Nic Claxton has been vocal about feeling robbed at not earning All-Defensive honors last season, if not the league’s Defensive Player of the Year.
Unsurprisingly, his Nets teammates agree.
“Oh yeah, for sure. Look at what he was doing last year. He should’ve been on the All-Defensive team at the end of the year,” Royce O’Neale said Wednesday during Nets’ training camp. “Everything that went on hurt him, but this year he actually made a big emphasis on just taking the next step, guarding guards, bigs, doing it all. So we’ve got a lot of trust and confidence in him. And that’s what he’s going to do.”
If anything, the chip on Claxton’s shoulder is only rubbing off on his teammates.
“Yeah, definitely, just for him to have that fire. I feel like he should’ve made All-Defensive team,” Cam Thomas said. “He was like the leader in blocks. He had like two blocks a game for I don’t know how many games straight [it was 16]. It was crazy.
“It’s definitely a good thing to have that our 5-man to anchor the defense is playing with that energy, playing with that chip on his shoulder. It definitely elevates everybody to defend, so it’s a good thing.”
Last season, Claxton finished second in blocks (189) and blocks per game (2.5). But that was playing a switching scheme that actually drew him away from the rim. Expected to be in drop coverage more, those numbers should actually spike.
“For sure. That’s what we want him to do. He’s not one of the top rim protectors in the league for no reason,” said O’Neale. “He’s got our back.”
In the eighth game of the regular season — Nov. 8 versus the visiting Clippers — Mikal Bridges could make his 400th straight appearance.
Bridges is riding a streak of 392 straight that is third-longest in NBA history behind A.C. Green (1,192) and Randy Smith (906).
“Obviously it’s a blessing, but I don’t look into it. I just want to play every single game I can. If I’m healthy enough to go out and play, I’ll play. The streak is … it’s dope though,” Bridges said.
“You guys are the ones that remind me of my streak. … I don’t look at it like that. If I would’ve missed a game two years ago or a year ago I wouldn’t look at it like, ‘Oh damn, my streak’s over,’ [or] ‘What if I don’t feel well? Maybe I won’t play today.’ … I’m always going to play no matter what the situation is.”
On the other side of the spectrum, Ben Simmons has struggled with back woes. In an effort to stay healthy, he’s added to his regimen.
“Treatment. Pilates. Lifting. All the boring stuff. But it becomes a part of the routine. You start to learn,” said Simmons. “That’s the great thing about it: You see your progression. I want to wake up every day and be able to stand up and be able to compete. I don’t want to have a day where I can’t go. That’s not a good feeling.”
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