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*Photo via NBA.com
Even though the Nets only made one move at this past deadline, the team has seen plenty of change in their style of play and the team’s rotations. This is all after trading Kevin Garnett for Thaddeus Young, in a one for one swap. So it seems like a power forward for a power forward. right? Wrong, Nets coach, Lionel Hollins doesn’t consider a Young true 4 and thinks the team lacks bigs, at least from what we have gathered. So this Nets team has elected to go small and play Joe Johnson at the 4 position, with Mason Plumlee at the 5, and a point guard and two more wings. The reason I didn’t identify the other three starters, is because it is still unknown who will start when everyone is healthy. Still, no matter who is starting it looks like the Nets will be playing a different style of basketball. A style more similar to last years team and will be going with quickness over size. This move has allowed them to go from being one of the slowest teams in the league, to one that’s biggest advantage is speed and quickness. .
The Nets have also made it evident they want to get out and run with this new small line-up. To do that don’t you need young player? To the surprise of many, the Nets actually have a few young players on their roster, they just haven’t recieved many minutes. This change will allow them to get off the bench and get on the floor. Especially high flying rookies, Markel Brown and Cory Jefferson, who are super athletic. Both player have seen increased minutes since the break and have taken advantage. Not only with highlight plays on offense , but their effort at the defensive end of the floor. Then throw in Bojan Bogdanovic another young piece they brought over this summer, and not to mention, Mason Plumlee. So the youth and athleticism is there to play a faster paced game. This also could help resurge Deron Williams, who has always made it known he would like to get out and run. With this new style of play Deron has looked like a different player from the first half of the season. Also recent acquisition, Thad Young has shown in his career he has no problem running the floor.
Who knows this new style of play could turn around the Nets play, just in time to sneak into the playoffs. This new style could cause some problems on defense and rebounding, being so undersized. Defense and rebounding, the Nets already had trouble with that, at least now they will be able to pick up easy baskets in transition, have mismatches on offense, and spread the floor, and oh yeah infuse youth and athleticism into a team that desperately needed it.
-By Nicholas Diesing-Fay