Smooth Operator

After the loss to the 76ers two nights ago, the Nets showed fans that there is  work to do especially on the defensive end.  Too many points in the paint are coming from  weak-side help and defending the  pick-n-roll  needs to be adjusted as well. The good news is that this is only the preseason and their has been many bright spots. Andray Blatche, has been playing with this me against the world attitude and I hope he continues to progress. Brook Lopez , coming off a major injury has showed signs of his old self and an aggressive attitude to rebound. Brooklyn still needs chemistry but their is still a lot of time left which means the Nets can only get better. In the meanwhile, Joe Johnson still has something to prove to the NBA world along with his other teammates.

Tuesday was a great day for the Nets. They played the Celtics on NBA TV, and was later featured on NBA TVs Association. But on Yes Network, there was a Nets preview full of projections on the upcoming season, interviews and sneak peaks into the practices.  I found the most interesting interview with coach Avery Johnson and his proclamations on Joe Johnson.  Avery was asked about Joe  and how he would use him. His reaction was " Joe Johnson is an unfinished product".  When i heard this,  I began to think on how Joe can improve and take that "next step".  Joe Johnson is a six time all-star and a top five shooting guard. He is also seen as a player who is overpaid and overrated. It is not his fault that Atlanta gave him $120 million. But it is granted to expect more than what Joe has been giving us. Joe Johnson has a silky smooth game. His jump shot is pretty and also possesses a fade-away that can't be stopped most of the time. The problem lies with Joe being too smooth. With abilities to pass and post, any person with logic would think that those abilities would be exercised.  The problem was the system Joe operated in. It will be interesting to see how Avery will use Joe because  I definitely see a lot more post plays for Joe Johnson and other plays with him moving without the ball. Now if this happens, I can see Joe taking that "next step" and Brooklyn making a deep playoff run as well. This season will be interesting because Joe now has an opportunity to work under a new system with multiple weapons. I hope Joe Johnson continues playing his smooth style but in a more effective way. Just imagine Joe Johnson being a consistent post player and passer. Scary right? Brook, Deron and the Nets will only benefit from the constant match up problems provided in their favor.  The nickname ISO-Joe will be quickly forgotten if everything goes well in Brooklyn. The NBA world is waiting to see if Avery can back up his strong statements and I can't wait either.

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