September 29, 2009

Camp Rules: Defense Does the Talking

With the Nets split into fours, the drill was 4-on-4 halfcourt, and if the offense scored, they stayed on; if the defense made the stop, they stayed. But it was continuous and physical as wave after offensive wave pounded toward the bucket, sprinting off after a miss to line up for another crack.

That this took place on the first day of training camp at the PNY Center should prove to be symbolic for Nets fans, whose team is likely to run, run and run some more in order for players besides Devin Harris to put points on the board. But – prepare yourself for a mantra you'll be hearing all year – it starts with defense.

"That’s all we’re allowed to talk," said guard Keyon Dooling, stonefaced and serious.

The effort will begin on the perimeter, where the team has amassed a number of athletic wings with the lateral quickness necessary to harass opponents as they initiate their offense. That perimeter attack will, in turn, begin with Harris, the team's point guard and best player – and thusly the linchpin to the whole process.

Harris knows it, and is already saying all the right things, about leading by example and making up for an on-paper talent deficit with hard work, aggressiveness and a defense-first mentality. He hinted that moving away from a scoring duo (Harris and the traded Vince Carter) to a team-oriented approach should allow the PG to better focus on the defensive end than he did a season ago, when he scored 21.3 points per game, six better than his previous career-high.

Coach Lawrence Frank recently indicated that with the addition of Rafer Alston to Dooling and several other backcourt options, Harris could see fewer minutes in order to maximize his production on both ends of the floor. It's an interesting theory, more in line with Harris' deployment in Dallas, where he never played more than 30.4 minutes per game in 3 1/2 season. But, more importantly, it seems to be one Harris understands.

"If I can play less minutes and be more effective, I feel comfortable with the guys that we have coming in to do the job," Harris said. "If I have to play 32 minutes instead of 38, and we’re winning, I’m fine."

That type of trusting attitude is one that extends to both Alston and Dooling, each of whom are established NBA veterans who have played key roles on postseason squads. Alston, an 11th-year point, started several years for the perenially playoff-bound Rockets, also leading the Magic to the 2009 NBA Finals after a mid-season trade. Dooling, entering his 10th season as an energetic, defending third guard, has taken three trips to the playoffs in the last five years, once with the Heat and twice in Orlando.

As he recovers from offseason hip surgery, Dooling – Harris' primary backup last season – has yet to move beyond light cardio and shooting. With no timetable for his return, Alston likely starts the season with the majority of the minutes, but each knows any playing time will be well-earned, fairly.

Said Alston: "For us three, Devin’s our starter, and the rest of us will compete and push each other. It’s not like we’re first-, second- (or) third-year players. Keyon’s nine years in, I’m 10 years in, so we understand: be professional, compete and understand that we’re all on the same team. We’re in this together."

And Dooling: "That’s not for me to decide. Whatever happens, happens. I can’t control any of that. All I can control is that when I get my opportunities, I do my best."

The opportunities will indeed be on the way, with Frank often referring to the team's "strength in numbers" and "horizontal depth chart." The battles among backups can be broken down from 1-to-5, with small forward the most open position as camp begins. But the days will pass, and players will put themselves in enviable positions as others push them ever harder in practice.

Having the direction and input and drive of the coaching staff along with the impending start to the season has upped the intensity beyond the pickup games the players had engaged in for the last few weeks.

"Pickup is pickup," Frank said. "No defense is being played, you’re going at 50 percent speed. You can’t skip steps, so today, first, was about building up. You show the big picture, then break it down. It’s called the 'whole-part-whole' method. A whole lot of 1-on-1, then 2-on-2, 3-on-3 and 4-on-4, and it’s a buildup. Then you bring them back to the beginning. We have an expression: 'you never pick up where you left off, you pick up where you began.'"

Just Who Was That Masked Man?
Courtney Lee was surprisingly wearing the facemask he sported during the playoffs after fracturing his sinus. He said that he'd been cleared to play without it, but wanted to take no chances during training camp. While it might make an appearance during a preseason game or two depending on his comfort level, he expects to ditch it by Opening Night, when he'll get his first official crack at proving the pundits incorrect.

"That’s going to motivate us, when people pick us last in pretty much every category," Lee said. "That’ll definitely put a chip on the shoulder and motivate us to build chemistry and bond with each other to combine and play to the best of our abilities."

A Few Injured
Outside of Dooling, the only Nets on the sideline were Tony Battie (right knee inflammation), who completed half of practice, and Eduardo Najera, who received treatment on a sore back related to the sports hernia surgery he had this summer.

Skip Denies Demand, Says 'It was a Weird Story'
Straight from the man himself:

"I don’t think the story said I said it. You didn’t hear a quote come from me. It was a weird story. For somebody to put that out there right before camp, I immediately called in and told (management) that story didn’t come from me. First of all, I’ve never been that type of guy, to want or demand to be moved or even want out or anything. I think I’m one of the most grateful guys to have a job and get to play this long in this league."