That the Nets are struggling without their best player was predictable. How the Nets have struggled without Kevin Durant, though, is eye-opening: It is possible the Nets have missed one of the most gifted offensive players of all time more on defense than on offense.
Kyrie Irving and Nic Claxton have stepped up, and the Nets’ shooters have been consistent contributors. But through six losses in eight games, since Durant sprained his right MCL, the Nets’ overall scoring has dipped, going from 114.6 points per game in their first 40 games this season to 112.8 since Durant’s injury.
The Nets had established themselves as a defensive force, giving up 109.8 points per game in their first 33 games after Jacque Vaughn took over as head coach. But without another agile and quick 7-footer to replace Durant, the Nets have surrendered 116 points per contest, including back-to-back losses to the 76ers and Pistons this week, in which the Nets allowed 137 and 130 points, respectively.
As the Knicks invade Barclays Center on Saturday, there projects to be much more room — about a 7-foot hole — for Julius Randle, RJ Barrett and company to operate.
“[Durant] covers up a lot of our mistakes, being able to switch out on the perimeter, being able to get rebounds,” Irving said Thursday after his 40 points were wasted because the Nets could not stop the worst-in-the-conference Pistons. “That’s where we’ve been struggling, is just staying in front of our men sometimes and fouling. And then our rim protection — Nic can only do so much. Having another 7-footer along[side] him makes a difference.”
The difference has been reflected in the record for the suddenly stumbling Nets, who also began 2-6 when Durant was injured in January 2022 before an all-out free-fall.
Without Durant, Joe Harris has moved into the starting lineup, and wings such as Seth Curry and Yuta Watanabe have seen bumps in minutes. The Nets have been smaller and generally slower, which has been exploited defensively and on the boards.
“We definitely miss [Durant] out there on the court on the defensive side, big-time,” said Claxton, who too often recently has been switched to the perimeter and thus has offered little help in rebounding. “Another [7]-footer helps with rebounding and protecting the rim.”
In the eight-game span, the Nets grabbed just 46.3 percent of available rebounds, which was the second-worst in the NBA in that stretch through Thursday.
Vaughn has noticed the Nets’ downturn against bigger teams, including Philadelphia and Detroit, and called it “a challenge for us.”
“Sometimes [our offensive] lineups give us an opportunity to put 122 on the board, but now we got to worry about the other end,” Vaughn said. “I think it boils down to the early work of you reacting to those guys. So whether that is you have to anticipate a shot going up and then you hit [to box out] first.”
It is possible the defensive and rebounding problem was heightened Thursday when the Nets lost a two-time All-Defensive First Team player. Ben Simmons exited with stated left knee soreness in the third quarter and is questionable to face the Knicks. Simmons has been an enigma offensively, but on defense, he has proven potent while covering everyone from point guards to centers.
With or without Simmons, Vaughn believes the problem can be corrected by adopting a more conservative approach on defense. He pointed to a play Thursday in which guard Edmond Sumner, while helping, reached and “almost gets the steal — but it’s a foul.” He wants the Nets to take fewer chances.
As the shorthanded Nets try to figure out risk management on defense, the Knicks could be the benefactors.
“Whoever’s available for us to play will be available and just move on to the next game,” Irving said Thursday. “As much as I would love to sit up here and give [reporters] a nice diatribe on what it will look like in the future, I just don’t know.”