Due to Nic Claxton receiving a 1 game suspension because of accumulating too many flagrant foul points, the Nets would be starting Day’Ron Sharpe against the mighty Oklahoma City Thunder. Going into the game, many fans expected to get blown out by the best team in the NBA; however, the exact opposite happened. The Brooklyn Nets absolutely dominated the OKC Thunder in the 1st half, building a lead as high as 18 points. There were many reasons behind why the Nets were able to score 76 points in the half against the #1 defense in the NBA, one of those reasons being Day’Ron Sharpe, who scored a career-high 25 points on 8-10 FG against Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein.
In the 1st half, the Nets blitzed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as if it were the NBA Finals, double-teaming him every time the Thunder got into the half-court and putting the ball into someone else's hands. Whenever SGA would kick out of the double-team, the Nets would rotate and close out on OKC’s shooters, playing suffocating defense. While SGA still scored 14 points on 6-7 FG at halftime, he also had 3 turnovers. OKC as a team scored 61 points, shooting 6-22 from 3PT. On the other end, the Nets’ motion offense completely surprised OKC. Brooklyn generated several high-quality looks, and as a result, they shot 15-30 from 3PT. Brooklyn led 76-61 going into halftime.
In the 2nd half, OKC showed why they’re the best team in the NBA. They began to match the Nets’ tenacity on defense, getting into ball handlers, fighting over screens, and pressuring full court. The Nets were not able to get as many quality looks, as they shot 8-31 from 3PT in the 2nd half. Aaron Wiggins, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams overwhelmed the Nets’ defense, getting to the rim at will and making things difficult for Brooklyn. Notably, Cason Wallace gave the Nets a taste of their own medicine, pressuring the ball handler full court and grabbing two steals, both of which led to rim points. Despite the best efforts of the Nets, eventually, OKC took control in the fourth, going on an 18-0 run and eventually beating the Nets 129-121.
This game was an awakening for Day’Ron Sharpe, who’s arguably the best backup center in the NBA. Against OKC, he had 25 points, 15 rebounds (7 offensive rebounds), 5 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks on 8-10 FG. He looked like prime Shaq, scoring off offensive rebounds, as a roll man, and on fake DHOs. Defensively, he did an excellent job guarding the paint and even held his own on the perimeter against Chet Holmgren.
While Sharpe has weaknesses that make me question if he can be a starter over a large sample size—his proneness to fouling and his rim finishing—he’s one of the best rebounders in the NBA. His ability to set screens and operate as a hub on the offensive side of the ball, in addition to his rebounding, makes him a very valuable player in any contending team’s rotation. Sharpe is a restricted free agent this offseason, meaning the Nets can easily match any offer he receives. Given how good Day’Ron has been, he should be a priority to retain this offseason.
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