San Antonio Spurs

Brooklyn Nets vs. San Antonio Spurs Pre-Game Report

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Jan 11, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili (20) passes around Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) during the third quarter at Barclays Center. San Antonio Spurs won 106-79. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Coming off a close win against the Nuggets, the Brooklyn Nets have to be prepared for fired-up San Antonio Spurs team

So far this season, the Nets and Spurs have been on polar opposite sides of the spectrum. The Spurs come into this game with an 18-5 record, while the Nets sport a 6-15 record.

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The Spurs come into this one as one of the hottest teams in the NBA, winning 13 of their last 15. However, the Spurs just lost their first road-game of the season to the Bulls, which visibly frustrated the team. Head coach Gregg Popovich was particularly displeased with the team’s performance, meaning they could be out for blood on Saturday.

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The Nets, on the other hand, have been struggling. They’ve lost 10 out of their last 12 and continue to reel without their point guard Jeremy Lin. The good news though, is that Lin practiced in full yesterday for the first time since his injury, meaning that he is likely to come back to the team for the next game.

The meeting is the first and only meeting the two teams will have this season.

Jan 11, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Jonathon Simmons (17) drives around Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) during the fourth quarter at Barclays Center. San Antonio Spurs won 106-79. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Keys to the Game

Fast start

The Nets know this game won’t come easy.

To win this one, they need to start off quickly with efficient shooting to open up. If the Spurs are able to grab an early lead, they will run away with it.

The Nets have been known to play poorly in the third quarter, so having a lead at halftime would give them a nice cushion in the third. Plus, a quick start could take the crowd out of the game early on.

The Nets won’t be able to win if they’re forced to come from behind, so getting off to a quick lead is a must.

Make the Spurs offense uncomfortable

Plain and simple, the Nets defense has been atrocious so far this season. They’ve given up more than 100 points in all but two of their games.

The Spurs are one of the best offenses in the league, so it could end up being a recipe for disaster.

The Nets can absolutely do things to take the Spurs off their game, and doing what they’ve been doing is certainly not the correct way. If any space is given to the Spurs, they will be able to easily run their offense.

With that being said, the Nets need to apply consistent pressure to the Spurs to make them uncomfortable. This could include a switch on defense, strong pressure on the ball, or physical defending. If the Nets play defense like they have been this season, the Spurs will dominate them. They need a change.

Players to Watch:

Nets: Sean Kilpatrick (G) – 16.7 points per game, 4.8 rebounds per game this season

Spurs: Kawhi Leonard (F) – 24.4 points per game, 6.0 rebounds per game this season

Jan 11, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Boban Marjanovic (40) keeps Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) from the net during the third quarter at Barclays Center. San Antonio Spurs won 106-79. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Projected Starters

Nets:

Spurs:

Injuries:

Nets:

Spurs:

Matchup to Watch:

Sean Kilpatrick vs. Danny Green

While this may not be the most exciting matchup of the game, it is certainly the most inviting from the Nets’ perspective. Kilpatrick has been hot, and can potentially outplay Green. Don’t expect these two players to go back and forth at each other, but look for this matchup to possibly give the Nets a boost.

The game will be broadcasted on YES at 8:30 PM EST. Join the conversation by tweeting @NetsBlogFS.

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