(New York) Jacque Vaughn was so seen as a transitional hire that his successor was named, even before Vaughn’s first game at the helm of the Nets.
It was two months ago. Brooklyn showed Steve Nash the exit, and it was believed the club would turn to Ime Udoka, once possible.
Vaughn actually stayed put, the better to propel the Nets to the top of the NBA.
The Nets are 12 games undefeated, and only the Celtics have a better record than them.
The team plays great basketball under Vaughn, who brings a dose of calm to an organization that needed it.
“It’s rolling for them,” Gregg Popovich said Monday, before his Spurs were beaten 139-103 by the Nets.
For the second time in six games, the Nets were at 100 points or more following three quarters.
A formation with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving was never going to lack attack. Vaughn mostly sent the message to improve on rebounding and defense.
“There’s a great energy in our locker room,” Irving said. We want that to continue. »
Vaughn led the Nets in the bubble near Disney in 2020. But in September that year, general manager Sean Marks chose Nash to lead the club, underscoring the Hall of Famer’s unifying qualities.
It didn’t work out in Nash’s case, but it looks like Vaughn has fashioned the right recipe.
Vaughn ended his playing career as a member of Popovich’s Spurs in 2008-09.
At team dinners and on bus trips, he’s seen how things are done inside a club that has long been a role model in the NBA.
“The key is to bring that to the locker room,” Vaughn said.
After his years as a player, Vaughn, having young children, did not find much time to go to training, he who had always been in impeccable shape.
Popovich offered to rub shoulders with his coaching staff to see them in action.
With a club champion five times between 1999 and 2014, he surely learned fine technical aspects. But what makes him the right choice at the right time for the Nets is the way he carries himself and his poised yet upbeat tone.
“This guy doesn’t want to be in the spotlight. He doesn’t want to draw attention, said Popovich, who leads the NBA with 1,356 wins.
He is quiet by nature but very thoughtful, in a way that commands respect. He has standards and expectations of his players. He knows what he’s doing.
Gregg Popovich on Jacque Vaughn
Suspended when Vaughn took over on Nov. 9, an Irving having regained his focus is once again delivering great performances.
Nic Claxton leads the league in in-game field goal success rate, while Yuta Watanabe leads the league in three-point shooting accuracy.
The Nets (25-12) have just beaten Milwaukee and Cleveland, in particular.
The only club to have beaten Brooklyn in 13 games in December, Boston will be at the Barclays Center on January 12.
Vaughn could be assembling a group that could dethrone the Celtics in the East. Or who could remind Spurs of the glory years.
“That’s what you want to put in place,” Vaughn said. Hopefully it leads to a championship one day. »