on at the time. I don’t want anything. It just happened. It was better for the team.
Jordan only kept that starting point for two more games before the season was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. And then Jordan sadly contracted COVID-19 on June 30, just before the Nets left for the Orlando bubble at Walt Disney World. Jordan revealed on Wednesday that he was “doing all the protocol necessary to try to get to the bubble, but that he did not have a negative test in time” to join his team as they surprised many experts all over. moving to 5-3. record in ranking games. Jordan called it “frustrating” to miss this opportunity and the situation itself.
Of course, it was Allen who was a major catalyst for Brooklyn’s luscious bubble performance. The Fro eclipsed 15 points and 10 rebounds in three of their five classification games, and displayed new levels of productivity in a strong performance in the first-round series against the Toronto Raptors. Allen cited his demotion in early March when discussing what forced that strong bubble, proclaiming that he “wanted to show that I could be a starter again (and) that I was capable of playing against playoff-level teams,” against any competition. ”
Losing his starting job started a fire under him.
Allen continued, arguing that his jump in productivity – especially as a playmaker – could be attributed to “getting more ball.” Allen continued, “I turned more to the ball, introducing myself. I try to help when my teammates are stuck. “
Here’s a clip from Allen showing off this benevolent skill after the Raptors trap. Garrett Temple, returning a kickout pass to Joe harris out of the short roll, Toronto’s split second converged towards the middle. I was able to count the number of times with one hand that Mr. Joseph Buckets this wide open last season.
And now, here we are. Five months away from the faint memory of the NBA bubble, and with a new head coach in place, a Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving hidden behind the scenes, and a 20-yard-deep training camp roster … and the same question remains: who the hell starts in the middle of those Brooklyn Nets?!?
Healthy competition is to be expected between second-year center Jordan, Allen Nicolas claxton, and recent addition of a free agency, Jeff Green, which Steve Nash himself introduced as being from Brooklyn “stretch five“ Tuesday. But don’t expect this atmosphere to affect the chemistry between teammates.
DeAndre Jordan, who has been a mentor for Big Jay, rejoiced over Allen’s strong bubble performance.
“Seeing JA there, being able to anchor the defense and talk as much as he does… watch those games and talk to him throughout the bubble. I thought it was awesome. He really took on that role. He was going to be pretty much the only great man we had there … He took it like a pro. I’m glad he did and succeeded, and I’m delighted to see the effect it has on this season.
Allen was also happy for his Brooklyn comrades. “In all honesty, we build camaraderie. Everyone enters with a smile on their face. Everyone knows we arrive ready to work. The Fro promised to “play with the same aggressiveness” he had in the bubble, channeling “that same mentality even though I don’t have such a big role”.
He is ready to sacrifice himself for his teammates and bring it everyday.
Maintaining courtesy in the midst of fierce competition for crucial minutes during a championship season is no easy task, especially in a league that outright encourages tidal waves of player movement. one city to another, from one state to another. But the Nets, they’re clearly letting the little things fall into place, allowing fate to take its course. Although we have no clarity on How? ‘Or’ What Brooklyn’s front court may appear to come on opening day against the Golden State Warriors for now, one thing is very clear: the competition for playing time will do anything but inhibit the budding bond between teammates – in fact. , it can bring out the best of Brooklyn. talented cast of hoops.
This could instill a sense of togetherness and the greatest level of achievement.
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