Despite the rise of small-ball and their own revved-up tempo, the Nets aren’t de-emphasizing Brook Lopez. Just the opposite.
Interim coach Tony Brown likened Lopez to some of the great classic centers of the past. And since he has taken the reins, Brown has searched for ways to hide Lopez’s weaknesses on defense and accentuate his strengths on offense.
“Obviously a lot of teams are going in that [small-ball] direction. But when you have a quality big man like Brook Lopez, small-ball goes out the window in my mind,’’ Brown said before the Nets’ tipped off their nine-game road trip Tuesday in Portland, Ore.