The Nets were expected to be an offensive juggernaut heading into the season, hardly a bold prediction with the likes of Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving leading the scoring attack.
Irving is currently out of that equation, but Brooklyn still boasts two of the top scorers in the league in Durant and Harden. Still, head coach Steve Nash sees his defense as the more efficient engine for the Nets at this point in the season.
"I'm proud of the guys," Nash said. "We're a small team for the most part, and we've fought together. We've improved defensively. I think our defense is ahead of our offense, which I don't think anyone predicted coming into the year. That makes me happy.
"I think our guys can feel a sense of pride in each other that they are defending."
The defense relented briefly in the fourth quarter on Friday night, allowing the Pistons to climb back into the game before Durant helped finish off a 96-90 victory, marking the third time over the last four games, all Nets victories, that the defense has allowed under 100 points.
"We didn't defend great in the fourth quarter, but I think a part of that was that they had nothing to lose," Nash said. "They started lining up shots and making them. We could have played better defense for sure, but part of it was they made shots and went on a run. That's what teams in this league can do, but we weathered it."
Thanks in part to these last four wins, the Nets currently find themselves seventh in the league in defensive rating, while the offense is just 20th in the league with 105 points per game. Lately, that's been enough as the defense continues to be an unexpected factor.
"Overall, it's pretty solid," James Harden said of the team's defensive effort. "I think overall, we put on a pretty good defensive show, allowing only 90 points. If we can continue to keep it below or at 90 points, we got a chance."
Friday began a six-game road trip after a six-game homestand, and Brooklyn hopes to find its offensive groove before returning home. But if it takes longer than the Nets would like, there is an improved defensive unit to lean on until that happens.
"Overall, the defense was pretty solid tonight," Nash said. "Offensively, it wasn't great, but in the end, we found a way to get it done."
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