点击查看原文：Game Preview: San Antonio Spurs vs. Brooklyn Nets
Game Preview: San Antonio Spurs vs. Brooklyn Nets
Shutting off the perimeter is the key
As the season’s dog days continue, the Spurs have another tune-up game on Wednesday against the Nets, who have lost four in a row.
The Nets may have a terrible record (21-39) but are well-coached. They average 79 percent of their offense in the half-court. The main focus of the defense will be stopping the perimeter attack, which is set up by dribble handoffs, screen rolls, and the drive-and-kick game. Keep in mind that the Nets average the fifth-most drives to the paint in the NBA yet score the fifth-fewest paint points.
Their weak outside shooting should give the Spurs a break, allowing extended time in a 2-3 zone, but if the hosts aren’t sharp, the evening could turn into a disaster. On top of that, one of the priorities for the defense should be pressuring them into a high turnover count and consecutive missed layups so San Antonio can take advantage of their transition defense.
Furthermore, containing D’Angelo Russell on the dribble is another point of emphasis. He’s a screen merchant who likes to pull up for a jumper, and most of his attempts are 3-pointers. The other dribbler to check closely is Trendon Watford, who will probably be a mismatch because he is 6’9 and powerful.
The Spurs will probably trap off-ball snipers like Cam Johnson when coming off the screen. But the front line is ultra-thin giving more time to Bismack Biyombo and Sandro Mamukelashvili.
On the other side, the Nets are a top-seven defense since Feb. 1, allowing only 111.7 points per 100 possessions, per Cleaning the Glass. Since then, they also recover to the corners quickly after helping, permitting 35.3 percent of attempts to fall.
De’Aaron Fox will be depended on to break Brooklyn’s assertive coverages. It won’t be easy because he will see a lot of help defense since Biyombo won’t be guarded tightly. Yet, his speed is the best counter to the length the Nets will deploy in pick-and-roll defense. After he starts cooking them going downhill, someone will need to step up as an outside shooter because his roller won’t be a factor unless it’s Jeremy Sochan.
Using Fox as a cutter in screen rolls with Chris Paul as the playmaker would be ideal, too, since they can’t double him without the ball. But the next important player is Keldon Johnson, partly because of his maneuverability and strength. He averages 18.8 points on a 56.8 effective field goal percentage in his career against the Nets.
Devin Vassell is stuck in a cold streak, making 29 shots in his last 76 attempts. Snapping out of it against the Nets would also give the Spurs a decisive advantage.
Brooklyn Nets at San Antonio Spurs
March 4, 2025/ 7:30 CT
Watch: KENS5
Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)
Spurs injures: Charles Bassey — out (left knee: acute-on-chronic bone bruise); Stephon Castle — questionable (left thumb sprain); Riley Minix — out (G League/two-way); Victor Wembanyama — out (right shoulder: deep vein thrombosis)
Nets injuries: Kendall Brown — out (G League/two-way); Noah Clowney — out (left ankle sprain); Tosan Evbuomwan — out (G League/two-way); De’Anthony Melton — out (left ACL tear)