The Brooklyn Nets don’t have offensive or defensive coordinators, but it’s been widely known around HSS Training Center that he’s a guy whose forte is stopping the other team from scoring, whether in practices or at the end of games. As Brooklyn’s Summer League head coach in Sacramento and Las Vegas, that’s what to expect and in the two games so far in the California Classic, that’s been what has drawn attention.
In both the last minute loss to to the Sacramento Kings Saturday night and Sunday afternoon’s 89-69 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, announcers were buzzing about how the Nets defense was thwarting the other squad particularly with physicality.
Sunday’s win was particularly gratifying for Gaitley for a number of reasons. It was a homecoming. He had worked for the Kings before joining Jordi Fernandez in Brooklyn and although there was good defense played against Sacramento and Darius Acuff through most of the game Saturday, in the end, they blew a lead and walked off the court a loser. Not so on Sunday. The Nets after a slow start got out in front early and just kept rolling. By games end, Gaitley’s charges had held Milwaukee to 24-of-74 shooting, 32.4%.
The difference: “They did a better job with second chance points but as far as clearing the glass, we did pretty good.” Defense was the only improvement, either…
He got toasted afterwards…
And perhaps the most gratifying part of the big win was who Gaitley did it with. No Mikel Brown Jr., Egor Demin, Ben Saraf, Drake Powell, Danny Wolf, Joshua Jefferson, Tyler Bilodeau, Chaney Johnson! Who’s left you might ask. Well, Gaitley started with a hodge-podge of Exhibit 10s —Ben Humrichous, a 6’9” sniper and Duke Brennan, a 6’10” big — plus a trio of G League vets — John Ukamadu, a 6’5” wing who played for the Motor City Cruise; Hunter Sallis, a 6’4” guard who played for the San Diego Clippers (who’s also James Harden’s cousin) and Dwight Murray Jr. a 6’0” point guard from the College Park Skyhawks. Not the A list.
Coming off the bench another Exhibit 10: Dion Brown, another wing at 6’4” from St. Louis and 6’9” Dain Dainja who along with Brennan supplied the heft needed for the physicality.
It was Humrichous who supplied the scoring early. Brooklyn went down 12-4 early, not surprising considering how new they were to each other. At that point, the Illinois product who played with Keaton Wagler last season, decided the game was his, reeling off three straight threes. The rout was on…
Gaitley told ND how impressed he was with Humrichous who will be in Brooklyn for training camp come October.
Humrichous, who mostly came off the bench in Illinois, talked about how grateful he is for the opportunity.
Like the rest of the benchwarmers turned winners, the Summer League is going to be key to their futures and not just the three draft picks and three Exhibit 10’s. The leagues are among the most scouted in the NBA. Teams from Europe and Asia in particular are looking for talent…
Humrichous was one of five Nets in double figures. He and Sallis finished with 15 each, Murray Jr. had 14 and the two bigs, Brennan and Dainja had 10 each, Brennan adding 12 boards for a double double. The two dominated underneath.
Next up
The back-to-back-to-back ends Monday night at 8:00 p.m. ET with a game vs. the Warriors. According to Gaitley, it looks like that the Nets will be at full force and that includes Brown Jr.
“That is above my pay grade. I think the plan is that he is going to play; but I don’t make the final decisions,” said the head coach.
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