Drake Powell starting to help Nets shore up weak…
While the bar was set fairly low early on, the Nets have at least shown enchancment on protection after opening the 12 months with some of the worst stats in the league.
As Ziaire Williams famous this week, “None of us are cool with being dead last in the league on defense.”
It was one thing the gamers had been conscious of and even though wins have been elusive, they’re at least not getting run over by opponents these days.
After permitting 125 or more factors in seven of their first 10 video games, they haven’t allowed more than 119 in any of their last 4 as they head to Boston to face the Celtics for a second straight recreation.
And the presence of Drake Powell has performed a position in that enchancment.
The 6-foot-6 rookie has earned more taking part in time because of his capability on protection, one thing he was recognized for popping out of North Carolina, as the Nets chosen him twenty second general.
He barely obtained on the court in the group’s first eight video games, bothered by a sprained ankle, but he’s averaged over 22 minutes a recreation over the last six.
Jaylen Brown makes an attempt to go away from Drake Powell (4) during the second half of the Nets’ loss to the Celtics on Nov. 18, 2025. AP
In that time, he’s shown the Nets what they anticipated on that facet of the ball.
“He’s very capable of being one of the best perimeter defenders in the league,’’ Jordi Fernández said after practice Thursday. “He’s just a rookie right now, and he doesn’t even know it, but I see the tools. He just has to keep embracing that part and believing that he can do it. And what he’s doing right now is good, but it could be even better. If he has that belief, conviction and work ethic, the sky’s the limit for him defensively.”
More time on the court against top competitors will only help Powell, according to Noah Clowney.
“With the size he’s obtained, he may very well be our best on-ball defender by the end of the 12 months,’’ Clowney said.
It’s not just getting accustomed to dealing with the best gamers in the world that can be a problem for this rookie-filled Nets group this season.
As Fernández identified, few, if any, have seen a schedule just like the one the Nets have coming this week, with three video games in 4 days, — all three in different areas (Boston on Friday, Toronto on Sunday and then home against the Knicks on Monday).
You have to journey to get to each recreation, and it’s going to be three in 4 nights,’’ Fernández said.“So how do you prepare your body [and yourself] mentally because it can be overwhelming?” said Fernández.
That mental facet will be as robust as the bodily, according to the coach.
“Everybody talks about the rookie wall halfway through the season,” Fernández said. “I believe you’ve to even cut it to, ‘How do you take back-to-back [games]? How do you take three- and fours? How do you take five- and- eights? It’s important. It’s very priceless for their growth.’’
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