NBA Halloween: Playing trick-or-treat with each team’s early season trend

Brooklyn Nets

The Kyrie Irving Show is fun, but the Nets need more: Treat

Kyrie Irving has been lights out to start the season. He’s been a one-man wrecking crew, dropping 50 points in his Brooklyn Nets debut, sinking the go-ahead triple with 21.9 seconds left in a win over the New York Knicks and overall, averaging an impressive 35.3 points, 6.3 assists, 6.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game on .475/.400/.912 shooting splits.

https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1187353204327100434?s=20

However, as entertaining as the Kyrie Irving Show has been, his 35.8 percent usage rate (fourth in the league) is worrisome for a guy who hasn’t logged 70 games in three of the last four years. Whether it’s due to wear and tear on Irving or the simple fact that his gaudy numbers aren’t translating to team success, the Nets need more balanced contributions across the board.

Honestly, it’s not the offense that’s the main concern in Brooklyn. The defense is ranked 21st in the league and has been the Nets’ downfall early on, especially compared to their lively 3-point attack. This team cannot continue to rely solely on Kyrie putting up huge numbers (and occasionally Caris LeVert). In a year that’s all about growth until Kevin Durant returns, defense and squeezing production out of the rest of the younger supporting cast has to become the focus if the Nets want to make this season count.