The Nets unfortunately start the season 0-2 despite stellar performances by rising star
Cam Thomas. Despite two extremely competitive performances against the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Dallas Mavericks, both games resulted in the Nets being defeated with game-winning shots by Donovan Mitchell and Luka Doncic.
While it is easy to dismiss close losses, both games were lost in the same manner: poor 4th quarter rotations by Jacque Vaughn. While some may argue that hockey substitutions are intelligent, playing defensive players for defensive possessions and playing offensive players for offensive possessions, there is something that needs to be considered: basketball is not hockey.
Because substitutions can only happen during dead ball periods (timeouts, free throws, fouls, etc.), it creates situations where the Nets are on offense with their best scorer on the bench.
The Nets lost their first two games by an average margin of 4 points; these minor rotation
errors will continue to cost the Nets games. During the Cavs game, Nets led by 6 points with 1:24.
However, chaos reigned throughout the 4th because players were constantly moving on and off the bench. During the 4th, a total of 9 players played, with the Nets' leading scorer, Cam Thomas, playing less than 4 minutes in the 4th quarter.
Despite the losses, Cam Thomas has emerged as a star. Off the bench, he scored 36
points in 25 minutes. Against the Dallas Mavericks, Thomas dropped 30 points and 7 rebounds on 12-19 FG.
Against the Cavs, Vaughn subbed out former DPOY candidate Ben Simmons for Royce
O;Neale for his 3-point shooting.
However, this resulted in Ben Simmons not being on the floor for a key defensive possession, resulting in Donovan Mitchell hitting a game-winner against Cam Johnson. Simmons played less than 2 minutes the entire 4 th quarter versus the Cavs.
Despite the hockey substitutions costing the Nets a victory against the Cavaliers, he
repeated his mistakes against the Mavericks. The Nets led the Mavs 118-113 with 2:19 in the game; however, Vaughn subbed out Cam Thomas in exchange for Ben Simmons for the sake of defense.
The Nets did not get the defensive stop, and because Thomas was not on the floor, the
Nets got a shot clock violation on the offensive end. Thomas was subbed a total of 5 times throughout the 4th quarter against the Mavericks. As long as this continues, the Nets will continue to lose close games unless Vaughn creates more
stable 4th quarter rotations. If not, the Nets will lose many games they should win, and it will be because of coaching.
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