Drake Powell starting to help Nets shore up weak defense

While the bar was set pretty low early on, the Nets have at least shown improvement on defense after opening the year with some of the worst stats in the league.

As Ziaire Williams noted this week, “None of us are cool with being dead last in the league on defense.”

It was something the players were aware of and even though wins have been elusive, they are at least not getting run over by opponents lately.

After allowing 125 or more points in seven of their first 10 games, they haven’t allowed more than 119 in any of their last four as they head to Boston to face the Celtics for a second straight game.

And the presence of Drake Powell has played a role in that improvement.

The 6-foot-6 rookie has earned more playing time because of his ability on defense, something he was known for coming out of North Carolina, as the Nets selected him 22nd overall.

He barely got on the court in the team’s first eight games, bothered by a sprained ankle, but he’s averaged over 22 minutes a game over the last six.

Jaylen Brown attempts to pass away from Drake Powell (4) during the second half of the Nets’ loss to the Celtics on Nov. 18, 2025. AP

In that time, he’s shown the Nets what they expected on that side of the ball.

“He’s very capable of being one of the best perimeter defenders in the league,’’ Jordi Fernández said after practice Thursday. “He’s just a rookie right now, and he doesn’t even know it, but I see the tools. He just has to keep embracing that part and believing that he can do it. And what he’s doing right now is good, but it could be even better. If he has that belief, conviction and work ethic, the sky’s the limit for him defensively.”

More time on the court against top competition will only help Powell, according to Noah Clowney.

“With the length he’s got, he could be our best on-ball defender by the end of the year,’’ Clowney said.

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It’s not just getting accustomed to facing the best players in the world that will be a challenge for this rookie-filled Nets team this season.

As Fernández pointed out, few, if any, have seen a schedule like the one the Nets have coming this week, with three games in four days, — all three in different locations (Boston on Friday, Toronto on Sunday and then home against the Knicks on Monday).

You have to travel to get to each game, and it’s going to be three in four nights,’’ Fernández said.“So how do you prepare your body [and yourself] mentally because it can be overwhelming?” said Fernández.

That mental side can be as tough as the physical, according to the coach.

“Everybody talks about the rookie wall halfway through the season,” Fernández said. “I think you have to even cut it to, ‘How do you take back-to-back [games]? How do you take three- and fours? How do you take five- and- eights? It’s important. It’s very valuable for their growth.’’