Brooklyn Nets: What we learned from game one – they are the same old Nets

The Brooklyn Nets picked up right where they left off last season, with a loss. The Nets lost their first game of the season in a 103-100 fashion against the Pistons, but what can be taken away from this game?

The Brooklyn Nets lost their season opener to the Detroit Pistons in what was a close game. The Pistons pulled away in the final couple of minutes leading to a Nets 103-100 loss.

But what can be taken away from the first Nets game of the year?

We learned several things about the Nets in their first game, the biggest of which being they need to figure out how to grab a rebound.

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The Nets lost the rebounding battle in a 46-39 fashion as they grabbed only five offensive rebounds.

If the Nets want to win games that come down to the wire, then they need to win the rebounding battle.

Grabbing offensive rebounds is key in games that are determined by less than ten points.

More offensive rebounds equals more second chance buckets, more second chance buckets equals more points, and more points equals more wins.

This being said, the Nets need to grab more than a mere five offensive rebounds if they want to strive for any kind of success in 2018-19.

When you compare the Nets five offensive rebounds to the Pistons 14 in the same game, then you start to see why the Pistons came out on top.

Another thing we learned from the first game of the year is that the Nets need to improve their three-point shooting.

The Nets made only five of their 27 threes on Wednesday night for an 18.5%. Five of 27 from beyond the arc will not lead to wins in the NBA.

The Nets lost by three points, three points.

If the Nets make just ONE of the 22 threes they missed than they go to overtime and have a chance to win the game.

This being said, the Nets have two options, they can either stop shooting threes as much or they can work on shooting threes in an effort to improve their percentage.

You cannot miss 22 threes in a game because if you miss 22 threes you will never win that game.

The Nets had 82 total shots, 27 of them were threes.

With this in mind, that means if they step inside the arc rather than taking the 22 threes they missed then their three-point percentage goes up and chances are they score more points seeing they are taking higher percentage shots.

Another thing we learned is that the Nets need to change-up their starting five and take out Jared Dudley.

Dudley played 36 minutes in the first game of the season as he went 0-4 beyond the arc, and 0-5 overall making only one free throw to go along with three rebounds, three assists and an impressive three steals.

While Dudley was impressive on defense with his three steals and helping hold Luke Kennard to only seven points, Glenn Robinson III to only four in their combined 39 minutes, he was not sufficient enough on the offensive end.

Meanwhile, the Nets had Spencer Dinwiddie start on the bench while Dudley got the start, if you switch these two around you may see some more production.

Dindiwddie did play 32 minutes, but he should be placed in the starting lineup as he went for 23 points, four rebounds and six assists.

While Dudley may be a better defender, you are getting more production out of Dinwiddie.

The final thing we learned from the Nets first game of the season was that the Nets are the same old Nets that we saw last season.

The Nets had 51 of their 82 games decided by 10 points or less in 2017-18, of those 51 games the Nets won a mere 20 of them.

In 2018-19, we saw yet another game decided by 10 points or less for the Nets, the first game of the season and the Nets lost by only three points.

If the Nets want to be a competitive basketball team, they need to sharpen their edges because these are games that the Nets could win if they fix the small things.

A great basketball team is a team that can win those games that come down to the wire, those games where the small things can make or break the game.

In 2018-19, don’t expect the Nets to be much different from they were in 2017-18. If their first game is any sort of sign, the Nets will be the same team we saw last year. Ultimately the results will be very similar.