{"id":842,"date":"2016-09-25T07:45:26","date_gmt":"2016-09-25T11:45:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonprobasketball.com\/?p=842"},"modified":"2016-09-23T13:51:50","modified_gmt":"2016-09-23T17:51:50","slug":"keys-brooklyn-nets-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2016\/09\/25\/keys-brooklyn-nets-season\/","title":{"rendered":"Two Key Factors to a Successful Brooklyn Nets Season"},"content":{"rendered":"

During the 2016-17\u00a0NBA<\/strong>\u00a0season, headlines will be dominated by\u00a0<\/em>Kevin Durant<\/a><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0and the Golden State Warriors<\/strong>\u00a0on a daily basis. However, having a super-team doesn\u2019t guarantee a championship; just look at the 2012-13\u00a0Los Angeles Lakers<\/strong>. Everything can change and anything can happen in the NBA. A team can implode, the injury bug could strike, or a team simply might not play to its potential. In this\u00a0Last Word On Pro Basketball<\/strong>\u00a0series, we\u2019ll break down which two key factors will determine the fate of each team in the upcoming season.<\/em><\/p>\n

In this edition, we\u2019ll take a look at the Brooklyn Nets<\/strong><\/a>. The keys to a successful Brooklyn Nets season are the development of individual talent and the success\u00a0of the\u00a0combination of Brook Lopez<\/a><\/strong> and Jeremy Lin<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Two Key Factors to a Successful Brooklyn Nets Season<\/strong><\/h1>\n

First Key:\u00a0Development<\/strong><\/h2>\n

There is still optimism and hope among fans that this team can contend for a playoff spot. That is a challenging task to accomplish<\/a>, looking at the roster. However, there is some potentially good news. The Nets went out and hired\u00a0Kenny Atkinson<\/strong>\u00a0as the new head coach to lead this team. His specialty is player development. Atkinson\u2019s record with player improvement is renowned. Therefore, players once considered scrubs and fringe will have that opportunity to blossom into serviceable pros and potential starters, maybe even the odd All-Star.<\/p>\n

Anthony Bennett<\/a><\/strong> has a golden opportunity to resurrect an otherwise disappointing career. Bennett was chosen first overall in the NBA Draft<\/strong> a few seasons back, but he hasn’t lived up to his potential. His work ethic and willingness to learn has been questioned by many. But he showed glimpses of his\u00a0potential while representing Team Canada<\/strong><\/a> during Olympic<\/strong> qualifiers this past summer. After being out of the league for much of last season, Bennett should be\u00a0highly motivated to prove doubters wrong.<\/p>\n

Another such player is Chase Budinger<\/a><\/strong>. Budinger<\/strong> is a veteran of seven years and has played for four teams. Budinger is a unicorn as a player – he has the rare combination of being a high flyer and a consistent three-point shooter. One could call him a poor man\u2019s (or perhaps a homeless man’s) version of\u00a0Ray Allen<\/a><\/strong> or Glen Rice<\/a><\/strong>. The big question about Budinger, though, is health. He has been plagued with injuries throughout the past few seasons, beginning with a torn meniscus back in the 2012-13 campaign. Though he currently\u00a0only has a training camp contract, Budinger has every chance to make this team, provided that he’s\u00a0healthy.<\/p>\n

But the key development will take place among Brooklyn’s\u00a0rookies and second year players. After trading a very serviceable Thaddeus Young<\/a><\/strong> for a first-round draft pick, the Nets selected 6’7″ guard Caris LeVert<\/a><\/strong>. The Nets also traded up in the draft to acquire the rights to hometown point guard Isaiah Whitehead<\/a><\/strong>. Whitehead<\/strong> is a prototypical project. Highly touted out of high school, Whitehead attended Seton Hall<\/strong>, where he was good but not great. Other young players include\u00a0New York City<\/strong> natives Sean Kilpatrick<\/a><\/strong> (Yonkers)\u00a0and Chris McCullough<\/a><\/strong> (Bronx).<\/p>\n

LeVert is still recovering from\u00a0injury<\/a>. He is in the process of returning from a \u2018Jones Fracture\u2019 of the left foot. Kevin Durant had a similar injury<\/a> and recovered to his All-NBA best last season. The Vertical<\/strong>\u2019s Chris Mannix<\/strong><\/a> tweeted that the Nets would be patient with LeVert. In the interim, the Nets penciled in Rondae Hollis-Jefferson<\/a><\/strong> as the starting shooting\u00a0guard, with J<\/strong>oe H<\/strong>arris<\/strong> as his back-up.<\/p>\n

Coach Atkinson has a tough task on his hands. His genius and abilities will be tested. With that said, he\u2019s not on the clock, as the team’s majority owner Mikhail Prokhorov<\/strong> is comfortable with the rebuild and has expressed full confidence in GM <\/a>Sean Marks<\/a><\/strong>. Out went the five-year championship plan, with which Prokhorov started when moving the team to Brooklyn. Marks and Atkinson are working assiduously to change the culture, and the players are buying into it.<\/p>\n

Second Key:\u00a0Brook-Lin must click early and often<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Brook Lopez will be the barometer for the Nets this season in terms of wins and losses. Lopez is a talented scorer inside and a very consistent mid-range shooter. He also stated recently that he\u2019ll attempt more three-point shots next season. He is particularly effective in pick-and-roll situations, which will mesh\u00a0perfectly with\u00a0Jeremy Lin. However, many critics question Lopez\u2019s defensive shortcomings, and they note\u00a0his rebounding output (or lack thereof) as evidence.<\/p>\n

Lin is superb<\/a> in the pick-and-roll. Lin is aggressive going to the basket and though many have stereotyped him as a one-handed player, he finishes on either side of the rim. Built to withstand the pounding, he is\u00a0listed at\u00a06\u20193″ and 200 pounds. He is not a small dude. This combination of size and speed is a match made in offensive heaven. Lin has his critics as well; pundits claim that he’s not a good defender. However, Lin’s former coach Steve Clifford<\/strong> emphatically debunked that myth<\/a>. Coach Atkinson instills confidence in his players, and Lin seems\u00a0excited to work with him.<\/p>\n

Both players will set the tone, as they\u2019re the team’s leaders. Lopez will need to return to the form that led him to being an All-Star in 2013. Will Lin be the point guard and floor general that the Nets are banking on? The Nets have shown confidence in Lin<\/a>. He will certainly get his chance. Remember that Atkinson\u2019s second assistant and offensive mastermind is Chris Fleming<\/strong><\/a>. The offense that Fleming runs\u00a0is a traditionally point guard dominant system, played out of the one-four setup. This, in theory, will suit Lin and Lopez perfectly. Jacque Vaughn<\/a><\/strong> is the lead assistant coach and defensive strategist alongside Atkinson. Vaughn wants the team to cause a lot of\u00a0turnovers, meaning that transition opportunities may\u00a0be available for all. Of course, these two players staying\u00a0healthy is essential.<\/p>\n

Conclusions<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The best case scenario for the Nets is them competing for the final playoff spot. This could be optimistic, as odds makers in Las Vegas<\/strong> predicted<\/a>\u00a0that the Nets will finish with the worst win-loss record this season. Kevin Pelton<\/strong> of ESPN<\/strong><\/a> has predicted that the Nets will win\u00a025 to 35 games this season. Change takes time; development is a marathon, not a sprint. While they have some talent, the Nets do not possess enough of it\u00a0to rival teams such as the Boston Celtics<\/strong><\/a> (because of the Billy King<\/strong> regime<\/a>) or the Toronto Raptors <\/strong>in their division. What the Nets will bring, however, is grit and fight. There is a movement afoot on social media, trying to make the Nets’\u00a0motto this season be \u201cBrooklyn Grit.\u201d<\/a> As the team hunkers down to work, the fans are ready to provide the\u00a0much needed support. The process is in full swing. Now it\u2019s time for the Nets to get to work.<\/p>\n

Main photo:<\/p>\n

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Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n