Back when it looked like we’d have to wait until the 2023-2024 season to see Ime Udoka again as an NBA coach, o Steve Nash has been fired by the Brooklyn Netsthe landscape has changed. And it is that according to several reports, led by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Udoka is the main and strong candidate to replace Nash in guiding the Nets.
It’s worth remembering that Udoka is at this moment was suspended by the Celtics for the entire seasonfor violating group guidelines, linked to inappropriate behavior with a Boston staff member. However, the suspension was internal to the Massachusetts franchise and not the league, so he could direct to other teams.
And everything indicates that this is exactly what will happen in the next few hours.
The hope is that Udoka can tighten up the Nets defensively and earn the respect of the franchise’s key players. Udoka spent one season on Steve Nash’s staff before accepting the Celtics job and winning the Eastern Conference. With the suspension, his future in Boston was effectively over.
Why are the Brooklyn Nets looking to coach Ime Udoka?
What exactly is Brooklyn looking for with the arrival of Udoka? First, we must say that he is a familiar face: was an assistant to Steve Nash in Brooklyn during the 2020-2021 seasonshortly before making the jump as manager of the Celtics, whom he guided to Finals 2022 in his first year as an NBA coach.
In athletic terms, Udoka’s idea addresses a very clear quest for the Nets: strengthen the defense. Brooklyn is currently the worst team in the league in that regard, allowing 119.6 points per 100 possessions. An absolutely devastating figure for any team that fancies themselves a contender.
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Brooklyn’s defensive issues are huge and Udoka could help with that. The former San Antonio Spurs player has always been known for making his mark on that side of the court, which is evident by what has been happening with the Celtics over the last three seasons.
Time
Coach
defensive ranking
2022-2023
Joe Mazzula
25°
2021-2022
Ime Udoka
2nd
2020-2021
Brad Stevens
14th
The season is young, but Boston is far from being second-best defense last season, ranked 25th at this beginning (with a fairly similar roster, save for low-key Robert Williams), weighs in favor of Udoka’s credentials.
Of course, one story is the talent he had with the Celtics, with specialists like Marcus Smart, Robert Williams and Al Horford and athletic forwards like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and a completely different one on a Nets that lacks brand name tools. Nicholas Claxton (agile but very light) is their only interior that has been proven to defend the color and the perimeter is full weak links in the defense like Kyrie Irving, Seth Curry, Patty Mills or Cam Thomas.
In fact, this 2020-2021 season with Udoka as Nash’s assistant is proof that you can’t do magic without resources: Brooklyn finished 23rd that season in defensive rating. An improvement from current 30th, but a long way from the top of the league.
Can Udoka improve this area of the Nets’ performance? To some extent, yes. Especially if Ben Simmons is regaining form as a defensive prospect (today it is far from being) and perform some others move to strengthen the board (Miles Turner?). But in the long run, Brooklyn’s stuff is completely inferior to Boston’s, as reflected in their 4-0 run in the last playoffs, and if the Nets go far this season, it will be because of their scoring talent.
I am a sports journalist who has been writing for a news website since 2015. My work primarily focuses on sports news, but I have also written about other topics such as technology and the arts. I have an extensive background in journalism, having worked as a reporter for a local newspaper before moving to a news website.
Nine regular season games took place in the NBA on the night of December 26-27.
Utah hosted the Eastern Conference leader and won a sensational victory.
The first half of the match was spent with a small lead for the Pistons, who kept their opponent one or two shots away most of the time and entered the long break with a 1-point lead at 68:67. The decisive factor in the match was the third quarter; In this quarter, Jazz made a 16:3 move and took the lead by 12 points, 90:78. The home team had the advantage in the score, but Detroit gradually reduced the gap and 19 seconds before the siren, after two free throws by Cunningham, they equalized the score – 129:129. However, the match did not go to overtime – Utah took advantage of the remaining time with the efforts of George, who scored a two-pointer 3 seconds before the siren – 131:129.
Svyatoslav Mikhayyuk He stayed on the field for 21 minutes and recorded 9 points (3/4 two-pointers, 1/2 three-pointers), as well as 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal.
The most productive player was George, who scored 31 points for Utah, while Nurkic had a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
orlando: Black (24), Carter (16 + 8 rebounds), Bane (15 + 10 rebounds), Banchero (13), Jones (8) – start; Richardson (14) and Silva (8), Kane (5), Isaac (2), Howard (0), Penda (0), O. Robinson (0).
Charlotte: Ball (22 + 7 rebounds + 6 for loss), Knippel (16), Bridges (16 + 11 rebounds), Miller (15), Diabate (10 + 13 rebounds) – start; Hall (14 + 8 rebounds), Sexton (13), Hall (7), Green (6), Connaughton (1), James (0), Mann (0).
Chicago – Philadelphia – 109:102 (30:28, 19:24, 32:33, 28:17)
I am a sports journalist who has written for various websites and magazines. I currently work as an author at Sportish, a news website that covers sports news. My main focus is writing about soccer, rugby and other sports in the world.
On the evening of December 25 and the night of December 26, five Christmas games were traditionally held as part of the NBA regular season.
The most important match of the match day was played in Oklahoma, where the Thunder hosted San Antonio.
The home team started the game better and were ahead for most of the first quarter, but they missed a move 0:11 into the quarter, allowing Spurs to take the lead 41:36. Oklahoma was unable to take the lead after that, but San Antonio maintained its lead by keeping the game under control and eventually won 117-102.
The Spurs have won all three games against the Thunder this season, while Oklahoma has lost just two of the other 28 games.
The most productive player of the match was Fox, who brought 29 points to San Antonio, while Vembanyama also scored a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds.
The Lakers played Houston at home and suffered a crushing defeat.
The fate of the match was decided in the first quarter, when the Rockets won by 12 points (25:37). Afterwards, they increased their advantage by completely controlling the course of the match and eventually won with a score of 119:96.
For Houston, Thompson scored 26 points and Shengyun had a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds.
Denver and Minnesota closed out game day.
The first half of the match ended in a draw. Neither team managed to take a lead of more than 9 points, and Denver entered the big break with a 2-point lead at 57:55. In the third quarter, the Nuggets made an attack of 6:0 at the beginning and 10:2 in the middle, reaching a 16-point lead, and at the end of the quarter they were ahead +15 – 90:78. The Timberwolves did not give up and made a 16:2 move midway through the fourth quarter, reaching a lead of 107:108. This gave fans a tense ending; Edwards hit a three-pointer 2 seconds before the siren, sending the game into overtime at 115:115. And there Jokic played a decisive role and scored 18 points in 5 minutes, allowing the Nuggets to win 142:138.
Jokic scored 56 points in the NBA on Christmas Day, falling just four shy of Bernard King’s record. Nikola also recorded a triple-double with 16 rebounds and 15 assists. Murray had a double-double with 35 points and 10 assists.
NBA. Regular season. Christmas Day, 25-26 December
New York – Cleveland – 126:124 (23:38, 37:20, 24:38, 42:28)
I am a sports journalist who has written for various websites and magazines. I currently work as an author at Sportish, a news website that covers sports news. My main focus is writing about soccer, rugby and other sports in the world.
14 games of the NBA regular season were played on the night of December 23-24.
“Utah” hosted “Memphis” and in the middle of the second quarter they were ahead by 15 points at 50:65, but then they made a move at 17:4 and returned to the match 67:69. In the third quarter, the Jazz managed to take the lead with 71:69 and the game was leveled, but the Grizzlies added points at the end of the quarter and took the lead again with 109:101 and then calmly maintained the advantage with 137:128.
Svyatoslav Mikhayyuk The player, who was in Utah’s top 5 and played 22 minutes, recorded 9 points (4/4 free throws, 1/4 two-pointers, 1/5 three-pointers), 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 1 turnover and 1 foul.
The most productive player of the match was Aldama, who scored 37 points for Memphis, while Spencer also recorded a double-double, adding 11 points and 13 assists.
In the main match of game day, San Antonio unexpectedly defeated Oklahoma.
During the three quarters, there was an even contest in which no team could gain a lead of more than 8 points, and the leader changed 16 times. The fate of the match winner was decided in the fourth quarter, and the 9:0 attack of the home team was effective in this, and then the advantage reached 12 points (98:86). San Antonio then controlled the course of the game and confidently cruised to victory, gaining an advantage of 130:110.
The top scorer of the winning team was Johnson, who scored 25 points, while Castle scored 24 points for Spurs.
I am a sports journalist who has written for various websites and magazines. I currently work as an author at Sportish, a news website that covers sports news. My main focus is writing about soccer, rugby and other sports in the world.
.jpg?itok=0ipXmiK-&ssl=1 "What can Ime Udoka bring to the Brooklyn Nets? The team’s problems and reasons for the search for the coach sent by the Boston Celtics")
