The Brooklyn Nets are currently the best team in the playoffs with a +15.5 net rating 8 games into the playoffs (as of 12th July). Kyrie, Harden and Durant have been performing and producing at all time rates in the regular and people season, and this isn’t surprising at all. But a big and underrated reason for their dominance in the regular season and playoffs has been the players around the big 3.
Joe Harris, Blake Griffin, Bruce Brown, Nicolas Claxton and Jeff Green have been really valuable players for the nets. These players are really versatile and provide value in such unique yet essential ways to their team. Everything a championship level team needs from their players is met by these supporting pieces.
Joe Harris
Joe isn’t only one one of the best 3 point shooters in the league, he’s one of the best 3 point shooters of all time. Currently shooting an insane 47.5% from behind the arc on almost 7 3s a game and 51.5% on catch and shoot 3 pointers (5 attempts a game)! His shooting ability and spacing value is really important to the nets. He’s great moving off ball and creating space for himself and getting cleaner looks. His scoring is really underrated too, 16.5 points per 75 on 66.3% true shooting (+10%) is incredible. Especially when he’s not taking touches away from any other players and almost exclusively scoring off assisted shots. Providing value without needing any touches is key to fit with higher level talent, like Harden, Kyrie and Durant. Harris is creating space for his teammates to produce more effectively and punishing defenses at historic rates if they decide to double the Nets’ stars. Along with his shooting talent he’s great at cutting and has off ball counters, like hitting his defender with a backdoor cut if he overplays him or using his hands to create separation. He’s also an underrated passer and decision maker, the key thing is the quickness in passing and decision making. He’s never holding onto the ball for long after catching it. Joe is great at attacking closeouts and finishing at the rim. He’s also a good extra passer who isn’t only looking for his shot. His shooting, movement, decision making and overall efficiency makes him the perfect offensive player to have next to other offensive engines.
Blake Griffin
Blake coming to Brooklyn wasn’t something everyone expected and due to his recent performances with the Pistons and downward athletic trajectory, it seemed like he wasn’t going to be a real contributor to this team. But he’s actually been phenomenal and an amazing complementary player that does so much for this team. Blake’s an elite passer for a big man. He’s a great decision maker, great extra passer who always keeps the ball moving and looking for higher quality looks for teammates whenever possible. He presents a really balanced combination of on ball and off ball offense, he’s shooting 38% from 3 this year and is a positive floor spacer. He’s also a great roll man, good at finishing plays created by the ball handlers, great at finding open teammates with quick decision making and good at crashing the board to clean up misses. Griffin still posts up a fair bit, and although it’s not great offense (44th percentile) it’s a good value add considering he’s also creating shots from the post. He’s also a good cutter and good at attacking closeouts. He’s good at knowing when to roll, pop, set hard screens, slip, etc. 4 assists per 75 for a guy who mainly plays off ball is amazing value, especially when you consider how much of that is quick hitting passes without taking touches away from others. His defense has been impressive too, he’s been fairly mobile and good switching onto guards this year. Also been an engaged team defender, and although he doesn’t provide major rim protecting value, his on ball defense has been good this year. Blake’s really strong and can take on matchups which other Nets’ players other than Green or Claxton can’t handle.
Jeff Green
Jeff’s sadly missed most playoff games due to injury, but he’s been really valuable this season. He’s been a great shooter and finisher this year for the Nets. 41% from 3 (4 attempts) and he’s finishing at the basket at a 73% rate. Green usually plays the 5 and his main offensive value is spacing the floor and finishing plays set up by the playmakers on the Nets. His tendencies to be away from the basket and on the perimeter either leads to his defender leaving the paint and making it easier for the nets to score, or giving up widen open 3s which Jeff has been hitting really well this year. Jeff is also a great cutter and roll man, benefitting a lot from Harden’s all time great pick and roll playmaking talents. Harden assisted 1.9 assists a game to Jeff Green, the highest to any teammate for Harden this year. Jeff is also a really smart player, knowing when to slip screens, when to cut into space, quick decision maker who’s always moving the ball and setting screens. Green’s defense has also been good, he’s very versatile with any position and comfortable being on the perimeter. He’s not a great rim protector or anchor at all, but he has enough in him for what the nets do to make him a valuable defender too.
Nicolas Claxton
Nicolas Garnett, I mean Claxton is one of the most mobile bigs in the league right now while being 6’11 with a 7’3 wingspan. His defense is space is amazing, great foot speed and really long arms to contest every shot. He’s able to effectively defend pick and rolls and switch onto shifty guards while easily staying in front of them and bothering every shot with that length. He’s also a good rim protector, so good at targeting the ball. He’s good off ball and a very active defender who never stops moving. He’s always there to plug gaps in the backline and make great saves at the rim, that quickness and length really help him getting to spots and alter shots. Shooting against or close to Claxton is really challenging and generally ends in a miss. He’s a really high IQ player who’s high revving motor and combination of length and agility make him an amazing defender in all spots of the court. Claxton is also an elite defensive playmaker; he has a 5.9% block rate and 1.9% steal rate, identical numbers to Anthony Davis. Claxton’s offense isn’t that great yet, he’s a good roll man who’s great at finishing plays, catching lobs, cleaning the glass and making the occasional pass. All his actual value comes from his defense, and it’s really valuable considering how much he has to do for them and how much ground he has to cover.
Bruce Brown
The fact that the Nets got Bruce Brown as a filler in a trade is crazy, such a versatile player is the dream for every contender. He’s adapted into his new role in Brooklyn with ease, going from being an on ball creator who was a good slasher to finding ways to create and score without the ball. He’s completely changed the way he plays to fit with the big 3 in Brooklyn and provide impact without the ball. He’s not a great shooter but his ability to roll to the basket and cut into open space is what allows him to score within the system. He’s an elite roll man, excellent at slipping screens and finishing at the basket with ease. He’s got a floater which he’d go to often to finish, he also provides value as an offensive rebounder. His offensive rebounding rate is 8.9% which is very good, and even more impressive considering he’s only 6’4. He doesn’t stop moving and is always moving into open space or setting screens for ball handlers. James Harden and Bruce Brown have been a great duo this year, Harden’s passing brilliance and Brown’s off ball movement is the perfect pairing. His passing is also great, especially his touch passing which helps in ball movement. Brown’s defense helps the Nets a lot, highly versatile and extremely disruptive on the perimeter. His activity, IQ and hustle is incredible, good team defender who works well off ball and provides some paint resistance. Brown’s value as a screener, roller, cutter, passer and defender is very important to the Nets, especially when he’s a perfect complement to Harden and other ball handlers.
The Nets have great supporting pieces next to the big 3, who bring passing, shooting, off ball scoring which meshes really well with Harden, Kyrie and Durant’s brilliance. Having 1 all time great movement shooter, 2 positive floor spacers is very good. 4 guys who are great rim rollers is a perfect complement to the stars, especially Harden. All these guys are capable to good decision makers too. Exactly the traits you need when paired with ball dominant engines. Their defense is good enough too, making them extremely valuable players when paired with the stars in any lineup or role.
Boardman 