The Brooklyn Nets have greatly benefited from the development of their young 6-foot-11 big in Nicolas Claxton.
On Wednesday against the Houston Rockets, Claxton was once again the preferred guy at the five spot by head coach Steve Nash, as the Nets rolled past the visitors with a 120-108 win.
The first-year Nets head coach is all-in on the development of their young big and actually believes that, at this point, he is the team's best option on the defensive end.
“He may be our best defender,” Nash said of Claxton, via Brian Lewis of the New York Post.
Nicolas Claxton has been having a breakout year and his progress has been able to stand alone amid all the stars who have arrived in Brooklyn this season. Nash feels like they have a gem in the second-year center, and game in and game out, Claxton is proving his worth to the entire league.
For the eighth straight game, Nash went with Claxton in the fourth quarter and sat starting center DeAndre Jordan for the entire period. Claxton ended up posting 12 points, eight boards, one steal and one block in 21 minutes off the bench against Houston.
After being inactive for the majority of this season, Claxton has found a spot in the Nets rotation and is definitely earning his minutes. He has certainly been able to make the most out of his reserve minutes in his first 16 games this season. Though his numbers aren't off the charts, his presence on the court and the way he commands the block on the defensive end has been a delightful sight for Steve Nash and the rest of the team.
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