Tag: Brooklyn Nets

Jarrett Allen is now the Nets’ leader for most dunks in a season

Jarrett Allen is now the Nets’ all-time leader for most dunks in a season.

Brooklyn Nets big man Jarrett Allen probably isn’t going to win a Slam Dunk Contest or anything, but at 6-foot-11, Allen does know how to use his size for thunderous jams.

According to Nets PR, Allen tallied his 171st dunk of the 2019-20 campaign Sunday against the Washington Wizards. With the jam, Allen became the Nets’ all-time leader for most dunks in a season. Dunks began being tracked during the 1997-98 season.

With Allen setting the franchise record, he also now has set a career-best for dunks in a season. His previous one was 170, which he recorded during the 2018-19 campaign.

Allen is one of the NBA’s top rim runners, and his athleticism allows him to sky for alley-oops. According to NBA.com stats, Allen is scoring 3.7 points per game as a roll man.

This season, Allen ranks third in field goal percentage (64.9%), right behind Mitchell Robinson and Rudy Gobert. He knows how to score down low, as he’s shot 69.9% on shots less than five feet from the hoop. Allen is scoring 10.7 points per game and grabbing a career-high 9.4 rebounds per game this season.

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Report: Jamal Crawford questionable for Nets’ game against Wizards

Jamal Crawford could make his Brooklyn Nets debut Sunday against the Washington Wizards.

Jamal Crawford is adored by hoops enthusiasts, and when he signed with the Brooklyn Nets ahead of the Orlando restart, he excited fans who enjoy watching his read-and-react, instinctual style of play.

Crawford hasn’t played for the Nets yet, as he’s still working on his conditioning. But on Sunday, Nets fans may have a chance to watch him.

According to the Nets’ Twitter account, Crawford is questionable for Brooklyn’s game against the Washington Wizards. Crawford did not play in the Nets’ game Friday against the Orlando Magic; he also did not play in any of Brooklyn’s three scrimmages.

Crawford hasn’t played in an NBA game since April 9, 2019, when he dropped 51 points for the Phoenix Suns against the Dallas Mavericks.

As a three-time Sixth Man of the Year, Crawford basically has the NBA 2K microwave badge in real life. He has used his scoring skills to be a valuable player on NBA benches throughout his career. Crawford has scored 14.6 points per game, dished 3.4 assists and shot 41.0% from the field during his career.

The Nets’ game against the Wizards could be an intense one. The Nets dropped to the eighth seed after losing to Orlando, and the Wizards are six games behind Brooklyn. The Wizards need to be four or fewer games behind the eighth seed to force a play-in tournament.

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Warriors GM Bob Myers has no hard feelings for Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant’s decision to play in Brooklyn should be more respected in the midst of the player empowerment era.

Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers was sincere and genuine when talking about Kevin Durant recently on ESPN’s “The Woj Pod.”

Durant elevated the Warriors to juggernaut levels when he joined the team in 2016. He and Golden State wrecked the league while he was there, winning back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018. But his decision to leave for the Brooklyn Nets in 2019 produced some expected pushback.

Myers, though, spoke at length on why he has no hard feelings for Durant, and he acknowledged how much he helped the Warriors accomplish.

“Look, the guy came to our team, was MVP of the Finals twice, two championships, three Finals,” Myers told Adrian Wojnarowski, per Brian Witt of NBC Sports Bay Area. “What do you want? I mean, what do you want to happen? What do you expect out of a human being? What is the problem with that? But, people would find it and seek it.

“Everybody is so fast to look at what’s wrong with a team, and I was just so focused on — and still am — on what was right with all those things, even in losing. Even in the effort you make to win or lose, there are great experiences there. And so for me — and it may have come from I liked the guy, for all of him.

“A lot of people that comment on him would say he shouldn’t have left or he shouldn’t have done this — everybody’s telling him how to live his life. The way I think about Kevin is … just because you don’t understand doesn’t mean he’s confused.”

Myers was pretty candid here. He kept it real in his defense of Durant, who has received some of the most scorn of any NBA player.

Durant really doesn’t owe anyone an explanation as to why he decided to go to Brooklyn. The importance of the player empowerment era is that players can choose where they would best fit and gain as much fulfillment as possible. Reaching fulfillment in life can seem like an elusive task, almost never-ending.

But in moments, reaching one’s potential can be felt. For Durant, continuing to build his legacy in Brooklyn was the move — and that should be respected.

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All-Time Gators Men’s Basketball Bio: Chris Chiozza (2014-18)

Chiozza is best-known for his game-winning shot to defeat the Wisconsin Badgers and advance to the Elite Eight of the 2017 NCAA Tournament.

Chris Chiozza (2014-2018) – Point Guard

Chris Chiozza is best-known for his game-winning running three-point shot to defeat the Wisconsin Badgers and advance to the Elite Eight of the 2017 NCAA Tournament.

Following a trend seen in previous parts of this best-player bracket, Chiozza is originally from Tennessee — Memphis, specifically — where he attended White Station High School while also playing on the Team Thad AAU squad. Averaging 15 points and eight assists per game as a senior, Chiozza was ranked No. 45 in his class by Rivals.com and received scholarship offers from numerous Division I programs before committing to Florida in 2014.

Billy Donovan was still at the helm when Chiozza chose UF, though the diminutive guard only played one season under the storied head coach. He had just missed the 2013-14 season in which the Gators went 36-3 en route to a Final Four loss to UConn, though he would taste similar glory before his Gator days were over.

Chiozza played primarily as a reserve his freshman campaign, starting 11 of 33 games while scoring 3.9 points along with 2.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.2 steals in 22.8 minutes per game. His game bumped up with the arrival of head coach Mike White, seeing an overall increase in production by averaging 7.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.1 steals while starting 22 of 36 games his sophomore season.

The young point guard’s production remained steady through his junior year despite playing off the bench exclusively in a reserve role. However, he entered the annals of Gators lore with his aforementioned game-winning shot in the NCAA Tournament in 2017, cementing his legacy in the Orange and Blue.

Chiozza took his game to the next level his senior season, further adding to his collegiate accolades by breaking Erving Walker’s Florida career assists record while also leading the SEC with a 3.22 assist-to-turnover ratio. He put up a stat line of 11.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.9 steals during his final year in Gainesville while starting 32 of 34 games, earning him First Team All-SEC honors and an invitation to the 2018 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament.

Despite his accomplishments, Chiozza went undrafted in 2018 but joined the Washington Wizards for the NBA Summer League and the team’s training camp before being released before the season began; he then joined the Wizards’ G League team for the remainder of the year.

The 2018-19 season saw a turn of events for the better, with Chiozza starting the season on a 10-day contract with the Houston Rockets. Though he did not play any games for Houston that time around, he joined its G League affiliate before signing an NBA contract and finishing the year with the Rockets, appearing in seven games.

After finishing off his contract in Texas, Chiozza signed with the Wizards again, this time on a two-way contract between the G League and the NBA. He played 10 games in D.C. before Washington waived him in December of 2019. The Brooklyn Nets signed him just after the New Year on a two-way contract, where he appeared in 11 games and still remains on the active NBA roster.

So far in his brief professional career, Chiozza has averaged 3.2 points, 1.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 0.6 steals in 28 games played with three different teams. In his last appearance before the coronavirus shutdown, he scored 11 points, dished out five assists and grabbed one rebound in 17 minutes of playing time against the Los Angeles Lakers. It appears that things continue to trend upwards for the former Gators point guard.

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Steve Kerr expresses unity in tweet on NBA players, coaches kneeling

Steve Kerr has regularly spoken his mind about the need to create social change and reform in America.

Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr isn’t in Orlando for the NBA’s restart, with his team having the league’s worst record this season.

But on Friday, Kerr continued to show he will not stand on the sidelines when it comes to fighting racism and working to create social change.

Kerr tweeted a message on the subject of NBA players and coaches kneeling during the national anthem. As one of the most socially conscious coaches in sports, Kerr expressed unity in his note.

During opening night Thursday, the Utah Jazz and New Orleans Pelicans both kneeled, as well as the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers. On Friday, the Brooklyn Nets and Orlando Magic kneeled before their game, with Magic big man Jonathan Isaac opting to stand. The Portland Trail Blazers and Memphis Grizzlies also kneeled Friday before their matchup.

With Kerr continuing to use his platform, he’s helping to create awareness about long-standing social issues. The Warriors won’t be playing again until the 2020-21 season, but Kerr is a key part of the NBA’s work to create social change.

Former Warrior Jamal Crawford gives behind the scenes tour of the NBA’s Orlando Bubble

In a video with the Boardroom, Former Warrior turned Nets guard Jamal Crawford gave a behind the scenes tour of the NBA’s Orlando Bubble.

Although Golden State won’t be represented inside the Orlando Bubble, a group of former Warriors will be on the court at Disney World. Twelve former Golden State Warriors are slated to play across nine different teams in the NBA’s restart.

Former Golden State point guard Jamal Crawford will join the Brooklyn Nets inside the Orlando Bubble. After injuries disrupted the Nets restart roster, Sean Marks signed the 19-year veteran for Brooklyn’s stretch run.

Before games officially begin, the veteran point guard gave a behind the scenes look at the NBA’s Orlando Bubble. In a video for “The Boardroom,” Crawford toured the Disney World campus, including Brooklyn’s bubble practice, the players’ lounge and the barbershop.

Via @boardroom on Twitter:

After being acquired from the New York Knicks, Crawford spent 54 games in Golden State during the 2008-09 season. With the Warriors, Crawford averaged 19.7 points on 40.6% shooting from the field with 4.4 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game.

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During his short stint with the Warriors, Crawford notched a memorable scoring effort — tallying 50 points against the Charlotte Bobcats on 14-of-26 from the field with five 3-pointers.

Before joining the Nets, Crawford last played for the Phoenix Suns in 2018-19, averaging 7.9 points, 3.6 assists and 1.3 rebounds in 18.7 minutes per contest.

Other former members of the Golden State Warriors inside the Orlando Bubble include Andre Iguodala, JaVale McGee, Alec Burks, Glenn Robinson III, Kent Bazemore and Harrison Barnes.

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Lonzo Ball says Pelicans are focusing on defense during scrimmage games

After an impressive performance in their opening scrimmage, Lonzo Ball noted the Pelican’s focus on the defensive end of the court.

The Pelicans put forth an impressive effort in the team’s first scrimmage contest against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday. Though it came against an undermanned side, New Orleans’ strong performance should still be noted as a positive takeaway.

The depth from the Pelicans was on display as 14 players saw time on the court and 13 of those players scored. In fact, it was the bench that blew open the game in the second half.

Just as impressive, though, was the defense the Pelicans exhibited, even if it did just come in an exhibition contest. Brooklyn was held to 68 points on the night and had two separate 14-point quarters.

On Thursday during his media availability, Lonzo Ball talked about the team’s first game and their focus on the defensive side of the court.

“I think it was just good to play against some other people. We’re still trying to focus on defense. Not too worried about offense, right now. Today was more about just coming in and getting our work done that we need to get done. A lot of focus on close-outs today, which is also defense, so I think just moving forward, that’s our main goal, right now.”

This is the second time in a short period that Ball has mentioned the team’s focus on defense during their time in the bubble. Earlier in the week, Ball noted the team’s focus on defense in practices in the bubble.

Even when asked on Thursday about the team’s offense in the scrimmage, Ball again circled around to their focus remaining on the defense.

“Like I said, I don’t think offense is going to be a problem for us. We got a lot of playmakers, a lot of unselfish guys, so not too worried about that end of the ball.”

Through one game, the focus seems to have paid some dividends. That being said, the team could hardly have asked for an easier first game given how depleted the Nets roster is. Saturday and Monday will offer stiffer challenges for the Pelicans with matchups against the Nuggets and Bucks, respectively.

While each of those games will be a scrimmage, the intensity will progressively pick up in these games as teams look to ramp up heading into the seeding games.

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Why Zach LaVine is a good option if Nets can’t land Bradley Beal

Zach LaVine and Bradley Beal would both be good fits on the Brooklyn Nets.

The Brooklyn Nets seem to have a specific kind of player in mind to eventually unite with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

The preferred archetype appears to be a player who can create his own shot, but also doesn’t need the ball in his hands every single possession. The rumors of the Nets angling to trade for Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal make sense. Beal is one of the best scorers in the league, but at the same time, he’s shown he can score in a multitude of ways in playing alongside John Wall his entire NBA career.

Beal has been vocal about his desire to stay in Washington, though. He has a player option for the 2022-23 season, so he could be a free agent in 2022. But if Beal doesn’t end up in Brooklyn, the Nets have a good backup plan.

The Nets have reportedly “done background work” on Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine in case the Bulls end up considering trade offers before his 2022 free agency.

LaVine is a growing star, and while he’s more athletic than Beal, the two players are similar in their approach to the game.

LaVine is going to attack the basket in any way possible, with that part of his game being reminiscent of Vince Carter in his prime.

Since Durant and Irving are better scorers off the dribble, they’ll need someone to attack lanes and create space. LaVine would be a good player for Brooklyn in that aspect.

Beal is just as good as LaVine in attacking the rim, but his hallmark is craftiness — the Wizards guard will slither and weave his way to the hoop. LaVine is going to try and dunk on someone more times than not when he gets to the rack.

Beal is a better mid-range shooter than LaVine. That makes him more similar to Durant and Irving, two of the best mid-range scorers in the league. Having a third player who can take defenders off the dribble would produce a three-pronged attack.

It’s already hard enough having to defend Durant, one of the best scorers ever. But trying to contain Beal and Irving as well would be tough for defenses.

Beal and LaVine’s ability to score off the ball is about even. Just like Beal has had to share the floor with Wall, LaVine used to share touches with Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins on the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Nearly half (45.5%) of LaVine’s field goals in 2019-20 came off of assists; for Beal, that number is 45%. Beal is ranked second in the NBA in scoring, and LaVine is ranked 12th. This season was the best of LaVine’s career so far. He averaged career-bests in points per game (25.5) and rebounds per game (4.8).

But in looking at their overall league standing, Beal is more likely to be a No. 2 option on a title contender. Part of that is because he’s been in the league longer — he’s proven his worth again and again.

LaVine is the top option on the Bulls, but it’s looking like being a No. 2 or No. 3 option would be ideal for him in the future. His lack of playoff experience has kept him from showing what he can do on the big stage, though.

Beal has four playoff appearances. He has averaged 22.7 points a game on 44% shooting the postseason, while also dishing out 3.7 assists per game.

LaVine is steadily rising toward being an All-Star, whereas Beal is coming off the best season of his career. Beal is the better overall player, but he might not be available when Brooklyn is ready to make a move.

Considering the Nets have their eyes on LaVine though, it’s clear their Plan B would be just as effective as Plan A.

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WATCH: Lonzo Ball leads Pelicans to dominant win over Nets in scrimmage

In just 19 minutes of action, Lonzo Ball finished with eight points, three rebounds and three assists in a 31-point win for the Pelicans.

In an abbreviated appearance in the New Orleans Pelicans scrimmage opener against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday, Lonzo Ball looked much like his pre-quarantine self to help his side to a win.

The Pelicans struggled little in the first day of scrimmages inside the NBA’s bubble in Orlando at ESPN’s Disney Wide World of Sports Complex. An already undermanned Nets team entering the bubble also saw the likes of Jamal Crawford and Joe Harris, among others, sit out the contest as New Orleans won going away on the night, 99-68.

In a game that featured 10-minute quarters as opposed to the normal 12-minute periods, Ball played just shy of half the game, logging 19 minutes. His final line was a modest one, totaling eight points, three rebounds and three assists. He also finished with zero high fives.

Ball only played one stint in the third quarter before sitting out the remainder of the second half. Brandon Ingram led the Pelicans starters with 12 points in just 11 minutes.

Pelicans vs. Nets Recap: The good, the bad and the Ball

The Pelicans used a strong defense and a dominant second half to run away with a comfortable 99-68 over the Nets.

The New Orleans Pelicans and Brooklyn Nets returned to the court on Wednesday as part of the first day of the return of basketball inside the NBA’s bubble in Orlando.

The Pelicans used a strong defense and a dominant second half to run away with a comfortable 99-68 over the Nets.

The Good: Basketball is back

More than anything, it was great to see basketball back. It’s hard to take much of anything of note from this game when making generalizations. The game was sloppy at times, though the Pelicans did look surprisingly sharp pretty early on.

Essentially, though, the Pelicans’ depth, something that has been a strength of their’s all season, was the difference as Brandon Ingram only played 11 minutes, Jrue Holiday played 16 and Lonzo Ball 19 and New Orleans still won convincingly.

Honorable Mentions: Kenrich Williams being healthy again, Pelicans defense, E’Twaun Moore still getting buckets

The Bad: The Nets postseason outlook

Yes, it is unfair to have a big takeaway from the first scrimmage game in Orlando but the Nets could be in big trouble. It’s not shocking that a team down its three best players would struggle but the degree to which Brooklyn could not score on Wednesday was startling.

Now, in fairness, Jamal Crawford, Tyler Johnson, Justin Anderson, Donta Hall and Joe Harris all did not play on the night along with Spencer Dinwiddie and DeAndre Jordan not making the trip to Orlando. But none of the players who will be available in Orlando in future games look set to make that much of a difference.

The Ball: Strong return

As noted, Ball only played 19 minutes on the night. After normal rotations in the first half, Ball played one more stint in the third quarter then never returned from the bench. He finished with eight points, three rebounds and three assists in a fairly straightforward game.

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