Nic Claxtons defense helps Nets slow down Giannis Antetokounmpo

Nic Claxton may not be back to starting, or even to full speed yet, but he was good enough Sunday to help slow Giannis Antetokounmpo and hand the Nets their first win. “Nic said it after the Orlando game, I gotta be better.And [Sunday] he played like we want him to play, like one of the best defensive players in the NBA … or the best,” coach Jordi Fernandez said.

“That’s what I’m gonna challenge him to do, is have high standards, because we have high expectations from you.“And he brought that, also that leadership that we need, being the anchor of the defense, communicating at all times, and very happy to see Nic performing like that.”Claxton came off the bench for a third straight game after a hamstring injury sidelined the big man for the entire preseason.

But he had a double-double (10 points, 11 boards, two blocks in 22 minutes of playing time).And he platooned with Ben Simmons to keep Antetokounmpo from wrecking the game plan as he so often does.The former MVP has utterly dominated the Nets in the past, his second-highest career average against any team coming against Brooklyn.

Antetokounmpo averaged 29.7 points against the Nets last season, and 34.0 against them the year prior.But they held him to 22 points on Sunday, just eight in the first half. “It’s on all five guys against a guy like Giannis.

It’s on everybody to be on the same page to all load up.It’s not just on me or Ben or whoever is guarding him,” Claxton said.

“I didn’t feel like I was out there by myself.Everybody, the whole defense, we had a great game plan from the coaches and we did a great job executing.”After logging just 15:25 off the bench in the opener that he was ejected from and seeing that raised to 20:26 on Friday in Orlando, Claxton had his playing time raised again.

But he still isn’t 100 percent.“I’m still finding [my rhythm].I’m still finding it,” Claxton said.

“It’s gonna take some time.But I felt better today being out there ...