The Brooklyn Nets currently find themselves in the middle of a playoff race. If the Nets are able to win out, it will mark the third consecutive season in which they’ll be bound for the NBA Playoffs. But unlike the previous two seasons, this one has been more difficult for the Nets to navigate through. Lionel Hollins is in his first year as the Nets head coach and he is also the fourth different head coach that Brooklyn has employed over the last three years. Hollins is a no-nonsense coach that doesn’t have a problem putting his players in their place. Hollins’ tough persona hasn’t meshed all season with a Nets team that at times has been labeled as “soft”. But Hollins and his players have found some common ground as of late and in spite of the Nets having a losing record, a postseason berth is within their grasp.
The Nets haven’t been above .500 since mid-November, but they have won eight out of their last eleven games to get back into playoff contention in the Eastern Conference. And a big part of the Nets recent surge has been the play of center Brook Lopez.
Brook Lopez
Lopez has been with the Nets since 2008, and at 7’0″, he has had lofty expectations placed on him from his first day on the job. If you’re looking for a player to average 25 points and 13 rebounds per game, then Lopez is not your guy. But for his NBA career, Lopez has been more than serviceable as he has averaged 17.9 points and 7.3 rebounds.
This month alone Lopez has averaged 22.1 points and 9.7 rebounds as the Nets are hopeful that they’ll be able to take the B-train all the ways to the NBA Playoffs. Lopez has also developed a knack for making the clutch shot which was recently highlighted by his game-winning shot against the New York Knicks on April Fool’s Day. But it always hasn’t been that smooth for Lopez this season.
Lionel Hollins
Earlier this season Lopez and Hollins were not on the same page and the Nets had placed their big man on the trading block. Hollins even went as far to remove Lopez from the Nets starting lineup this season. But when a deal fell through that would have sent Lopez to the Oklahoma City Thunder, cooler heads prevailed in Brooklyn and both the Nets and their big man have become better from it.
Amid all of the trade rumors that were surrounding Lopez, he never complained, nor did he publicly bash Hollins or the Nets organization. Instead Lopez has found a way to become more aggressive and fit into Hollins’ system. With the Nets, Lopez has always been that laid back kind of guy and Hollins really needs to consistent and dependable back-to-the-basket player. Prior to joining the Nets, Hollins was the head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies and he had to luxury have two quality and skilled big men in center Marc Gasol and power forward Zach Randolph. And Hollins knows that if the Nets are going to make any progress going forward, then they’ll need to have solid play from Lopez.
Part of Lopez’s improved play cab be attributed to Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Kevin Garnett. The Nets traded Garnett to the Timberwolves earlier this season. But in Garnett’s brief time with the Nets, he did work with Lopez on both the physical and mental aspects of the game. And who better for Lopez to learn from than Garnett who is one of the better big men to have ever played in the NBA.
It would not have worked out for the Nets had they traded Lopez to the Thunder due to the fact that you cannot coach size in the NBA as finding a big man that can score is hard to find. Even if the Nets make the playoffs this season, they aren’t expected to go that far being that they are facing the possibility of meeting the Atlanta Hawks in the first round. And aside from being the best team in the Eastern Conference this season, the Hawks have had their way with the Nets as well. Lopez has a $16.7 million player option for next season and unless he decides to opt out, he’ll be with the Nets next season. If that’s the case, it will give Hollins and Lopez more time to get on the same page as you simply cannot spell Brooklyn without Brook.
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