© Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
Key takeaways from the Nets' disappointing loss to the Sacramento Kings
Heading into this game against the Sacramento Kings, the Nets were one of the hottest teams in the league. They had a four-game winning streak and won six out of their last seven games. They dominated for most of those games, but this one against the Kings was a bit different.
The dynamics shifted for the Nets, finding themselves on the receiving end of domination by SAC. While the Nets shot a decent 5 for 12 from three, they couldn't match the volume of the Kings, who nailed 11 of their 20 three-point attempts in the first half.
The Nets struggled to guard the Kings' three-pointers
In a historic performance, the Kings notched a franchise record with 25 made threes in the game against the Nets. The Nets had a tough time defending shots from beyond the arc, as the Kings cleverly utilized pick-and-rolls and kickouts to stretch their defense.
De'Aaron Fox was an outlier for that, as he was superb with pull-up threes and dribble handoffs. He had the most threes in the game with five to his name, but Trey Lyles had a fantastic game in hitting five of his six three-point attempts.
Brooklyn needs Dennis Smith Jr. in the lineup
Dennis Smith Jr. was sorely missed in this game because he was supposed to be the primary defender against Fox. He has the athleticism and defensive ability to keep up with the speedy Kings All-Star.
Smith is still dealing with his back injury after two good performances against the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic. In both of those games, DSJ showcased why he's a superb defender, especially with this performance against Trae Young in the Hawks game.
Fox had free reign to operate in this game, which led to his fantastic 29-point performance to bury the Nets and lead his team to the win.
Dinwiddie and Thomas need to be more efficient
Despite Mikal Bridges maintaining his impressive scoring streak as the Nets' top contributor, Cameron Thomas and Spencer Dinwiddie faced efficiency challenges in this game. Scoring 20 and 18 points, respectively, both players shot below 40% from the field, a concern for the Nets, particularly when trailing their opponents.
Moving forward, Vaughn's team needs to be more decisive on both ends of the floor to win games like this. It was a jarring result for them after the four-game winning streak, but this should be a wake-up call for them ahead of a game against the star-laden Phoenix Suns.
