The Nets look to clean up the sloppy defense in their home opener against the Cavaliers

The Nets will be underdogs against the Cavaliers in their home opener on Friday.

They will be hard-pressed to play worse than they did in the season opener on Wednesday.

“We definitely need to have a sense of urgency and know who we are,” Michael Porter Jr. said. “So we have to figure that out as a team.” “It’s the first game, you can’t overreact, but at the same time, we saw some glaring problems individually and as a team. So we’ve got to figure out how to get better, watch film and be better on Friday, for sure.”

Being better than in the opener is low. The Nets didn’t defend. They didn’t stick together.

They are no longer in the transitional phase. delusion Didn’t get production from Porter And Cam Thomas, who collected 27 points on 7-of-24 shooting and minus-38.

That was in A 136-117 Modesty in Charlotte At the hands of the Hornets, who finished 19-63 last season.

Next, they’ll face a Cavs team that had the best record in the East last season and has every reason to be salty, between an opening loss to the Knicks and coach Kenny Atkinson being unceremoniously fired by the Nets five years ago.

“Watch the film and learn from it.” Nick Claxton. “Obviously the performance was not good, but there is no need to panic.”

There is no need to panic because tanking is the plan. Building bad habits is not.

The Nets’ defense was a hot mess. They didn’t defend at the point of attack or in transition and were outscored 23-5 at the fast break – 18-0 in the first half.

“We have to do better from top to bottom, all five players on the field, our bench, our energy,” Claxton added. “We all have to be better, for real.

“It starts on the defensive side. Our energy has to be better. When we face adversity, we all have to be better – everyone.”

Frankly, no one should be surprised by the opening loss. With five rookies — including three teenage guards — the Nets are bound to struggle. But although the result was not shocking, the ease with which they let go of the rope was shocking.

When adversity strikes us, The nets were abandoned Game plan on both ends of the field.

“We had a game plan where we had to do things a certain way. (We were outplayed) on fast break points, we didn’t defend the rim, we couldn’t defend the 3-point line,” coach Jordi Fernandez said. “So all those things that are KYP compliant.”

In NBA parlance, this is “know your personnel,” the foundation of any game plan. This is something that the Shebak failed miserably at.

“We were doing things aimlessly, just running and running. And you run hard, but you have to know exactly what the call is, what your positioning is,” Fernandes said. “So it’s exciting because we can definitely be better.

“And that’s the goal: to show up the next day and the next game and be better.”

The window Friday would have been better Because opposing individuals will be. Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley are a step up in competition and a tough test.

Even the Nets’ rookies know they have to do better at KYP.

“There were a lot of things that we talked about … that we thought were the problems, and this is something we can fix, like being louder, talking to each other, helping each other out — whether it’s on offense, defense or on the bench — which brings positive energy,” said Igor Demin, the Nets’ lottery pick in the 2025 draft.

“We need to get better at knowing personnel and knowing who you shut down, rather than the way you shut people down, things like that. And coming back, just protecting the rim and protecting the three guys, trying to force them to take the shots we want them to take.”