The Brooklyn Nets are proud winners of nine straight games, making them one of the hottest teams in the NBA. With this feat, they’ve successfully turned things around, making them potential winners of the Larry O’Brien trophy in the spring.
Even though they weren’t a part of the five-game Christmas Day event, the Nets still captured NBA fans’ attention during the holiday week. They won their ninth straight against the Cleveland Cavaliers and the dynamic duo of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant were the game-changer in their win. The two All-Stars scored 32 points each, while Ben Simmons almost had a double-double with his assists and rebounds.
There are many things to like about the Nets’ recent success with replacement head coach Jacque Vaughn. Since his takeover, the team has had a noticeable change in their play and of course the outcomes. With that in mind, let’s talk about the three biggest reasons why Brooklyn is a title contender this season.
Brooklyn Nets have turned into a defensive juggernaut
When the season started, the Nets were still under Steve Nash and struggling in their defensive rotations. Even with well-capable defenders like Simmons and Nic Claxton, the team wasn’t very good on that side of the ball and there were more times when opposing teams beat them off the dribble to confuse them. It was painful to watch them play defense under Nash’s system, which focused more on the offensive side of the floor.
Now under Vaughn, the team has become more disciplined on the defensive end. During the first two weeks of the 2022-23 campaign, the Nets were at the bottom in defense. After firing Nash, Brooklyn was able to refocus and become a better defensive team. The team is currently in 12th place defensively, a vast improvement from how they started.
It’s known that defense win games and the Nets have used it to turn things around.
Nets have moved past the offseason and in-season drama
Brooklyn, one of the more problematic teams in the past two seasons, has found a way to put things behind them. Since the 2021-22 campaign, the team has had problems surrounding them. From Irving’s issue with his COVID-19 vaccination to Durant wanting a trade during the offseason, the Nets have dealt with different affairs for the past two seasons.
At the start of the 2022-23 campaign, they experienced problems in coaching and Irving again. They dealt with the coaching trouble head-on, followed by putting their All-Star guard on suspension for his antisemitic concerns. After fixing these things, the Nets were quickly back on their feet. The team started to rack up wins in decent fashion, slowly climbing the ranks in the Eastern Conference.
Being on the same page is crucial for a team’s success. Dealing with problems and moving past them shows they’ve matured as a squad.
Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are both eager to win
Over the summer, Durant surprised the entire league with a trade request to get him out of Brooklyn. While the front office tried their best to get the disgruntled All-Star out of the city, they were unsuccessful. Following that, questions about team chemistry began circling. Ironically, they’ve appeared to be a well-rounded team with KD.
Durant’s All-Star teammate, Irving, has had to deal with his problems. At the start of his 2022-23 campaign, the Nets owner called him out for promoting an antisemitic film on his social media account. Due to this, he didn’t play a few games due to being suspended. There were news headlines stating that Irving won’t be able to return to an NBA court. However, since his return, there’s been nothing but a positive influence on the team.
Both superstars have been playing together to lead their team to victory on most nights. The Nets have achieved success due to the work of their All-Star duo’s brilliant plays.
