The Brooklyn Nets are riding a hot streak as they push the Philadelphia 76ers at the top of the Eastern Conference, and their last two victims are title contenders in the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers. Despite these impressive wins, we shouldn't take too much away from how things played out.
In the Nets' win against the Lakers last Thursday, the defending champions were without a big piece: a 6-foot-10, 253-pound piece to be exact. That would be Anthony Davis, who's out with a leg injury.
Davis changes the whole dynamic of the game on both ends of the floor. Nets center DeAndre Jordan was once an impactful defender, but age and injuries have sapped much of the athleticism that helped make him so effective. Davis would have feasted inside the paint against Brooklyn.
On Sunday, Clippers star Paul George was not included in the closing minutes of their tightly contested game. Despite the countless “Pandemic P” memes, George is one of the best two-way players in the league. He can comfortably make shots from anywhere on the court and is a dynamite defender. Had he been there to finish the game, maybe the outcome would have been different. George recently just recovered from a bone edema injury, so the team is limiting his minutes.
Aside from sharing Staples Center, these two teams have something in common. They can both reach a higher gear, especially on defense. As cliché as it sounds, playoff defense is a whole different story. Teams play with a higher intensity knowing their season is on the line. The coaching staff will have a whole season of tape to make game plans and study opponents' strategies and tendencies. There is only so much one can do when having to defend Brooklyn's stars, but with the right defensive scheme, perhaps these stars can be contained. At the very least, role players like Joe Harris and Jordan could be taken out of the equation.
In general, the pace of the game slows down much to the benefit of defensive-minded teams. There is also a notion that referees allow more physicality in the postseason. Physical play is an effective tool in grounding high-powered offenses. This also means there would be fewer fouls called, making it more difficult for scorers dependent on getting to the charity stripe.
Of course, it is important to note that Kevin Durant was not able to suit up in both games due to a hamstring injury. So, the Brooklyn squad we witnessed take down both Los Angeles teams wasn't at its best either. Durant is one of the deadliest scorers the game has ever seen and a strong defender when engaged.
So, there are several asterisks to these two recently concluded games. Still, it wouldn't surprise anybody if one of these games was an NBA Finals preview.
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