Despite the anticipation surrounding the Brooklyn Nets’ first game with interim head coach Kevin Ollie, the team’s performance fell short in their supposed coming-out party. The Toronto Raptors dealt them a crushing 121-98 defeat at Scotiabank Arena. The loss was particularly disappointing considering the recent coaching change. It’s important to analyze what went wrong and learn from the experience. One of the main issues was Brooklyn’s franchise-record 46 fast break points surrendered to the Raptors, who are known for their fast-paced style of play. Facing players like Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley should have been a warning sign for the Nets.
In Toronto, the Nets struggled with their defense, giving up a franchise-record 46 fast break points to the Raptors, who are known for their fast-paced style of play. Facing players like Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley should have been a warning sign for Brooklyn. The Raptors capitalized on the Nets’ 19 turnovers, particularly in the fourth quarter, highlighting the team’s need to improve their ball handling and rebounding. Against stronger teams, these issues could be even more detrimental.
While it is understandable that new coach Ollie may make some mistakes with his rotations, he needs to work on them. Playing a lineup of Dennis Smith Jr., Dennis Schroder, and Cameron Thomas together is difficult, especially against the Raptors’ stocky guards. Ollie also needs to be mindful of when to play Ben Simmons to maximize his impact on the court and avoid limiting the team’s spacing by playing him alongside Day’Ron Sharpe.
Despite the challenges, there were some positive takeaways from the game, including the strong performances of Mikal Bridges and Cam Thomas, who led the team in scoring and showed promising chemistry on the court.
