Scheierman's Huge Night: Beginner's Luck or Red Flag For the Nets' Defense?

The Brooklyn Nets' defensive woes have been the team's most dangerous enemy since the All-Star break. Through an inability to close out tightly-contested games — especially against top competition — last night a star was born at TD Garden.

As the Nets fell to the reigning champion Boston Celtics for the fourth time in the 2024-25 NBA season, rookie forward Baylor Scheierman stole the show. Selected with the 30th pick in this past summer's draft, Scheierman had appeared in just 18 contests, averaging under two points per game.

That was until the rookie closed out the season series against Brooklyn virtually on his own.

Scheierman finished the 104-96 victory with 20 points while shooting 6-of-7 from deep — four of which came in the fourth quarter. He displayed a similarly-elite shooting ability while starring at Creighton throughout his collegiate career, but had yet to see that ability translate to the professional level.

Was the breakout showing just beginner's luck, or a further indictment of the Nets' defense?

According to NBA.com, Brooklyn is tied with the Philadelphia 76ers for the 25th-ranked defense leaguewide. That ranking accounts for defensive rating, opponent's points off turnovers, second-chance points and points in the paint. While some of the numbers suggest the Nets haven't been as poor as it seems, an inability to contain their opponents has derailed a midseason playoff push.

Conceding 40 points to Stephen Curry isn't all that alarming, but its the monster performances from non-top-15 talents that have become lethal. Spurs' guard Devin Vassell dropped 37 on Brooklyn in early March, Bulls' guard Coby White exploded for 31 in a pivotal Eastern Conference bout and Lakers' guard Gabe Vincent appeared to be the best player on the floor when the Nets last met with Los Angeles.

Perhaps, Scheierman's career-night was a mix of both. He was clearly into the moment, feeling the crowd erupt as every shot sank through the net. But Brooklyn also wasn't doing much to prevent the next three-pointer from dropping.

No longer in position for the Eastern Conference's final play-in spot, the Nets seem to be focused more on the future than winning in the current. Even though that may be the case, general manager Sean Marks and head coach Jordi Fernandez must address the defensive woes which have plagued the latter half of the season this summer.

Whether through free agency or the 2025 NBA Draft, finding perimeter defenders to prevent such performances must be a top priority as year one of Brooklyn's rebuild comes to a close.

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