Getty Nic Claxton sends a message.
The Brooklyn Nets picked up their second win of the season on October 31 with a victory over the Indiana Pacers.
This is a team mired in all sorts of turmoil amidst more Kyrie Irving drama, and the Nets are doing their best to not let it bog them down.
A win is definitely a way to erase some of those issues, and center Nic Claxton sounded off after the victory by saying what many fans are already thinking.
After the Pacers loss earlier in the week, Nets star Ben Simmons confirmed the team held a player’s only meeting where everybody was “honest” with one another.
Claxton talked about the meeting a little bit, but conceded he didn’t know if it really worked in his NSFW message.
“Honestly, talk is cheap,” he said, via SNY. “Everybody in the organization, we’ve just been p*ssed off. We want to be better. So I don’t know (if the meeting had an impact). But everybody being on the same page today, that’s what matters.”
There’s still a long season ahead of them, but getting one win at a time is a good way to do things. Like many teams around the league, the Nets are off to a slow start, but there’s optimism it can all get turned around.
Nets Are Having a Tough Time
With just two wins on the season, the Nets find themselves on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoffs, but a team with Irving, Kevin Durant and Simmons on the roster shouldn’t be one that misses the playoffs.
With teams like the Sixers and Heat getting off to slow starts and expected to find themselves at the top of conference, the Nets have good company to be in, but they’ll need to turn it around sooner or later.
The upcoming games for the Nets are the Bulls, Wizards, Hornets, Mavericks and Knicks, so there are certainly winnable games there, but they’ll need to break out of their slump.
Ben Simmons has struggled since coming back onto the floor, and he didn’t even play in the win over the Pacers. With Irving and Durant shouldering so much of the scoring load, they’ll need somebody like Simmons to step up and ease the burden.
Claxton Looks Solid
Nic Claxton is always somebody who has flashed a lot of potential, but he hasn’t really been able to put it together.
Through seven games this season, he’s boasted career highs across the board. His scoring is up 12.1 points per game, his rebounds are up to 8.6, and his blocks are at 2.3.
He’s definitely doing his part for the team, but he can’t get it all turned around by himself. Playing alongside Irving, Durant and Simmons has helped him out a lot, but health will be the biggest factor for him going forward.
Claxton has never played in more than 47 games in his career, and the Nets will be hoping this is the year that changes. He’s the clearcut starter now, and he’s making the most of it. If the Nets get things turned around and go on a deep playoff run, there’s a good chance that Claxton will be a big part of that.