After a turbulent start to the season, his transfer request Kevin Durant in her suspension Kyrie Irvingits slow onset Ben Simmons upon his return from injury and the firing of coach Steve Nash, the Brooklyn Nets looked far from a championship contender.
In December, Jacque Vaughn’s nets have been renewedclimbing the Eastern Conference standings to number 2, with the second-best record in the league (23-12) behind only the Boston Celtics, and with a 10-game winning streakthe best in the league, the biggest in the franchise since they committed 14-game winning streak in 2006.
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At the heart of their resurgence has been the dynamic play of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, and while their star duo is putting up points, the nets are much improved on both sides of the courtand his performance looks a lot more like the team than we expected on paper.
the nets carry 17-3 record in their last 20 gamestying the best 20-game hitting streak at any point in the season in franchise history; according to your communication group.
Now that Brooklyn is officially the best team in the league, let’s break down the key stats that have fueled his rise.
123.4: The Nets offense runs like a machine
The Nets have scored at an absurd rate on their winning streak, posting a league-leading 123.4 offensive rating in that span, 3.7 points per 100 possessions ahead of the New York Knicks’ guards.
Brooklyn is shooting with great efficiency, shooting 51% from the field (1st in the NBA), 39.1% from 3-point range (1st in the NBA) and dishing out 27.1 assists per game, third in the NBA behind only Golden State Warriors and Denver Nuggets.
10-series for the Nets 👀…
Kyrie (28 PTS) and KD (26 PTS) combine for 54 PTS to lift the @BrooklynNets to victory and keep their winning streak alive! pic.twitter.com/qZZZjSMKq8
—NBA (@NBA) December 29, 2022
17.5: Ben Simmons’ Spectacular Net Score
While Kevin Durant Y Kyrie Irving have grabbed the headlines, the Australian Ben Simmons He’s been one of the Nets’ most impressive players on both sides of the ball, leading the team with a 17.5 net rating, according to NBA.com stats.
Simmons changed the game on defense, with his versatility allowing him to switch seamlessly between perimeter players and bigger men, as well as being disruptive when it comes to assists. His defensive rating of 106.7 is the best on the team, while he leads all rookies on the other side of the ball with an offensive rating of 124.2.
“As a teammate, to see him smile and have fun and be competitive is to see him be himself.”Irving said of Simmons’ improved play. “So whenever he can be himself and think we’ve got his back, I feel like he’s at his best.”
✅ @BenSimmons25 & The @BrooklynNets get 🔟 wins in a row! #NetsWorld
📊 10 points | 2 AST | 5-10 FG pic.twitter.com/gM6EnXIoiU
— NBA Australia (@NBA_AU) December 29, 2022
More | Six stats that show Kevin Durant is having the best scoring season of his career
59.7: Durant and Irving are on fire
Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving have done more than enter the conversation about who is the best duo in the entire NBA.
During that 10-game winning streak, Irving (29.8) and Durant (29.9) have combined for an average of 59.7 points per game, both with spectacular scoring output.
The Nets duo in December:
Durant-Kyrie-
28.8 PPG 28.3 PPG
7.7 RPG 6.2 RPG
5.4 OFF 5.4 OFF
58/40/94% 51/42/91%Unstoppable. pic.twitter.com/CAEbBh6uIW
— StatMuse (@statmuse) December 29, 2022
Even though Durant has been the one for the Nets this season, when push comes to shove, Irving has been on another level. Kyrie leads the NBA in fourth quarter scoring this season with 9.1 points, and that number has increased to 12 points during this streak.
It means a lot to know that we have the confidence to play our part, from quarter to quarter.Irving said after his win over the Hawks. “I think we all want to be aggressive with our minutes, but especially for me, when it comes to the fourth quarter, it’s time to win, that’s all I really know. I’m thankful to have the confidence of my teammates and the coaching staff. staff.
7: The Nets are doing their job in the clutch
Wednesday night’s win over the Atlanta Hawks was decided on the last possession and the Nets won 108-107continuing his impressive late-game performance.
During his 10-game hitting streak, six of those have been decided by six points or less, and seven of his victories have come in the clutch (score by five points or less in the last five minutes of the game).
With just one game left for the Nets in 2022, the new offensive pace and excellent execution have come just in time as they look to build momentum, with their championship hopes reborn.
The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of the NBA or its organizations.
