#Nets not taking defense for granted

While the Nets are relying on talent to primarily anchor their offense, it appears their scoring prowess has translated to the other end.

Asked Thursday which area of the Nets’ game he thought was the most “ahead of schedule,” first-year coach Steve Nash pointed to the defense.

“I don’t know about ahead of schedule, but I thought the defense was pretty solid for the most part,” he said on a Zoom call. “We were implementing our principles, we’re getting better at those every day, which is really important and the No. 1 priority. I wouldn’t say ahead of schedule, but I was pleased with the effort and the concentration and the connectivity.”

Joe Harris acknowledged that the Nets have the luxury of having several players who can isolate and get a basket. As a result, they have been able to force opponents to play at their pace.

“I think that it makes it easy, too, where the ball is really spraying around, guys are really playing quick, decisively on that end,” Harris said. “It makes the offense flow and allows guys to play with a lot of energy on the defensive end.

“We also know, though, that great teams are usually anchored by their defense. And so for us, we’re finding it even easier offensively when our defense is able to get stops and we’re able to get out in transition.”

The Nets recorded seven blocks and 11 steals in the 125-99 win over the Warriors on Tuesday. Additionally, the Nets had 28 fast-break points, more than double their average from last year.

“I think the gravity that people create also creates transition buckets,” Spencer Dinwiddie said. “Sometimes people will kind of buddy run with great players, so you’ve got Joe out there, people might buddy run with him, and Kyrie [Irving] and [Kevin Durant] and stuff like that. That opens up a lane, because now they’re all taking their man and running next to each other. It’s just a combination of a lot of things.”

The Nets are 4-5 in games on Christmas Day. They lost their two most recent appearances, in 2012 and 2013, their first two seasons in Brooklyn.