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*Photo via NY Post
It has only been a few games since starting point guard Jarrett Jack was lost for the season with a torn ACL. Yet already, the Nets are in need of better point guard play. Jack’s injury was a huge blow for the Nets, who have not won a game since he went down. So how can the Nets turn around the season after the Jack injury? It will take an improved effort from the rest of the Nets’ players.
The other Nets’ guards are going to have to step up this season. Joe Johnson is the first name that comes to mind. He’s only averaging 11 points a game and is shooting a miserable 37% from the field.
Johnson was already going to have a big year if the Nets were going to succeed. So far, just like Johnson, the team has struggled to say the least. But now, Johnson is definitely going to have to play better, with the Nets’ lack of guard talent at both the point and shooting guard positions.
Shane Larkin and Donald Sloan are also going to have to play big. The two are merely role players, but in the aftermath of the Jack injury, both will have more minutes and responsibilities. Larkin’s hustle and spirit has been the one bright spot for the Nets this season, and that will have to continue throughout the season.
*Photo via Getty Images
The bigs will have to step up now as well. Brook Lopez statistically has been playing one of his best seasons this year, however, a case can be made that his play has been more of a stat stuffer, and not of any impact value. He still tends to turn the ball over at the worst times, and in some games, has come up short in the clutch. He’s going to have to be a more dominant player on both sides of the ball if the Nets want to win.
Thaddeus Young has been the one player I’ve been impressed with all year. He’s playing with energy and effort, and his numbers are the best he’s had in years. However he, as well as Lopez, would benefit the team by getting his field goal percentage up. Young has also struggled from the free throw line and from long distance. He too will have to be better now that more will be asked of him.
To be fair, I think the Nets have played with a lot of effort and fight this season. They just didn’t have enough to get the job done. On most nights, they couldn’t afford any mishaps, mistakes, or a bad day from any of the players. So when those things happened (because they happen to EVERY team), there wasn’t enough talent on the roster to overcome them.
With Jack out, the leadership from guys like Joe Johnson will have to be ratcheted up. The team is going to have to dig deeper in order to pull out wins. I think that they can do it, but it will have to take everyone to do so.
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