Prior to being traded to the Phoenix Suns, Kevin Durant was asked about how the Brooklyn Nets were able to right the ship after a disastrous start. Durant had a simple explanation for the resurgence.

“What we did was simplify both ends of the basketball,” Durant said. “Shored up our roles individually. Coach shored up our roles, pretty much letting us know each day what he needs from us. I think that’s been a focus. It’s not like, man finally we got the noise out of our locker room and now we can play. We’ve always been locked in on basketball.”

The coach who shored up the Nets’ roles was Jacque Vaughn. It’s the same Jacque Vaughn who was viewed as a temporary solution until the team secured a deal for Ime Udoka. But the Band-Aid the Nets applied after Steve Nash was fired on Nov. 1 has become a permanent fix.

Vaughn has not only kept the Nets afloat amid this turbulent season, but he has managed to make them into a playoff contender by fixing a major weakness that dogged his predecessor — defense.

Through the first 17 games of the 2022-23 season, the Nets were averaging 111.6 points per game while shooting 49% from the field and 37% from 3-point range. They had a record of 8-9 and were on the outside of the playoff race. For the next 17 games, the Nets averaged 117.2 points per game while shooting 53% from the field and 41% from 3-point. They won 14 of their next 17 games and soared into upper tier of the Eastern Conference standings.

The Nets were on a serious roll until Durant suffered an MCL sprain on Jan. 9. Before the injury, which sidelined Durant for at least four weeks, the four-time NBA scoring champ was enjoying the most efficient offensive season of his career. He was shooting 55% from the field and a league-best 93.4% from the free throw line.

Just when the Nets were beginning to turn it all around and make a push for one of the top four seeds in the East, Kyrie dropped a bombshell on Feb. 3 when he requested for a trade. Two days later, the Nets shipped Irving to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith and three draft picks.

The smoke from the Irving trade hadn’t cleared yet when the second bombshell dropped. The Nets and the Suns worked out a blockbuster deal, sending Durant to the Grand Canyon state for a package that included rising star Mikal Bridges, 3-and-D wing Cam Johnson, veteran forward Jae Crowder and four unprotected future first-round picks.

In less than a week, the Nets went from being title contenders to a team in rebuild. This latest challenge is nothing new for the 47-year-old Vaughn. He’s been able to steer the ship in the right direction in spite of rough waters the past four months since taking over for Nash. The Nets were able to secure the sixth spot in the East, earning a first-round date with No. 3 seed Philadelphia. Finishing in the top six was nearly implausible given all the off-court drama the Nets have endured for almost a full calendar year.

The implosion in Brooklyn started back in the summer when Durant demanded to be traded. The basketball world was turned upside down for a few weeks while the Nets entertained numerous offers for Durant. In the end, Nets general manager Sean Marks and owner Joe Tsai couldn’t find a deal that would satisfy all sides and Durant remained a Net.

Following the KD drama, Kyrie Irving found himself in hot water when he shared a link on an antisemitic film on social media. Kyrie’s actions resulted in team-imposed suspension.

“My approach is the train is going to keep moving. And that train of playing hard, playing together, being a team, that’s going to continue. And it’s going to be up to me to get our group to incorporate everybody. But the train is gonna keep moving,” Vaughn told reporters.

Irving’s nearly four-year stint with the Nets ended on Feb. 6 after the franchise traded him to the Dallas Mavericks. Irving requested to be traded and the Nets honored that request by shipping him to a playoff contender in exchange for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith and draft picks.

“My interactions with Kai have always been positive,” Vaughn said about Kyrie, one day after the All-Star guard was traded.

“I enjoyed coaching him. I want him to succeed. I’ll keep it that simple,” Vaughn added. “We’ve had some ups and downs I guess along the way. I’ve also seen the young man score 60 points. I’ve also seen him bring his kids into the locker room.

“I’ve also seen him grow as an individual and be a better teammate than when I first met him. So for me, I’m going to always look at the good in people and want the good in people. And I want him to succeed. He’s no longer with us, but I appreciate his time.”

Durant was also appreciative of his time with the Nets as he got emotional talking about his former squad during his introductory press conference in Phoenix.

“I built a family over there. They’re always going to be a part of my journey…I love those guys,” Durant said about the Nets organization, who stuck by him while he rehabbed his torn Achilles tendon.

“It was a lot of ups and downs, but I loved the grind. Everyone in Brooklyn loved the grind too, so I built a family over there,” he said. “They always gonna be a part of my journey. We didn’t accomplish what we wanted to accomplish as far as winning a championship, but I enjoyed the grind. Everybody there, we tried our hardest everyday regardless of what was going on in the media, what was going on with our teammates. Everybody who was in that gym, we grinded.”

Durant added: “So I love those guys. I get emotional talking about it because that was a special four years of my career coming off an Achilles. They helped me through a lot. It was terribly how some stuff went down, but at the end of the day I love the grind and we all loved the grind in Brooklyn. I wish them the best going forward, they got a bright future.”

Vaughn brings a calmness to the table. It’s a trait he’s always had dating back to his teenage years at Pasadena’s John Muir High School. When he was a freshman point guard for the Muir Mustangs, he would often be the calming influence on coach Rocky Moore’s overly animated bench. During one pivotal league game, a chaotic Muir sideline was trying to get the players’ attention when Vaughn put his hand up to tell his bench to chill. It was his way of saying: I got this. No need to panic.

In college, the 6-1 guard was the poised pointman for Roy Williams at Kansas University. He was a two-time GTE first-team Academic All-American was the Jayhawks’ all-time leader in assists when he left school and entered the NBA in 1997.

Vaughn ended his NBA career in 2009 after a three-year stint with the San Antonio Spurs. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich gave Vaughn his first post-NBA gig when he offered him an opportunity to hang around the Spurs and watch the coaches work.

After a failed three-year head coaching stint with the Orlando Magic, Vaughn was hired to be Kenny Atkinson’s top assistant in 2016. Vaughn was promoted to interim head coach in March 2020 following Atkinson’s midseason departure. Vaughn gave the Nets a preview of what he can do when he coached the Nets to a 7-3 finish and a playoff berth inside the Disney World bubble. But the Nets weren’t convinced that Vaughn was the right guy to lead a headstrong squad and Marks decided to bring in Nash despite a lack of coaching experience. Marks cited Nash’s ability to build relationships was the key to crafting a winning culture. It turns out that the key to crafting the franchise’s winning culture was one spot down the bench.

Vaughn’s calm demeanor and quiet leadership are exactly what the Nets needed to turn their season around. The Nets management showed their confidence in Vaughn by extending his contract through the 2026-27 season.

“Jacque has made an immediate and immeasurable impact on our entire organization since assuming the role of head coach earlier this season,” Nets general manager Sean Marks said. “On the court, he’s clearly demonstrated his leadership through his ability to connect and communicate at a very high level while displaying tremendous instincts for the game. As a person, they don’t come any better than Jacque. His character is impeccable, and there is not a better representative for our team and our borough. We are thrilled to have Jacque lead the Nets for years to come.”

Center Nic Claxton, a second-round draft pick in 2019, has been one of the biggest beneficiaries from the coaching change. Vaughn installed Claxton as the team’s No. 1 center to anchor the defense. Claxton rewarded Vaughn with the best season of his four-year career year, leading the NBA in field-goal percentage (70.6%) and third in blocked shots (2.5). Claxton, who should get votes on the all-defensive team, filled the three biggest needs for the Nets: a rim protector, screen-and-roller who can finish in the paint, and rebounder (9.2).

Brooklyn has improved its defensive rating from 118 to 106, and rebounding the ball has been a point of emphasis. Vaughn demanded they become better rebounders and has turned them into better defenders. Vaughn began including “box out data” in team film sessions to highlight missed assignments on rebounds. It held players accountable and helped improve the team’s deficiencies on the defensive end.

“The thing about Jacque is that he doesn’t want the camera. He’s not going to seek attention. He’s a quiet dude but he’s very contemplative,” Popovich told the Associated Press. “He thinks things through and he’ll have a sort a peace about him and he engenders respect. He doesn’t do anything unnecessarily. He’ll have standards, he’ll hold them accountable and he knows what he’s doing.”

Boston Celtics first-year head coach Joe Mazzulla and Mike Brown of the Sacramento Kings are the front-runners to win NBA coach of the year. Vaughn should be added to that mix. He deserves his flowers for saving the Nets’ season.

Lakers All-Star Anthony Davis spent half the 2021 season in street clothes. (Getty Images)

When Anthony Davis limped off the court with 6:35 left in the first quarter of Game 6 in the L.A.-Phoenix playoff series, the Lakers’ reign as NBA champions came to an end.

Without Davis, the Lakers were unable to generate enough offense to keep up with the Suns and eventually ran out of gas. It was the quickest postseason exit by a defending NBA champ since 2015 when the San Antonio Spurs were eliminated by the L.A. Clippers in the first round. The Lakers’ elimination means the NBA Finals won’t have LeBron James for only the second time in a decade and there’s going to be a new champion crowned.

The Brooklyn Nets are now the overwhelming favorites to win the 2021 NBA championship as their odds are currently listed at +170, according to Sports Betting Dime. The Utah Jazz, the top-seeded team in the Western Conference, has the next-best odds at +320. Brooklyn has one of the most potent offenses in the league — averaging 118.6 points per game — and any one of its superstars, whether it’s Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, James Harden, is more than capable of dropping 50 points in a game.

It was an incredibly taxing season for the Lakers as they had less than months to prepare after a long stint in the Orlando bubble. The 2020 NBA Finals ended in October and the 2021 season started in late December, giving the Lakers and the Miami Heat — the two finalists in the bubble — just 71 days to recover in the middle of a global pandemic. It’s the shortest offseason in league history.

“From the moment we entered the bubble to today it’s been draining. Mentally, spiritually, emotionally draining,” James told reporters after the Lakers were eliminated in the first round.

“Every team has to deal with it, obviously, but with us and Miami going long-haul in the bubble and coming back on short notice, it’s been very draining,” James added.

Three of the last four teams in the bubble are out of the 2021 playoffs. The Lakers fell in six games, the Boston Celtics lost to the Nets in five games, and the Heat was swept by the Bucks. Denver was the lone team that made a deep run in the bubble to escape the first round, but the Nuggets lost point guard Jamal Murray to an ACL injury for the rest of the season.

The quick turnaround was compounded by a myriad of injuries to L.A.’s two superstars. The injury-prone Davis played in 36 of the 72-game schedule, missing a month due to a calf injury. LeBron also missed 27 games because of a sprained ankle, which clearly bothered him in the playoffs. The Lakers were 21-7 when Davis and James were both healthy. After Davis injured his calf on Feb. 14 against Denver, the Lakers began sliding down the standings and fell all the way down to the seventh seed at the end of the regular season.

“I think health played a big part in the position we were in,” Davis said. “Me missing 30 games, Bron missing an extensive amount of games; we just weren’t healthy. We were very healthy last year, it just wasn’t the same this year. And we couldn’t have our full product on the floor.”

When Davis was on the court, the Lakers led the Phoenix series 2-1. Davis dominated the Suns in games 2 and 3 (both Laker wins), and L.A. appeared headed for the second round. But Davis hurt his groin in the first half of Game 4 and couldn’t finish the game. He missed Game 5 (a Suns blowout) and tried to give it a go in Game 6 but lasted just five minutes.

AD went back to the locker room after going down. pic.twitter.com/Z3POnG4Qws

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 4, 2021

“The one thing that bothers me more than anything is we never got an opportunity to see our full team,” James said. “We could never fully get into a rhythm, we could never see the full potential of what we were capable of.”

After the Lakers signed center Andre Drummond in March following a buyout by the Cleveland Cavaliers, L.A. thought it added the final piece to another championship contender. But the vaunted lineup of Drummond, Davis, James, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Dennis Schroder was on the court for just six games, including the playoffs. They didn’t have enough time to gain chemistry.

The Lakers enter the offseason with a ton of uncertainty. Davis, LeBron, Kyle Kuzma, Caldwell-Pope, and Marc Gasol are the only players under contract for the 2021-22 season. The team’s big free-agent acquisitions (Schroder, Drummond, Montrezl Harrell) are all unrestricted free agents and are likely not going to take less money to stay in L.A. Cap space will also be a problem. The Lakers are already near the $109 million salary cap and won’t have much flexibility when the free agency period begins.

Schroder had an eventful season with the Lakers. He turned down an $84-million contract extension, but didn’t quite improve his stock. He averaged 15.4 points during the regular season, which was three points below what he averaged in Oklahoma City, and struggled in the Phoenix series on both ends of the court. He averaged 14.3 points, shot 40 percent from the field, got lit up by Devin Booker in the series clincher, and drew the ire of Lakers legend Magic Johnson.

“I don’t think he’s a Laker,” Johnson told AM 570 L.A. Sports. “I don’t think he brings the winning mentality and attitude we need.”

A lot was expected of Schroder, a finalist for Sixth Man of the Year before he signed with the Lakers. But he far from the only disappointment.

Harrell, the player who beat out Schroder for the 2020 Sixth Man award, had a season he’d like to forget. Harrell couldn’t find a consistent role during the regular season, and his playing time took an even greater hit when the Lakers acquired Drummond. Drummond was immediately inserted as the starter at center, pushing Gasol and Harrell deeper in head coach Frank Vogel’s rotation.

Vogel struggled to find continuity with his three centers, and Harrell suffered the most in the playoffs as he was reduced to 39 minutes in the Phoenix series. Harrell could exercise his player option and come back for another season, but the relationship may be permanently damaged.

James Harden and Kevin Durant are reunited in Brooklyn. (Getty Images)

James Harden finally got his wish. He got traded to his preferred destination. For weeks the Houston Rockets tried to make the Harden marriage work, but in the end they had to cut the cord.

The Rockets sent their superstar shooting guard to the Brooklyn Nets, joining his good friend and former teammate Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, in a blockbuster deal that involved multiple teams. In return the Rockets picked up a boatload of first-round draft picks and guard Victor Oladipo. To make room for Harden, the Nets shipped Caris LeVert to Indiana, and center Jarrett Allen and forward Taurean Prince to Cleveland.

Harden brings a lot of baggage to Brooklyn. As gifted as he is on the court, he can be a major headache off it. The Beard is a three-time NBA scoring champ and arguably the game’s best one-on-one player. But he wasn’t able to carry the Rockets past the Western Conference finals and his lack of effort on the defensive end is well documented. Harden can wear you out.

He wasted little time celebrating his arrival in Brooklyn, offering a sample of what he can bring to the table by tallying 32 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds in his Nets debut on Jan. 16 against the Orlando Magic. Durant “chipped” in 42 points.

“We welcome one of the best players in the game to our team,” first-year Nets coach Steve Nash said. “There’s a lot of excitement just on his resume, his talent, and his excitement to be here. The mood is great.”

Nash admitted the Nets will have to learn on the fly and adapt in order to succeed. But make no mistake about it. Harden instantly makes the Nets the most lethal offensive team in the NBA. Nash will have three dynamic scorers in his starting five, all capable of putting up 50 points on any given night. The Nets are also in unchartered territory having so much firepower at their disposal. No NBA team has had three 25-point scorers on its roster since the merger. Durant averages 29.4 points per game and Irving is at 27.1. Brooklyn now has to slide in Harden, who averages 26.4 points per game for his career.

For the past five decades, only the 2017 Golden State Warriors (Durant, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson) and 1983 Denver Nuggets (Alex English, Kiki Vandeweghe, Dan Issel) came the closest to having three 25-point scorers. Both teams had two players over 25 PPG but the third scorer maxed out at 22 PPG.

Nash doesn’t seem too concerned on how to divide up the shots.

“Kevin is the most adaptable because of his versatility,” Nash said. “He can play anywhere on the floor, he can play with or without the ball. For Kevin, it’s the easiest transition. And he’s quite happy to move around and play different roles. And he’s been through it [with Warriors].”

Most recent championship teams with a collection of three superstars — also known as the Big 3 era — eventually morphed into the Big 2 + 1. San Antonio’s Big 3 of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili didn’t start many games together as Ginobili mostly came off the bench. Kevin Garnett often deferred to Paul Pierce and Ray Allen on the offensive end during their time in Boston. Chris Bosh took a backseat to LeBron James and Dwyane Wade while the trio were in Miami. The Big 3 formula was a resounding success in Golden State, but Durant didn’t have to pry the ball away from Curry or Thompson because both are outstanding catch-and-shoot snipers.

Time will tell if Harden, Kyrie and KD can co-exist without having to sacrifice shots. It’ll likely take a few games before we fully see what the Nets’ Big 3 can do.

“It’s an amazing move for Brooklyn. Obviously, they got better — way better,” said two-time Kia MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo of Milwaukee.

There’s no question Brooklyn got better offensively. The question is on the defensive end. Can the Nets get stops on the defensive end? That question won’t be answered until we get deeper into the season and possibly into the early portion of the postseason.

The Nets are currently a middle-of-the-road in terms of defensive rating and near the bottom in the league in points allowed. And that was before they lost a major defensive presence in center Allen and LeVert, who averages 1.1 steals a game. The Nets are vulnerable against dribble penetration, and will have to hope veteran center DeAndre Jordan can summon his past defensive prowess. Even though Durant appears to have recaptured his offensive game after Achilles surgery, the injury has taken some of his explosion away and isn’t the same defensive player.

When Irving was with the Cavaliers, LeBron James and Co. would cover up for him and limited his exposure against quicker guards. Mike D’Antoni’s Rockets did the same for Harden, as they often stationed Harden in the back end of their defense so he doesn’t get exposed. D’Antoni now serves as Nash’s assistant in Brooklyn. The two great offensive minds are going to have to figure out a way to hide both Harden and Irving on defense.

Andray Blatche has expressed his desire to play for the Philippines’ national team. (GETTY IMAGES)

Brooklyn Nets center Andray Blatche could be headed to Spain this summer to play in the FIBA World Cup of Basketball. But he won’t be playing for Team USA.

Blatche, who was born in Syracuse, New York, and attended South Kent high school in Connecticut, is about to become a citizen of the Philippines. Once his Filipino citizen is finalized he will join Gilas Pilipinas — the senior men’s national team of the Philippines.

Here’s the story from PhilStar.com:

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate on Monday approved on third and final reading the bill granting Philippine citizenship to NBA player Andray Blatche.

Committee Report No. 27 on House Bill No. 4084, sponsored by Senator Sonny Angara was approved with 20 affirmative votes, zero negative votes and zero abstention.

“Andray Blatche has openly expressed his desire to play for the Philippines. He is in a position, at age 28, to make significant contributions to Philippine basketball and accordingly, eligible for the conferment of the honor of being a Philippine citizen,” Angara said.

Blatche is currently playing for the Brooklyn Nets alongside Kevin Garnett, Deron Williams and Paul Pierce. Blatche, who stands 6’11,” averages 11.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.

He was drafted to the NBA in 2005 where he was chosen 49th overall by the Washington Wizards. He was eventually released by the Wizards in 2012 and was signed up by the Nets.

Blatche will be part of the 24-man roster of Gilas Pilipinas, the country’s national basketball team, where the final 12 players will be chosen to compete in the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) world championships this August in Spain.

“Blatche is possibly the best center from the NBA that we can get who is willing to shun more lucrative offers now and in the future just to be part of our national team,” stressed Angara, who said that the Brooklyn Nets big man’s documents will now be transmitted to the Office of the President for the chief executive’s signing.

Angara said the Philippines should sustain its recent rise in FIBA standings and is development in the international scene.

“International tournaments allow countries to be represented by naturalized players subject to certain conditions like the number of naturalized players in a team,” Angara said.

“Other countries, while ranking higher than the Philippines, have opted to take advantage of this naturalized-player rule, meant to equalize the world basketball landscape historically ruled by American and European countries, with great benefit,” Angara added.

The Philippines are in Group B at the FIBA World Cup with some really strong teams — Argentina, Greece, Puerto Rico, Croatia and Senegal. The top four teams out of that group will advance. It’s going to a tough road for the Filipinos just to get out of group play and into the medal round, but having the 6-11, 260-pound Blatche in the lineup levels the playing field. He’s a skilled big man who can impact the game on both ends.

The Philippine national team qualified for the World Cup after finishing second in the FIBA Asia tournament. Blatche easily will be the squad’s best and most accomplished player. He’s a nine-year NBA veteran who averaged 11 points and five rebounds for Nets in the 2013-14 season.

Other players you might know on the Philippines team? There’s former Providence standout Marcus Douthit and former George Mason player Gabe Norwood. Both are Filipino-American.

The Brooklyn Nets signed center Jason Collins. (GETTY IMAGES)

Jason Collins became the first openly gay athlete in the North America by signing a 10-day contract with the Brooklyn Nets on Monday.

Many thought it was a publicity stunt, but that was quickly put to rest. “The decision to sign Jason was a basketball decision” Brooklyn general manager Billy King issued in a statement. “We needed to increase our depth inside, and with his experience and size, we felt he was the right choice for a 10-day contract.”

It was a significant moment in league history. TNT analyst Charles Barkley is on record saying he knows he’s played with “gay players” but for a player to come out and say he is and actually sign a contract and be accepted into a locker room is huge. Collins needs to be applauded for this. In a society where people are often shunned for being different, it takes courage for an active player to come out and make this announcement.

He is expected to be re-signed for the remainder of the season with Brook Lopez out the rest of the season with a broken right foot. Kevin Garnett is playing center and the Nets are playing with a three guard lineup so they need Collins to backup KG at center and give him a breather here and there.

Collins has lasted 13 seasons in the league due to his intelligence and good defensive play. Shaquille O’Neal has often said Collins was the toughest defender he ever faced and that’s a huge compliment since he squared off against Hakeem Olajuwon early in his career in the 1995 Finals.

Darren Jacks is a regular contributor to OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @djroxalot

Carmelo Anthony’s Knicks will be challenged by Deron Williams’ Nets for top spot in the Atlantic Division. (GETTY IMAGES)

Before Mikhail Prokhorov bought the Nets, New York was all about the Knicks.

The Knicks play in the most famous arena in the world, Madison Square Garden, while for years the Nets played their home games at the Izod Center. Even the name sounds cheap. Who buys Izod?

The Knicks have a rich hoops history, going back to the days of Walt Frazier, Bill Bradley, Willis Reed, and Earl Monroe. The Nets, on the other hand, had Michael Ray Richardson and Jayson Williams. Richardson battled drug addiction for much of his life, while Williams spent a year and a half in prison following the manslaughter charges that were levied against him following the accidental shooting of a limousine driver on his property in 2002.

Celebrities such as Spike Lee, Woody Allen, Ben and Jerry Stiller, and Whoopi Goldberg are season-ticket holders and die-hard Knicks fans. Kim Kardashian was spotted sitting courtside at a Nets game in 2010, but her stint as a “Nets fan” was shorter than her marriage to Kris Humphries.

Since taking over as the majority owner, Prokhorov moved the Nets to Brooklyn, built a state-of-the-art arena, spent millions bringing in high-priced free agents such as Joe Johnson, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce, and hired Jason Kidd as head coach.

Entering the 2013-14 season, the Nets are the only NBA team well over the salary cap threshold, topping the list with a whopping estimated team salary of $101 million. The Knicks, once perennial salary cap kings, are now fifth in the league at $80 million.

The Nets still have a ways to go before New York fans completely embrace them, but Prokhorov has such deep pockets he can actually buy fans.

OneManFastBreak.net examines the teams in the Atlantic Division and where they’ll finish:

1-NEW YORK KNICKS

The Nets may be armed with more firepower and star power with the addition of Garnett and Pierce, but the Knicks still own the best player in the division, Carmelo Anthony. Melo enjoyed the best season of his 10-year career in 2012-13, leading the league in scoring (28.7),  and received one first-place vote in the MVP selection process to prevent LeBron James from being a unanimous choice. Getting Melo shots wasn’t the problem last year. Getting Amare Stoudemire shots was a big problem. Anthony prefers isolation plays, while Stoudemire prefers high screen-and-rolls. Stoudemire’s scoring average has dipped in each of the last two years because of injuries and circumstance. And his role will take an even greater hit this season with the acquisition of forwards Andrea Bargnani and Ron Artest. Head coach Mike Woodson likes to employ small ball, which means Anthony at power forward, Tyson Chandler at center, Iman Shumpert at small forward, Raymond Felton at point, and J.R. Smith at shooting guard. That doesn’t leave a lot of minutes for Stoudemire, who is scheduled to make $21 million this season.

2-BROOKLYN NETS

Jason Kidd was hired for two things: 1) provide a respected voice in the locker room, and 2) be a mentor to Deron Williams. Kidd may not have any coaching experience but he knows the point guard position better than most NBA coaches. Prokhorov and general manager Billy King received some heat for hiring Kidd. But you don’t need to go through the gamut to be a successful coach. Mark Jackson proved you can go from broadcaster to coach without much practice. Kidd could be a sounding board for Williams, who has been somewhat of a disappointment since signing with the Nets in 2010. Coaching is all about managing egos and maximizing a player’s potential. Kidd should be able to do both well. Garnett has yet to play a single game wearing Nets colors but he has already embedded himself as the voice of the team. Kidd suggested that Garnett should take a few nights off, especially on the back end of a back-to-back. But didn’t sit well with KG. The 37-year-old Garnett told USA Today that he has “earned the right to have an opinion on something,” and from a chemistry standpoint he thinks it’s important for him “to be out there with everybody.” Sounds like Kidd will be taking orders from KG.

3-TORONTO RAPTORS

The Raptors made a huge splash by luring NBA Executive of the Year Masai Ujiri away from the Denver Nuggets. Ujiri was the mastermind behind the rebuilding of the Nuggets after the Carmelo Anthony trade. The Raptors have some very talented pieces in the fold: Rudy Gay, DeMar DeRozan, and Kyle Lowry. Gay is a borderline All-Star who is a capable 20-point scorer. He and DeRozan combined to average 36 points per game in 2012-13 and seemed to work well together. After releasing longtime point man Jose Calderon, Lowry becomes the fulltime point guard for head coach Dwane Casey. The Raptors are absolutely giddy about the progress of 21-year-old Lithuanian center Jonas Valanciunas. The 7-footer dominated the Las Vegas Summer League, averaging nearly 19 points and 10 rebounds a game en route to being named the tournament MVP.

4-BOSTON CELTICS

It’s say to Garnett, Pierce, Ray Allen, and Doc Rivers are not walking through the TD Garden doors anytime soon. Allen won a championship in Miami, Rivers takes over a young Clippers squad led by Chris Paul, and KG and Pierce are now in Brooklyn. Rajon Rondo is the lone holdover from the 2008 championship team, but he’s coming off a devastating ACL injury. This could be a long year for first-year coach Brad Stevens, who inherits a roster full of unproven commodities. Stevens squeezed every once of talent from his teams at Butler University, but college coaches historically have done poorly transitioning to the NBA. Celtics boss Danny Ainge may not admit it but the franchise is in full tank mode to try to pick up enough ping-pong balls in the 2014 draft. Rookie Kelly Olynyk showed off a nice face-up game and outside shooting touch during the Orlando summer league.

5-PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

The Sixers are another team in full rebuild mode. Philly waited until August before hiring Brett Brown. The 52-year-old coach was part of three NBA title teams with San Antonio as an assistant and won another with the Spurs when he served in the basketball operations department in 1999. Brown has the unenviable task of fixing a team gutted by defections. The Andrew Bynum gamble was a complete disaster, and it could take a couple of years before the Sixers could recover from that mistake. New general manager Eddie Hinkie wanted to wash his hands of the Bynum debacle by starting fresh. Philly traded young star Jrue Holiday on draft night and picked up two young athletes in Nerlens Noel and Michael Carter-Williams. Noel is coming off ACL surgery, but claims his knee is progressing well and hopes to return by December. Carter-Williams is a 6-6 point guard who showed flashes of brilliance in the Orlando Summer League, but his jump shot needs some tweaking.

Joel Huerto is editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

Larry Brown has compiled more than 1,300 wins in the NBA. (GETTY IMAGES)

When Larry Brown arrived in Detroit in the 2003-04 season, he inherited a team that couldn’t get over the hump and get to the NBA Finals. In one season he turned them into the best team in the Association, knocking off the heavily favored and loaded Los Angeles Lakers in The Finals.

After Phil Jackson turned them down recently, Brown is the best choice for the Brooklyn Nets as they search for a new head coach.

Over the course of a long and nomadic career, Brown — who was born in Brooklyn — he has compiled 1,327 wins and 1,011 losses (a 56.8 winning percentage). He is also 120-115 in the postseason and has missed the playoffs just nine times in a 31 seasons.

Currently, he is the Southern Methodist University head coach, but the Nets job has to be tempting since he has two young children in Philadelphia. Brown’s last NBA coaching job was the Charlotte Bobcats, where he posted an 88-104 record over 2 1/3 seasons.

The Nets have to be appealing since the Nets have a pretty solid talent base in center Brook Lopez, point guard Deron Williams and shooting guard Joe Johnson. Brown’s coaching could make all the difference as it did in Motown. The resemblance is uncanny. Chauncey Billups was a journeyman until Brown showed up and was able to get C-Bill to achieve better results as a captain of the Pistons offense.

Williams gives Brown an All-Star-caliber player to work with and he could help D-Will development even further.

Brown also had a good shooting guard in Hamilton. Hamilton was never really an elite shooter, but he was good. Johnson is constantly being called overrated, mainly because of an insane contract given to him by the Hawks, but could be a solid third option on a very good team. J.J. can handle the ball and also fill up the basket.

Brown had a strong defensive small forward in Tayshaun Prince. In Brooklyn, he’ll have a similar player in Gerald Wallace. Wallace might not be as good as he once was, but he gives the Nets a good defender to throw out there against the league’s top forwards such as Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James.

Forward Reggie Evans provides the hustle and rebounds at the power forward position, much like Ben Wallace did for Detroit at the center position.

Lopez, a 7-footer who became an All-Star in 2013, would give Brown one of the top low-post scorers in the game.

I think Brown would be able to get the most out of these players, and the Nets would be a lot better next season.

Darren Jacks is a regular contributor to OneManFastBreak.net. Send him an email at djroxalot@hotmail.com.

Brooklyn Nets forward Kris Humphries (left) gets in a shoving match with Celtics Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo, and Jason Terry. (GETTY IMAGES)

Rajon Rondo loves Kevin Garnett like a big brother. And when big brother got roughed up unnecessarily by the former Mr. Kardashian, little brother immediately jumped in and got in the mix.

The Boston Celtics and the Brooklyn Nets are not what you call natural rivals, but after Wednesday night’s scuffle the heat index just went up a few notches. With under a minute left in the first half and Brooklyn ahead 51-36, Nets forward and Kim K’s former beau Kris Humphries gave Garnett a hard shove that forced KG to hit the floor hard. The Celtics, especially Rondo, felt the hard foul was unnecessary so naturally the rest of the Celtics came to the aid of KG. Rondo escalated the whole brouhaha by giving Humphries a forearm shove; then Jason Terry got in there, followed by Brandon Bass, Paul Pierce, and KG. Before you know it, the entire Boston franchise wanted a piece of Humphries.

”We all back each other,” Garnett said. ”We take a lot of pride in putting on this jersey. I know I do. This ain’t the Girl Scouts or the Boy Scouts. That’s what it is. It’s the NBA. You’ve got to get used to it.”

After the officials were able to restore some order, Humphries, Gerald Wallace, and Rondo were all ejected. The disqualification cost Rondo his double-digit assist streak, as the run ended at 37 which tied the second-longest streak in NBA history.

It’s probably a stretch to call this a brawl because there were more pushing and shoving than actual punches thrown. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being compared to the Detroit-Indiana brawl at The Palace in Auburn Hills, this little melee at the TD Garden was more like a 4. Watch the altercation:

Philadelphia 76ers point guard Jrue Holiday drives past Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce. (GETTY IMAGES)

I love the ’80s! It was a decade that introduced us to cable TV, Don Johnson’s white-pants-with-no-socks look, Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” jackets, and Madonna’s “Like a virgin” anthem. It was also a time when the Atlantic Division was the gold standard of the NBA.

The Atlantic featured Hall-of-Famers such as Larry Bird (Boston Celtics), Kevin McHale (Celtics), Dennis Johnson (Celtics), Julius Erving (Philadelphia 76ers), Moses Malone (76ers), and Patrick Ewing (New York Knicks). Another former New York icon, the great Bernard King, was featured prominently during the decade. And by the way, it is absolutely shameful he’s not in the Hall of Fame.

Fast forward to 2012 and the division — with a few new wrinkles here and there — is back to being the most hotly contested division in the Association, and there could very well be four teams from the Atlantic that make the playoffs.

The Celtics are still a dominant team, but they now have company. The Knicks have had a revival since the arrival of Carmelo Anthony. The Nets — who have ditched the Meadowlands Arena swamp for the swanky Barclays Center in Brooklyn — may have the best backcourt in the NBA in Deron Williams and Joe Johnson. The 76ers got a huge boost when they acquired former Lakers center Andrew Bynum, and even the Toronto Raptors are feeling good heading into season.

Boston has owned the Atlantic since Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen joined forces with Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo in 2007. But all good things must come to an end at some point, and this could be the year the Celtics are knocked off their top perch.

OneManFastBreak.net predicts the order of finish in the Atlantic Division:

1-PHILADELPHIA 76ERS — Doug Collins took a young Philly squad last season and got them into the conference semifinals, losing to eventual NBA champion Miami. The Sixers revamped their squad during the offseason, sending Andre Iguodala to Denver and acquiring arguably the best center in the league in Bynum, whose mere presence changes the entire dynamic of the division. Philly fans will love Bynum from Day 1, and he’ll be surrounded by young talents such as Jrue Holiday, Evan Turner, and Thaddeus Young. With Iguodala gone, Holiday now holds the key to the offense and he’ll have free reign to pull all the strings.

2-BOSTON CELTICS — They may be old and grumpy but the Celtics are still a serious contender in the Eastern Conference. Defense remains Boston’s calling card, and the team’s grind-it-out mentality will keep Gang Green in the playoff hunt. The Celtics got a big boost during the offseason when Jeff Green was medically cleared to play, and he has been superb during the preseason. Jason Terry may not have Ray Allen’s career resume, but the former Dallas Maverick is a very capable scorer and one of the best sixth men in the league.

3-BROOKLYN NETS — Nets billionaire owner Mikhail Prokhorov made sure he wasn’t moving to Brooklyn without a headliner or two. He inked Williams to a long-term contract and then paid big money to bring in All-Star guard Joe Johnson. The key to the season hinges on the health of center Brook Lopez, who missed 61 games last year. If Lopez can regain his 2010-11 form when he averaged 20 points, the Nets will not only challenge for the division title but they will challenge for one of the top four spots in the East.

4-NEW YORK KNICKS — It is now or never for the Carmelo Anthony-Amare Stoudemire partnership. Stoudemire averaged his worst statistical season since 2005-06 when he had microfracture surgery. Just when Stoudemire was rounding into regular season shape, he had another setback in the preseason when he was diagnosed with a ruptured cyst in his left knee. This can be seen as a positive as ‘Melo can dominate the ball and won’t have to share the floor with Amare for a few weeks. But when Stoudemire returns, head coach Mike Woodson must find a way to keep both stars on the same page.

5-TORONTO RAPTORS — The Raptors may not be a playoff team, but the needle is pointing in the right direction. Over the years the Raptors have been devastated by defections, as Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, and Chris Bosh all left Canada for greener pastures in the U.S. But the Raptors keep chugging along, and they will unveil their lastest European talent in 20-year-old Lithuanian star Jonas Valanciunas. Valanciunas is a classic back-to-the-basket, low-post center and should complement stretch forward Andrea Bargnani.

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

All-Stars Deron Williams and Joe Johnson join forces to lead the Brooklyn Nets. (AP)

Joe Johnson hasn’t played with a point guard like Deron Williams, and Williams has never had a shooting guard like Johnson. Together, they should be a lethal combination for the Brooklyn Nets.

Having Williams by his side should make things easier for Johnson. He can just be a scorer and not worry about facilitating or do most of the heavy lifting each and every night, something he had to do during his time as the alpha dog in Atlanta. Having a proven All-Star guard such as Williams, who has ranked in the top five in assists for six straight seasons, will make Johnson a better player — and he knows it.

“We’ll make each other better. Just him taking pressure off me, and me getting a lot of more catch-and-shoot and not having to beat two or three guys,” Johnson told TNT’s David Aldridge. “I just think you won’t be able to double- or triple-team guys now.

“We both know and understand that we both need to lead this team in the right direction.”

The Nets’ franchise arrow is pointing upward. The team is moving into an ideal situation in Brooklyn, where it could legitimately compete for bragging rights in New York with the Knicks and it will christen a brand new, state-of-the-art 19,000 arena on Atlantic Avenue — Barclays Center. Billionaire owner Mikhail Prokhorov made sure he had headliners to break in his hoops haven. Johnson and Williams leads a very good Nets starting lineup that includes small forward Gerald Wallace, power forward Kris Humphries, and center Brook Lopez.

“People are now figuring out that you can’t win with just one guy, or two guys even,” Johnson said. “You gotta have multiple players. Here in Brooklyn we got a lot of players who can get the job done. We feel we have a great chance.”

Williams and Johnson are 20-point scorers, while Lopez is a very good low-post scorer. So offense won’t be a problem for the Nets. Head coach Avery Johnson will stress defense to his squad, which means he’ll lean on Wallace to set the tone. The man nicknamed “Crash” is one of league’s top defenders and he’ll have something to prove this season after being traded from Portland.

“I’m excited about the team, I think we have a good team. We have an underrated team; a lot of underrated individuals,” Williams said. “It’s a fresh start for everybody. It’s a new organization, new arena, just new feeling.”

How good can the Nets be this season? “It depends on how quickly we gel,” Williams said. “[Depends] on how we come together as a team, how good we come defensively. That’s the biggest key for us.”