After winning the first game of the back-to-back against the Grizzlies, Brooklyn lost the second leg to the Orlando Magic. This loss should not have happened, considering the Nets played well the night before.
Orlando’s All-Star forward Paolo Banchero was out with an illness, which could’ve been a golden opportunity for Brooklyn, but they couldn’t play with the same energy that led them to the win against Memphis.
Let’s look at the biggest takeaways from the Magic trouncing the Nets.
Brooklyn falls apart without Cam Thomas
Without Cameron Thomas, Brooklyn struggled to get their offense going. Against Memphis, Cam was a driving force behind the offense, as he scored and showed his growth as a playmaker with five assists.
Since he rolled his ankle in that game against the Grizzlies, he promptly missed the game against the Magic. Without Thomas, Mikal Bridges was the sole focus of Orlando’s defense, as the former Villanova star shot 2-of-13 from the field, good for only four points.
Thomas is vital to the Nets’ offense, given he commands respect from the opposing team. He will garner the defenders’ attention, which leads to more open looks for the rest of the Nets, including Mikal.
The Nets are increasingly becoming careless with the ball
Brooklyn committed 22 turnovers against Orlando, which led to 15 fast break points for the Magic. It was a far cry from how well the Nets took care of the ball the night before, only committing eight turnovers.
Not having Thomas and Ben Simmons was a big reason behind this, given their roles as ball-handlers for this team. Dennis Schroder and Dennis Smith Jr. could play safer in the half-court while making more precise passes in transition.
Trendon Watford should have a place in the rotation
Coach Ollie wanted energy from the team, and the man who showcased that against Orlando was Trendon Watford. The former LSU Tiger proved he deserved more minutes by scoring 14 points and grabbing seven rebounds in just 19 minutes.
Watford did commit a game-high five turnovers, but that can be attributed to rust, given he’s not played consistent minutes all season. At only 23 years old, Trendon can still grow as a playmaker, given his unique skill set of soft touch around the rim, size, and passing.
The Nets now move on to a two-game series with the Atlanta Hawks, which could prove pivotal in the race for a spot in the Play-In Tournament.
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