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Brooklyn Nets: 5 Reasons Why The Season Can’t Be Salvaged

By Tom Firme

Nov 2, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets point guard Jarrett Jack (2) reacts against the Milwaukee Bucks during the fourth quarter at Barclays Center. The Bucks defeated the Nets 103-96. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 2, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets point guard Jarrett Jack (2) reacts against the Milwaukee Bucks during the fourth quarter at Barclays Center. The Bucks defeated the Nets 103-96. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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Lionel Hollins Is Out Of Answers

Hollins had much to show entering his second season guiding the Nets with a younger roster and significant work needed for another playoff entry. Unfortunately, the 62-year-old head coach can’t move the team along or find a direction for it in this dreadful situation.

Hollins arrived in Brooklyn with a reputation as a stern taskmaster who runs a tough defense after leading a grinding Grizzlies crew to three straight playoff appearances and the 2013 Western Conference Finals. But the Nets were 23rd last year in defensive rating while going 38-44 and losing to a stumbling Atlanta Hawks team in six games during the first round. This year, they’re 24th in defensive rating.

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    • In the above video from Saturday, Hollins was at a loss when asked for pre-game comments. He said, “I don’t try to analyze everything. I see it and I know what it is. … And if you’re not good enough to win those games, because of the other team’s talent, you’ve still done all you can do and you go home and go to bed.”

    This is not the coach Brooklyn had hired. The front office leaders were calling for the man who led a scrappy Grizzlies team to an upset of the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the 2011 playoffs, not one who looks at a team with LeBron James and doesn’t think his players can beat him.

    One thing Brooklyn can acknowledge they bargained for is a coach averse to playing young guys. After all, he had buried Tony Wroten and Josh Selby while with Memphis. While Larkin is receiving a fair shot as Jack’s backup, two members of the Nets’ future, Bogdanovic and Hollis-Jefferson, aren’t seeing the time they need. Bogdanovic is getting 24.3 minutes per game while Hollis Jefferson sees 22.2 per game.

    Neither is as raw as Wroten and Selby were. Hollis-Jefferson has great all-around ability with his length, aggressive defense, flashy scoring and voracious rebounding. Bogdanovic boasts potent scoring talent. But Hollins still feels the need to have Hollis-Jefferson split time with the Bosnian and Wayne Ellington instead of getting him closer to 28 minutes per game.

    Next: NBA Power Rankings: Week 5

    If the Nets shake things up this season, they must do so while dropping Hollins so that young players get every chance they can at development.

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