It can be a struggle sometimes when guys get traded to a new team. New teammates. New rims. New strategies and terminologies at both ends of the court. Fresh starts in the NBA usually accompany a lengthy adjustment period.
However, that initially was not the case for Dennis Schröder, who was acquired by the Nets in a trade deadline deal with the Toronto Raptors. He made his presence felt immediately in his Brooklyn debut against the San Antonio Spurs on Feb 10, finishing with 15 points and 12 assists in just under 27 minutes off the bench.
Schröder went 3-of-5 from 3-point range in Brooklyn’s 123-103 win, which at the time was his most efficient night from distance since Jan. 17. For one night he appeared to be an absolute steal for general manager Sean Marks and the Nets’ front office. But once the adrenaline faded, Schröder’s production stalled.
The 30-year-old failed to reach double figures in each of his next four games since his debut performance in Brooklyn. Entering Monday’s matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum, he had not had more than three assists in a game, either, although his minutes had gradually risen.
The Nets’ offense grew stagnant in four straight losses since the San Antonio game. Schröder, still learning the specifics of his new role in Brooklyn, was among the players affected most.
“It’s tough getting traded, coming to a new team, making shots and stuff,” Mikal Bridges said.
But playing a severely undermanned Memphis team offered Schröder, and the Nets, an opportunity to get right. Brooklyn ran away with a 111-86 victory to snap a four-game losing streak. The German point guard led the charge with a game-high 18 points (3-of-4 from deep), two rebounds and five assists.
“He looked good. He looked like Dennis Schröder so I’m happy for him,” Ben Simmons said. “I’m glad he’s able to take that lead [in] this game and he did a tremendous job knocking down shots and putting guys in position. I think he’s a great asset to us.”
Schröder is a speedy player who thrives in space, and he had plenty of gaps to work with against Memphis. The Nets scored 54 points in the paint and knocked down 15 3-pointers, so he had a wide-open court to work with at all three levels.
Brooklyn was also sharing the wealth, evident by its 32 assists on 44 made field goals. And when Schröder gets it going from behind the arc, as he did against Memphis, he can utilize his entire bag of tricks.
“When you make shots, everything gets a little easier,” Schröder said after his second start with the Nets. “But I think for everybody else, to find my teammates, them hitting shots early is going to open up everything for me as well. I think everybody just has to be confident. When you’re open, shoot it, and make sure everyone’s aggressive.”
The Nets also tallied 26 fastbreak points in the win, which meant they were playing at Schröder’s preferred pace. Their success in transition was fueled by solid defense — they limited Memphis to just 38.7% shooting — and that is a winning formula for both Schröder and the team.
They just have to do it on a nightly basis.
“We have to watch film and make sure we’re doing the same thing over and over again,” Schröder. “You can’t get bored. You have to keep doing it and I think that’s how we’re going to beat teams. We have to be the most active team. We have to bring more energy. We have to do everything with pace and then we can get some wins.”
