How the Brooklyn Nets Should Address Their Defensive Woes

On Feb. 22, the Brooklyn Nets had won seven of their last nine, relying on a midseason resurgance to charge toward the playoffs. Despite being without Cam Thomas and Noah Clowney — a duo that was set to return soon — Brooklyn appeared to have found a real rythym heading into March.

Unfortunately, that proved to not be the case.

Since then, the Nets have mustered just one victory out of their previous 10 games, largely due to a lapse in defensive performance. Spanning from March 4-13, Jordi Fernandez's group have conceded the following scoring performances: Coby White - 31 points, Darius Garland - 30 points, Gabe Vincent - 24 points, Miles Bridges - 26 points, Stephen Curry - 40 points, Devin Vassell - 37 points.

Vincent, the Los Angeles Lakers' veteran guard, and Bridges, the Charlotte Hornets' high-flying forward, were the lone players not to eclipse the 30-point threshold. These numbers aren't a coincidence, but rather an indication in a tremendous drop off in defensive effort.

Sure, the Nets' countless injury struggles could be to blame. Maybe guys aren't as energized due to a limited number of players available. However, this argument is completely voided when analyzing Brooklyn's early-season performances.

Remember, when Dennis Schroder and Dorian Finney-Smith were both still on the roster, Fernandez and company found success through undying effort and gritty defense. Perhaps the lack of a true veteran leader has allowed the team to become somewhat complacent.

That argument too gets quickly voided when considering where Brooklyn currently stands. While its record has taken a major hit, only six games seperate it from the 13-seed and 10-seed in the Eastern Conference.

So how does Fernandez solve the problem?

Keeping Ziaire Williams on the floor at all times is key. Sans Finney-Smith, who departed for Los Angeles in a late-December trade, Williams is likely the Nets' best perimeter defender. Assigning him to the opponent's scariest threat should help limit the mosntrous performances Brooklyn has given up lately.

Additionally, Nic Claxton must re-discover his pre-2024-25 campaign self. Amid a down year, Claxton was once viewed as a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate with the numbers to back to back it up. When the Nets' anchor is holding down the interior, rivals are forced to play from around the perimeter, allowing Williams to shut down prolific scorers.

Maybe Fernandez could opt to make a schematic adjustment, but with only 16 games remaining in the regular season, making slight changes may benefit the team more than drastic corrections.

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