Official 2015-16 Brooklyn Nets Season Watch Thread (21-59, 3rd slot as of 4/12)

[j804]

Was RHJ really making or breaking them though?

[PhoSita]

Was RHJ really making or breaking them though?

He provided quickness, athleticism, and defense on the wing that they desperately lacked elsewhere in their starting lineup.  They started to play a lot more competitive basketball once he began getting regular minutes with the main group.

[BleedGreen1989]

Was RHJ really making or breaking them though?

He provided quickness, athleticism, and defense on the wing that they desperately lacked elsewhere in their starting lineup.  They started to play a lot more competitive basketball once he began getting regular minutes with the main group.

Yeah, ask any Nets fan. He was huge. Playing elite perimeter defense and bringing great energy/athleticism. Also, a sneakily very good rebounder for a wing.

[mef730]

Was RHJ really making or breaking them though?

In and of himself, maybe or maybe not, but he was one of their key six or seven players and an unexpected starter. With a team like Brooklyn that has no bench, every single player matters. Now Bogdanovic has to move to the 2, hurting their depth at the 3.

He was a heck of a lot of fun to watch. I'm working on separating my joy that Brooklyn lost a key cog from my sadness that it had to be an injury to RHJ.

Mike

[The One]

"The Nets offense moderately improves while RHJ is on the floor compared to off the floor this season and the defense is greatly improved; Brooklyn is nine points better per 100 possessions when RHJ is on the floor."


http://www.netsdaily.com/2015/12/7/9865246/nets-announce-rondae-hollis-jefferson-has-suffered-non-displaced

Big, big loss for the Nets.

[Denis998]

According to the RPM and Wins(WARP?), RHJ the second best player on their team behind Brook, he has the second biggest impact to the teams in terms of winning games. This is a HUGE hit to Brooklyn. http://espn.go.com/nba/statistics/rpm/_/page/3/sort/WINS

[Eddie20]

Big loss. He was bringing a lot of energy and athleticsm to the Nets and without a doubt their best perimeter defender. Bog's started for him yesterday and was getting lit up. Not just on blow by's but getting hung up on screens.

[Vox_Populi]

According to the RPM and Wins(WARP?), RHJ the second best player on their team behind Brook, he has the second biggest impact to the teams in terms of winning games. This is a HUGE hit to Brooklyn. http://espn.go.com/nba/statistics/rpm/_/page/3/sort/WINS

http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/BRK/2016.html

He was also FIRST on the team in box-plus minus. The guy was legitimately one of Brooklyn's three or four most impactful players. I hope Ellington starts to play more, he has been horrific this season.  It's amazing looking at their roster. You're once again reminded they lost average to above average NBA players - Williams, Teletovic, Anderson - and replaced them with guys who played minutes on the worst teams in the league last season - Bargnani, Larkin, Ellington. Along with Robinson who should probably shouldn't be in the league.

[PhoSita]

You're once again reminded they lost average to above average NBA players - Williams, Teletovic, Anderson - and replaced them with guys who played minutes on the worst teams in the league last season - Bargnani, Larkin, Ellington. Along with Robinson who should probably shouldn't be in the league.

I think Thomas Robinson is fine as a 4th or 5th big so long as you just need a rebounding specialist.

The other guys though are pretty bad.  I understand that the Nets dumped the other guys to save money, but I would think they'd have a better chance of finding D-League guys who can contribute than trying to rely on Ellington and Bargnani.

[snively]

Was RHJ really making or breaking them though?

He provided quickness, athleticism, and defense on the wing that they desperately lacked elsewhere in their starting lineup.  They started to play a lot more competitive basketball once he began getting regular minutes with the main group.

Yeah, ask any Nets fan. He was huge. Playing elite perimeter defense and bringing great energy/athleticism. Also, a sneakily very good rebounder for a wing.

Not even that sneaky. 10 boards per 36 for a wing is insane. Absolutely the biggest reason for the Nets turnaround to relative mediocrity (5-7) after the 0-7 start. He is the biggest driver behind their top 5 defensive rebounding rate (and top 10 overall rebounding rate) and their newly gained ability to force turnovers.

Without him the Nets are stuck platooning mediocre role players next to Joe, who already badly depended on RHJ to cover up some of his massive decline as a rebounder/defender/transition player. None of them are even close to RHJ as a rebounder or possession creator.

Bogey can shoot (though he's very inconsistent) and post-up but he's one of the worst defenders in the league and absolute defensive poison next to Joe. Ellington can (historically) hit spot-up 3s and pull-up 2s (sort of a poor man's AB offensively), but he's a total non-entity as a ball-handler, defender, rebounder and ball-hawk. Mr. Invisible out there.

Markel Brown is the only guy who can approximate RHJ's defensive energy and transition play, but he's basket case offensively - lacks confidence and poise in a big way. He's also much smaller and nowhere near as much of a factor as a rebounder and team defender.

I think Brown and Ellington end up alternating.

But it's unquestionably a big blow. And at an opportune time for the C's, as this home stretch was/is a good time for the Nets to continue their run of semi-respectability.

[Vox_Populi]

You're once again reminded they lost average to above average NBA players - Williams, Teletovic, Anderson - and replaced them with guys who played minutes on the worst teams in the league last season - Bargnani, Larkin, Ellington. Along with Robinson who should probably shouldn't be in the league.

I think Thomas Robinson is fine as a 4th or 5th big so long as you just need a rebounding specialist.

The other guys though are pretty bad.  I understand that the Nets dumped the other guys to save money, but I would think they'd have a better chance of finding D-League guys who can contribute than trying to rely on Ellington and Bargnani.

I guess. He's already been on five teams in four seasons though. I agree about the rebounding, but I'm not sure how good he actually is at basketball in general. And Brooklyn have won one game with Bargnani playing more than 20 minutes, against the Celtics no less, and they've won 3 games with him playing less than 5. It's unfortunate he's injured really.

At this point, I'm wondering whether it'd be good or bad for Lopez to be injured. They might go on a losing tear like New York did last season after Anthony gave up, but I'm also worried they might figure out another way to play that could result in some positive changes.

[The One]

Their next ten games:

Houston (home)
Philadelphia (home)
Clippers (home)
Magic (home)
Heat (home)
Pacers (away)
Timberwolves (home)
Bulls (away)
Mavericks (home)
Wizards (home)

Maybe 3 wins...

[max215]

Huge loss for Brooklyn. His energy and defense were infectious, advanced numbers were great, and was pretty easily their 3rd best player.

[BleedGreen1989]

Was RHJ really making or breaking them though?

He provided quickness, athleticism, and defense on the wing that they desperately lacked elsewhere in their starting lineup.  They started to play a lot more competitive basketball once he began getting regular minutes with the main group.

Yeah, ask any Nets fan. He was huge. Playing elite perimeter defense and bringing great energy/athleticism. Also, a sneakily very good rebounder for a wing.

Not even that sneaky. 10 boards per 36 for a wing is insane.

Good point. I suppose I meant "sneaky" as in nobody really gives a turd about the Nets so he wasn't getting the attention.

[PhoSita]

You're once again reminded they lost average to above average NBA players - Williams, Teletovic, Anderson - and replaced them with guys who played minutes on the worst teams in the league last season - Bargnani, Larkin, Ellington. Along with Robinson who should probably shouldn't be in the league.

I think Thomas Robinson is fine as a 4th or 5th big so long as you just need a rebounding specialist.

The other guys though are pretty bad.  I understand that the Nets dumped the other guys to save money, but I would think they'd have a better chance of finding D-League guys who can contribute than trying to rely on Ellington and Bargnani.

I guess. He's already been on five teams in four seasons though. I agree about the rebounding, but I'm not sure how good he actually is at basketball in general. And Brooklyn have won one game with Bargnani playing more than 20 minutes, against the Celtics no less, and they've won 3 games with him playing less than 5. It's unfortunate he's injured really.

At this point, I'm wondering whether it'd be good or bad for Lopez to be injured. They might go on a losing tear like New York did last season after Anthony gave up, but I'm also worried they might figure out another way to play that could result in some positive changes.

Without Brook Lopez, there just aren't enough ways that team could possibly score baskets.