Having Kyrie available for home games makes Brooklyn better — but does it make the Nets title contenders? kirkgoldsberry dives in on ESPNPlus ➡️
Yes, the offense is superb, but compared with healthy two-way contenders such as Boston, Miami, Philadelphia and Milwaukee, it's fair to ask whether the Nets will be able to get enough stops to win multiple best-of-seven series against postseason squads that come equipped with excellence on both ends.
If anyone knows this painful truth, it's Nash, who led some of the most dazzling, most influential offenses of the 2000s but whose greatest teams now offer cautionary evidence about the limitations of one-way excellence. It's fair to ask if Nash, now in the role of head coach, is about to relearn those painful lessons for familiar reasons.
Irving's defensive impact isn't exactly inspiring. In his 730 minutes of action this season, the Nets have posted a woeful defensive rating of 115.5. That ranks 28th in the NBA. Last season, in his 1,886 minutes, the Nets' defense allowed 113.8 points per 100, a figure that would have placed 25th in the league.
Drilling down a bit more, Irving's ability to defend at the point of attack is a real concern. Over the past two seasons, the Nets have switched the fourth-most of any team when defending on-ball screens. Their defensive efficiency on these plays ranks just outside the top 10, allowing 0.97 points per direct play. However, when Irving is involved in the action as the defender on the ball handler, the Nets allow 1.
Those defensive numbers don't scare anyone except Nets fans, especially in the context of recent NBA history. Each of the league's past 20 champions ranked 11th or better in defensive rating during the regular season. Nash's phenomenal Phoenix teams of the 2000s never ranked better than 15th. This year's Nets currently rank 22nd in that category.
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