A highly anticipated Brooklyn Nets season tips off Wednesday night at Barclays Center against the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves.
“Excited to see who we are and how good we could be,” said head coach Kenny Atkinson. “That’s the question coming into the season and although we’ve been through preseason you never really know until you get a decent sample size in the regular season.”
The Nets are coming off a resurgent season that delivered Brooklyn’s first playoff berth since 2015, with the team finishing the season in a 34-22 rush after an 8-18 start. The breakout season was followed by a bold summer that only elevated expectations going forward while changing the face of the franchise.
With one of the two two-way roster spots still unfilled, the Nets have nine newcomers and seven returnees on the roster. The big free agent splash brought Kyrie Irving, DeAndre Jordan and Kevin Durant to Brooklyn.
“I like the challenge,” said Atkinson. “I think we all like the challenge to raise our game, go up another level. I enjoy the challenge. I think the team’s enjoying it, staff, just as an organization. We know the stakes have been raised, so we’re excited for the challenge.”
There will be a wait for the injured Durant, which will temper expectations for a bit. But Irving and Jordan both bring All-NBA resumes. Trade acquisition Taurean Prince has a major role coming as well. It raises the question of what these new-look Nets will look like on the court.
It’s something that Atkinson brought up on day one of training camp. A big question mark went on the board. What will the identity of this Nets team be?
“We’re all curious,” said Atkinson. “Maybe you guys think as a head coach you should know more. But you don’t know. And you don’t know what the competition; I fear the other teams in the NBA so much, it’s not fear, respect, I respect the other teams so much. It’s just to be determined. The identity’s got to be forged during the regular season. I think we made strides in the preseason and I kind of know hopefully where it’s going, but I’m not going to tell you what it is right now.”
For the players, outside expectations are a moot point. They’re expecting big things.
“The best part about it is our expectations are higher than any expectations outsiders are putting on us right now,” said Spencer Dinwiddie. “So if we live up to our expectations, then other expectations don’t matter. It’s really about ourselves, our focus, our attention to detail, and continuing to bring that consistent work.”
SETTLING A ROTATION
The Nets used 10 players over the first three quarters in last Friday’s preseason finale, and Kenny Atkinson expects the rotation to follow that course at the start of the regular season.
“Unless I change my mind I think we’ll go 10 deep,” said Atkinson. “Especially early. Get to know our roster. Get to know our rotations. Obviously building up, I think at the end we went with nine, I think at the end of the year. But I think in the beginning you’ve got to start with the larger group.”
Against Toronto, the Nets started Kyrie Irving, Caris LeVert, Joe Harris, Taurean Prince and Jarrett Allen, and that group is listed as probable starters for Wednesday night.
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES
The Nets will be facing a new-look Minnesota team on opening night. One that looks a whole lot like … themselves?
With head coach Ryan Saunders in his first full season after taking over last January, the Timberwolves have a whole new style. Minnesota led all teams in field goal attempts (97.4) and pace (112.80) over the preseason. Last season the Timberwolves were 13th in the league in pace (100.88)
“Reminds me a lot of the Nets system,” said Kenny Atkinson. “It does. I think everybody, I think you guys are going to see it. There’s a lot of five-out. The NBA’s changed. (Karl-Anthony Towns) isn’t posting up as much. That’s what I see in the preseason. Maybe they come out with something different. I see the floor spread when I watch the preseason games. We’re heading towards a spread revolution and we have to be ready for it.”
One thing that hasn’t changed is that Towns remains the centerpiece for Minnesota. Last season, the 7-foot, 248-pound center averaged 24.4 points while shooting 51.8 percent overall and 40.0 percent from 3-point range, in addition to 12.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.
It’s an opening night challenge for third-year Nets center Jarrett Allen.
“For him I know this preseason he’s been doing amazing shooting 3s; he’s around 40% from the 3-point line,” said Allen. “So definitely be there to contest for him. And just looking at the ending of last year, how he had the amazing finish to last year, just be ready for him to come out strong.”
The Minnesota roster features three players who were part of the Nets organization last season in Shabazz Napier, Treveon Graham and Jordan McLaughlin. Napier and Graham were with Brooklyn for the season, while McLaughlin played for the G League affiliate on Long Island.