Jacque Vaughn has been imploring his lineup to take the ball to the basket, and the Nets recorded 76 points in the paint Friday night against the Wizards, their most in a game this season.
“We’ve really been stressing trying to get the ball into the paint offensively and it was one of those nights where there was a concerted effort for us to drive the basketball,” Vaughn said after the Nets’ sixth win in seven games entering a five-game western trip beginning Monday in Sacramento. “There really was an effort for us to crash on the offensive end of the floor and rebound the basketball, which paid huge dividends for us.
“When you can get that many points in the paint, it really just gives you a chance to gain control of the game.”
Mikal Bridges, who led the Nets with 21 points, added they were “just being aggressive and finding holes and mismatches” against the Wizards’ defense.
Read Related Also: DeSantis DOMINATES in Red State-Blue State Debate With Newsom
“We have size and good things happen when you hit the paint,” Bridges said. “So, I think we were just trying to drive and either be at the rim or kick out. just knowing that good things happen when we touch that paint.”
Little-used big man Harry Giles III made the most of his third appearance of the season in the blowout win, scoring eight points with two rebounds in five minutes of action.
“Harry hasn’t played because we have Day’Ron [Sharpe] and Nic [Claxton],” Vaughn said of his two primary centers. “Besides that, Harry would play. He’s good enough to play. He’s good enough to be in the game.
“You give him an extreme amount of credit. I mean, you really don’t know the work that he does on a daily basis. … Every day, he comes in and does his work and with a smile on his face and ready to dap everybody up at the beginning of the game [and] at the end of the game. He’s been a joy to have in our locker room. If it wasn’t for Day’Ron and Nic, Harry would be playing.”
