On left: Mirza Teletovic. (AP)
Is Mirza Teletovic on the way out? Probably not, but a curious comment from his European agent has us questioning.... MORE →
Mirza Teletovic
Mirza Teletovic hasn't had many shots in Brooklyn. (AP)
With the Brooklyn Nets in free-fall to open the season, coaches and players alike have been scrambling for answers to their woes. But other than in garbage time, one player hasn't gotten his shot: second-year forward and 28-year-old Mirza Teletovic.
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Today and tomorrow, we're going to look at six things we've seen from the Brooklyn Nets in the first six games. Here's part one.
Kevin Garnett has been more of a wart than a stalwart on defense this season. (AP)
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Mirza Teletovic (AP)
Position: PF
Height: 6’9”
Weight: 242
Years Pro: 1
Hometown: Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Prior to NBA: Caja Laboral Vitoria
Twitter: @Teletovic33
Analysis:
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It was a "typical NBA fight," according to Brooklyn Nets guard Deron Williams, but it's not something the Nets are accustomed to just yet. Nets forwards Mirza Teletovic and Andray Blatche squared off during a scrimmage at Sunday's practice, as both had to be held back by teammates.
From the Wall Street Journal:
reserves Mirza Teletovic and Andray Blatche tried to attack each other before being separated and exchanging a few words from a safe distance.
After watching his listless defense yield 50 points in the paint during Saturday's 99-88 preseason loss to the visiting Detroit Pistons, Jason Kidd was happy to see some fire.
"This team is put together to compete at a high level and you saw that," Kidd said of the scuffle, which occurred during the open-media portion of Sunday's practice. "There's nothing wrong with competition. Tempers might flare."
Neither player spoke with the media on Sunday.
Both Blatche and Teletovic are with the team today in Philadelphia and active.
Wall Street Journal -- A Day After Getting Pushed Around, Nets Get Feisty (With Each Other)
When talking European players, the general theory is that there is an adjustment grace period.
Year one is typically a mess. It’s a different game, a different country, and adjustments are needed before the player can transform into Dirk Nowitzki. But year two, that’s when expectations will be met or fall short.
If anyone knows this, it’s Mirza Teletovic.
After agreeing to a three-year, nine-million dollar contract with the Nets, the Bosnian was generally was seen as a disappointment by Nets fans. Many pegged him to be a potential starter before the season started, and certainly expected him to play more and shoot better than he did.
In his 53 games last year, Teletovic averaged 9.4 minutes and 3.5 points. The supposed three-point specialist only shot 34% from behind the arc.
Mirza Teletovic is hoping for a bounce back season. (AP)
“It’s true,” said Teletovic of the year one adjustment. “For me, this year, it’s 80% easier than it was last year. It’s just different terminology, the way of basketball, the way of life, the way of travel. It’s just a big difference compared to Europe.”
Head coach Jason Kidd has also seen the improvements in Teletovic, and has high hopes that he can become the three-point threat the Nets signed him to be.
“Mirza is shooting the ball well here,” said Kidd. “We know that he can do that, and we’ve got to make sure we can get him on the defensive end to help. He’s learning our concepts. It’s a little bit different than something he’s probably used to, but he’s giving the effort. As a coach, but also as a teammate, those guys want to see that effort. He’s doing that.”
For those who have never seen European basketball, Teletovic was able to give a little insight into what makes it such a different game.
“(The NBA) is a lot more games in a short, short period,” said Teletovic. “It’s a lot more running around at a faster pace. It’s aggressive, there’s more one on one, you are more responsible. You have to help everybody out. It’s a different way of playing.”
Teletovic also stated that having experienced veterans like Kevin Garnett and Brook Lopez on the team also makes the transition much simpler.
“They really talk to you,” said Teletovic. “They talk and you listen to them and you know what to do. They make it easy for you.”
Bosnia & Herzegovina, home team for Brooklyn Nets forward Mirza Teletovic, eked out its first victory in the FIBA Europe's Group B preliminary round, beating Montenegro 76-70 in a game that went down to the final possession.
Teletovic led all scorers with 18 points but took 22 shots to get there (6-22, 3-12 from 2, 3-10 from 3), hitting two threes in the first quarter but struggling afterwards. Teletovic added 11 rebounds and hit the floor to knock a loose ball away from Montenegro in the waning seconds, sealing the victory.
Teletovic and Bosnia & Herzegovina play next Sunday morning at 8:30 A.M. EST against Macedonia.
After Brooklyn Nets Eurostash Bojan Bogdanovic dropped 15 points in a one-point Croatian victory earlier today, current Nets forward Mirza Teletovic had a chance to follow that performance with one of his own. The results? Not so good.
Teletovic scored 16 points -- one more than Bogdanovic -- but shot just 5-15 from the field (1-6 from 3) to get there as Bosnia & Herzegovina fell down early to Serbia in the FIBA Europe Group B Preliminary Round and never recovered, losing 77-67. Bosnia & Herzegovina falls to 0-2 in the preliminary round. Bosnia & Herzegovina trailed by as much as 23, and despite a few late runs couldn't get the deficit into single digits.
Teletovic made his first three shots, including a three-pointer and a pretty fadeaway jumper, but struggled to get into a rhythm afterwards. Teletovic got a number of looks off pick-and-rolls and pick-and-pops, plus a few isolations on the wing, but they usually ended in off-balance shots. He added five rebounds and two blocks in 32 minutes.
Catch Teletovic next tomorrow as Bosnia & Herzegovina play Montenegro at 8:30 A.M. EST.
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By the numbers: 53 G, 0 GS, 9.4 MPG, 3.5 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 0.4 APG, 0.2 SPG, 0.2 BPG, .384 FG%, .818 FT%, 47.4 TS%, 46.2 eFG%
Advanced: 12.3 PER, 105 ORtg, 107 DRtg, 19.4 USG%, 7.8 ORB%, 14.8 DRB%, 11.2 TRB%, 7.7 AST%, 1.4 STL%, 1.2 BLK%, estimated 0.9 win shares.
The 2012-2013 season was supposed to represent a new beginning, the Brook Lopez revenge tour, the Deron Williams revival tour, the Andray Blatche traveling circus, etc. But there’s one pre-season storyline that people forget about. This year was supposed to be the Year of the Mirza.... MORE →
Nets Pistons Basketball
Check out Mirza Teletovic's season retrospective, best moments, and final grade here.
