"December ended with Brooklyn leading the NBA in opponent scoring, allowing just 104.6 points per game, nearly six points better than the next-lowest team in the Eastern Conference. It was a sharp reversal for a group that entered the month allowing 113.9 points per game and searching for traction. The question now is whether that version of the Nets can carry into January. So far, the early returns have been mixed, though it's still a small sample."
"Last month, the Nets didn't just defend. They finished possessions. They controlled space. They forced mistakes. Brooklyn ranked third in the NBA and second in the Eastern Conference by holding opponents to 44.8% shooting, and third in the NBA and second in the East by limiting teams to 32.8% from 3-point range. They ranked sixth in the NBA by forcing 15.4 turnovers per game, and fifth in the league with a 72.1% defensive rebound rate."
"Opponents averaged just 12.5 second-chance points per game, the fewest in the East, and the Nets held teams to 107 points or fewer eight times, the most in the NBA. Those results weren't tied to one lineup or one player. They were tied to collective habits. "Just stick to the same principles we had, starting with our ball pressure, being in shifts, closing out to guys, closing out to shooters, multiple efforts," Ziaire Williams said."
Brooklyn's defense transformed in December, allowing 104.6 points per game and leading the NBA in opponent scoring, a stark improvement from 113.9 earlier. The Nets limited opponents to 44.8% shooting, 32.8% from 3, forced 15.4 turnovers per game, and grabbed 72.1% of defensive rebounds. Opponents averaged only 12.5 second-chance points, and Brooklyn held teams to 107 points or fewer eight times. Early January form has regressed, with a 123.3 defensive rating through three games and losses while missing rotation players. The defensive success was driven by collective habits and consistent principles.
Read at New York Daily News
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