Nets Call Up Second-Round Pick Nicolas Claxton

Getty Nicolas Claxton

Nicolas Claxton is heading to Brooklyn. The Nets announced they have recalled the 2019 second-round pick from the Long Island Nets, their NBA G League Affiliate. Claxton will suit up for Monday night’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Barclays Center.

Claxton made his professional debut during the preseason, averaging 7.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in three games. In two seasons with the Georgia Bulldogs, the South Carolina native averaged 8.4 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.

The move is likely to shore up Brooklyn’s defense, which is allowing 119.5 points per game, second-most in the NBA. The 6-foot-11 forward was a defensive star in college and led the SEC in rebounding his last season at Georgia.

Claxton comes from a great basketball pedigree. His father, Charles, was also a standout for Georgia in the early ’90s. Charles was later selected by the Phoenix Suns in the second round of the 1994 NBA Draft.

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Kenny Atkinson Gets Creative

Head coach Kenny Atkinson is relying on techniques usually seen on the football field. During endgame situations, Atkinson has been seen holding up cue cards on the sidelines with a visual representation of the play call.

“We’ve had trouble communicating it to the guys in the past, so we came up with this idea,” Atkinson told the New York Post. We have to find a way so everybody knows. Sometimes you have to add a little humor to things. It sinks in a little more with the guys.”

The players have certainly taken notice. After the 123-116 win over the Houston Rockets on Friday at Barclays Center, center Jarrett Allen gave his feedback.

“It’s a ridiculous sign, but it gets our attention gets us to know what we need to do, so it works,” Allen said.

Allen has been one of the few consistent defenders Brooklyn has relied on this season and averaging almost 10 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.

So, what was up with that sign Kenny Atkinson held up at the end of the game? “(Kenny) told us this crazy story about how it was created,” DeAndre Jordan said. New @ESPN story: https://t.co/VhOmimFqiO

— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) November 2, 2019

Kyrie Carries Offense

Kyrie Irving continues to sizzle. The free-agent guard recorded his first triple-double for Brooklyn in Friday’s 113-109 loss to Detroit, going off for 20 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. Irving is ranked second in the NBA in scoring, averaging 30.5 points per game.

Irving had his first signature moment with Brooklyn in the team’s first win of the season last, a 113-109 comeback last week against their city rival New York Knicks.

Right after the final buzzer sounded, Kyrie ran over to the sidelines to embrace his father. The two exchanged hugs and Kyrie gave him the shirt right off his back. The moment was captured on camera and aired on the TV broadcast.

Follow Jared Smith on Twitter: @jaredleesmith