Fans might think that Brooklyn Nets will get back to winning ways after the management decided to fire head coach Steve Nash. But it is not happening, not with Kevin Durant guarding centers while having 30-point games.
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On Tuesday, hosting a 3-4 Chicago Bulls, looking for just their third win of the season, with a 2-5 W/L record, the Nets took on Zach LaVine and Co. That too without a head coach. That’s what KD and Kyrie Irving wanted in the first place, didn’t they?
But looking at this game, it was pretty clear that the Nets are not going to win anything this year if this is how they are willing to play. They are depending on Durant to guard the opposition’s center!
Kevin Durant shouldn’t be guarding big men having surgically repaired Achilles and MCL: NBA Twitter
While there is no denial to the fact that the Slim Reaper could be a terrific defender when he wants to be. And when he generally wants to do it is when it is playoff time.
Nobody expects either him or the Lakers’ LeBron James to be their best on defense during the regular season for a long time because we wish to see them healthy in the postseason.
But Nets, playing with no typical center in the squad has been forcing the 6’10 small forward to got of his way and take on the big men sharing that responsibility with 6’11 Nic Claxton.
And it’s not good for a 34-year-old, playing his 16th year in the league, already having torn his MCL and Achilles, shouldn’t be guarding men a lot heavier than him.
— Vincent Goodwill (@VinceGoodwill) November 2, 2022
The Nets should be looking to add a big man, maybe Dwight Howard?
Having 6’10 Ben Simmons, capable of guarding all positions, and restricting him to guard just big men would make no sense either.
And expecting KD to keep this up would neither be good for him nor good for the franchise. The man is doing enough already, putting up 27p-7r-6a on a nightly basis.
It doesn’t look good for the Nets for him to average 2 blocks per game for the first time in his career at this point in time.
Hire the legendary shot blocker Dwight Howard for that, maybe? Former 3x DPOY is a free agent as of now.