The Brooklyn Nets have a revitalized team as they begin the second half of the season. The Nets are currently playing with a new coach following the firing of Jacque Vaughn. Kevin Ollie, the interim head coach, will be coaching his first NBA game after serving as JV’s assistant coach for the majority of the season.
The Toronto Raptors will be the guests of the Nets at Scotiabank Arena. For the first time this season, Brooklyn’s roster is entirely healthy, thus it should be an entertaining contest. The team’s headliners, Cameron Thomas and Mikal Bridges, will be backed by a strong group of players.
Kevin Ollie said he has a list of 17 "EGBs" (energy-generating behaviors) that were gone over “extensively” today:
“I want hunters. If you hunt, you're gonna play. If you don’t hunt, you're not gonna play.” pic.twitter.com/tqgtBzPDjD
— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) February 21, 2024
Playing Toronto will be difficult
Even though they have a poorer record than the Nets, the Raptors will still be a difficult opponent. Scottie Barnes, an All-Star player for Toronto, can overwhelm his opponents, making him a difficult opponent for the Nets to stop. The biggest star on the Raptors, the former Florida State Seminole averages 20.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, and six assists.
Mikal Bridges in Action
Since the trade deadline, Barnes’ supporting group has advanced significantly, with Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett providing Toronto with perimeter threats. Their main opponents will be Bridges and Thomas, and the Nets team will probably perform better because they are rested.
The Nets' first practice under Kevin Ollie. pic.twitter.com/VMSWjn1wOE
— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) February 21, 2024
With the new coach, there are a lot of unanswered questions about the Nets. The focal points are clear, though, as this roster remains unchanged from the previous administration. The two offensive standouts are Bridges and Thomas, but Nic Claxton should also play a bigger role.
Now that Ollie is in command, he wants to emphasize play with energy, so players like Jalen Wilson and Dennis Smith Jr. should see a lot of playing time.
Who is and is not available?
Only Dariq Whitehead is listed as injured for the Nets; he will miss the entire campaign due to shin surgery. When healthy, he did not receive regular rotation minutes, thus this is the first time Brooklyn has been injury-free for a game.
Markquis Nowell, who had a left hamstring strain in late January, is the sole injured player for the Raptors. The game will probably be competitive because neither team has any injuries. Given their desire to demonstrate that promoting Ollie was the right decision, expect the Nets to play with enthusiasm.
