I usually try to keep the Nets away from NBAPlaybook.com.  For one, they are an awful team who gets blown out a lot, so there aren’t too many “key possessions.”  Also, along with Mark Ginocchio, I co-run the Nets Truehoop Network blog NetsAreScorching, so most of my Nets stuff goes over there.  The Nets’ game last night against Detroit showed us some things that I want to talk about here.

“The Nets have the talent, why aren’t they winning any games?”  Being the blogger that talks about the Nets, I hear a variation of this question at least once a day.  Whenever I am asked, I give a generic answer that involves “Injuries, them being young, and the fact that they don’t have a real coach.”  You know what though, those are just excuses.  When the Nets played the Pistons (a team that I think the Nets are equal with in terms of talent), you saw the real reason.  They don’t execute late, while other teams do.

Before we look at the Nets’ lack of execution, we need to look at this play run by the Pistons.  The Pistons are a bad team, but they have veterans who know when they are playing teams close, they need to execute to win.  That is exactly what they do here with the game tied:

Sometimes a great play is set up even before the ball is handing to the inbounder by the official.  Here, the Pistons pull out Ben Wallace to the three point line.  This is genius.  It takes Brook Lopez out of the paint.  Conversely, if you are on the Nets, you have to realize that the Pistons are pulling out Brook Lopez.  There has to be a reason for this, and the reason is that the Pistons want to get into the paint and score.  The Nets need/should be expecting something in the paint.

So as the play starts, Jason Maxiell flashes to the corner, as Rodney Stuckey comes through and sets a pick on Jarvis Hayes.  Maxiell flashing to the corner is another way to clear the middle, and it should be another indicator for the Nets.  They are pulling defenders out of the middle because that is where they want to attack.

As Tayshaun Prince rolls around the screen set by Stuckey, there are two things the Nets could have done to defend this well executed play.  Brook could have been a little lower.  Ben Wallace isn’t a threat out there, so if he sinks lower and Ben Wallace makes the catch, he is no real threat.  Brook being lower could have clogged the middle and prevented Prince from getting into the lane.  Devin Harris could have also been in better help position.  Harris sees the screen being set, and he has to know Prince is going towards the rim.  He also should have seen that Maxiell cut out of the middle, meaning there are no defenders in the paint.  If Devin is in better help position, it makes the lob pass harder to make.

Instead, Harris stays attached to the man he is defending.  I understand he doesn’t want to allow a catch on the block, but if he is in better help position, the pass would be made in front of him (giving him time to recover).

Instead the lob gets made, Prince finishes with the dunk, and the Pistons take the lead for good.  Here it is in real time:

Down 2, coming out of a timeout, the Nets needed to respond.  Instead, they don’t really execute here.

The Nets run this play like 6 or 7 times a game.  It works like once a week.  Jarvis Hayes is going to come off a double screen, and after that Courtney Lee is going to come off a screen set by Brook Lopez.  The design is to get one of the two an open jumper.  The thing that bothers me though, is you have Tayshaun Prince on Devin Harris.  Harris has been able to get to the lane all game long.  So why not just try and run an ISO set once they see the mismatch (I don’t like running  ISOs late, but when you have a mismatch like here, I say go for it).  Anyway, the Pistons already know what is going on.  Jarvis’ man stays on his side, while Hamilton stays on the other.  Both defenders patiently wait as their men just come to them.

Hayes comes off the screen looking for the catch (with Devin Harris looking for him), but Rip Hamilton is in position to defend the play.  He won’t be open.

Now here, Lee should have recognized that the Pistons are playing defense like this, and he should flash towards the middle.  The Pistons would be caught off guard.  Instead he keeps his head down and executes the play as it is drawn up.  That is fine, but as a player, sometimes you need to look how the defense is playing you and switch things up.  Make them respect all options.

As Harris picks up his dribble, Kris Humphries provides an outlet and gets the pass.  This is where all the madness starts.  Humphries tries to penetrate all the way from the three point line.

Humphries can’t get to the basket, so he hands it off to Devin Harris who brings the ball back up top.  Harris now has Jason Maxiell covering him.  This is a mismatch teams look for.  There is still enough time on the shot clock for Devin to pull it out, break down Maxiell and then get into the paint.

Instead, he just takes one dribble and kicks it out to Lee.  Lee’s man closes out on him hard, now giving Lee a lane to attack the basket.  Instead, he just settles for a contested three.  Here it is in real time:

This is another thing about the Nets.  In key situations, they tend to settle for way too many jumpers, just because it is easy.  Last night was a perfect example.  The Nets got the Pistons into the penalty with 7:30 left in the game.  They took 2 foul shots in that 7:30, and it was on a shooting foul.

After the first failed possession, the Nets quickly fouled (which is something I like seeing) and set Detroit to the line.  They make both and the Nets are now in a similar position.  Coming out of a timeout needing a basket.  This is what they run:

This is a fantastic play-call.  The thing that bothers me is, why couldn’t the Nets run this when they were down 2?  They needed a quick basket then too, so I don’t see the sense in saving this play for when you are down 4, instead of running it when you are down 2.

The Nets foul Richard Hamilton again, and to everyone’s surprise he misses the second one.  The Nets choose not to call a timeout, and they try to catch the Pistons off guard.

I like that they don’t call a time-out here.  They need a 3, and they come easier in transition (instead of calling a timeout and letting the defense get set).  I can also understand what Devin Harris is thinking.  He was expecting Prince to get be on his heels, allowing Harris to take the three.  Only that doesn’t happen and Harris airballs a three.

Poor execution kills the Nets in just about every close game.  Some of it can be blamed on the coaching (though you need to take into consideration that Kiki is coaching for the first time in his life), but the players need to execute better.  On defense, the guys need to be in better help position.  Of offense, the Nets need to look to see where they can take advantage of the defense (Lee cutting in the middle when they expect him to come around screen).  In general they need to make better decisions (attack the basket/take smarter shots).  If that happens the Nets can get some wins.  Why should it be expected to happen though?  We are 47 games in, and the Nets still haven’t figured it out.