The Nets have gotten off to a disastrous start to the season. The team is 0-5 and is struggling to find an identity. The Nets have not been competitive thus far to start the season. They have struggled mightily on the offensive end and no player has struggled more than Joe Johnson.
Johnson is averaging just 8 points per game to begin the season. He is shooting 28% from the field, 20% from behind the arc and is averaging 2 turnovers per game. Johnson a former All-Star is a career 17 points per game scorer.
He seems uninterested during the game as he is only averaging 10 field goal attempts and just does not seem active in the offense. This is a far contrast from a player who only a few seasons ago was averaging 18 shots per game. Johnson was brought here from Atlanta to score and be a reliable threat on the offensive end. In his first season with the Nets he averaged 16 points per game, as he was a part of the big three, which included Deron Williams and Brook Lopez. Williams has since departed and the team moves forward with Lopez and Johnson. Johnson is now in his 14th year in the league and at age 34 it may be difficult for him to regain some of his youthful prowess. However, he is averaging 32 minutes per game, he may be in a slump right now but he has to improve on the offensive end for this team to get in the winning column.
Joe has to demand the ball and get involved offensively. He has to take some of the scoring pressure off of Brook Lopez. Coach Hollins may need to run some isolation plays for Johnson to heat up and get out of this cold start to the season. He is too talented a player even at this age to be having production like this as a starter.
The team as a unit has been performing poorly. They are ranked 29th in the league in scoring at 89.8 points per game while shooting 43.8% from the field and 24% from behind the arc. They must find more efficient ways to score the ball as a team. The team is also struggling on the boards they rank 29th in that category as well. They need to improve defensively as well they are 23rd in opponents points per game.
Tonight they welcome the Los Angles Lakers to the Barclays Center; a team that also has well documented struggles and like the Nets, are winless. The Lakers welcomed back injured guard Kobe Bryant for his 20th NBA season. Bryant who in a recent interview stated that he “sucked” has also struggled offensively and looks to regain his rhythm on the floor tonight.
The Nets will have to keep some of the young Lakers off the boards and stop the Lakers on the offensive end. The Lakers rank 4th in scoring at 106.8 points per game.
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