Brooklyn Nets: Flatbush Marches Towards Their Rubicon

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

FLATBUSH

36-33 (.522)

MONDAY

Pistons  75

Nets    103

FINAL

Brooklyn Nets: Packed Barclays Center Give Hoops of Flatbush a Rip-Roaring Sendoff.

While the rest of the NBA sticks to its schedule, Brooklyn's playoffs are well underway.  With 13 games remaining in the regular season, Monday night's commanding 103-75 victory over the Pistons in front of a packed house at Barclays Center nudges the Nets into sixth place in the Eastern Conference standing, one-half game ahead of Detroit.

Over 17,000 strong witnessed seven Nets players score in double-digits.  Spencer Dinwiddie led all players with 19-points off the bench, and Allen Crabbe posted a double-double with 14-points and ten rebounds.  Otherwise Brooklyn's defensive effort ruled the night, and the crowd roared with appreciation throughout.  Rodions Kurucs led the team with three steals.  Detroit shot just (27/97) 27.8% from the floor, and (8/33) 23.5% from three-point range.  The Nets meanwhile were (39/79) 49.4% from the field, and (11/31) 35.3% from beyond the arc.

Brooklyn snapped Detroit's five game win streak, and thereby extended their own to four games.

With a 15-17 road record, the Nets now march towards their Rubicon: a brutal seven game road trip which includes four against the Western Conference's top eight contenders, to date.

• 3/13 - @ OKC*
• 3/16 - @ Utah*
• 3/17 - @ LAC*
• 3/19 - @ SAC
• 3/22 - @ LAL
• 3/25 - @ POR*
• 3/28 - @ Phila

If they can survive these next four games, by this time next week we'll be speaking of a truly special season.  However, upon their return there will be no rest for the weary, as the top three Eastern Conference teams (Boston, Milwaukee, and Toronto) will be awaiting their arrival back at Flatbush.

Brooklyn Nets Creating a Winning Culture and Identity, As Promised

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

23-23 (.500)

Sixth Place Eastern Conference

New arena, new uniforms, new crowd, in a new town - a new owner knew the Nets couldn't just quietly tip-toe into Brooklyn.  At least that's the way incoming tycoon Mikhail Prokhorov viewed things.  Lest we forget his stated goal of winning a championship within five years.  We're now seven years away from Prokhorov's rather bold mandate which former general manager Billy King failed to satisfy.

Insofar as delivering a title: there's really no one person to blame for the way those initial years played out.  They made an organizational decision meant to ignite a new Nets economy in Brooklyn.  That's just the nature of doing business when one capitalist invades the territory of another.

It can be argued both teams during that time operated and transacted rather erratically.  However, none more crippling than the exorbitant price in draft picks Billy King paid to acquire Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce from Boston.  Blame as I may, the owner signed off on it.

And while the trade got Brooklyn this far ...

... by 2015-2016 the win-now plan had proven itself overwhelmingly futile.  On the heels of another January loss at Detroit which saw the Nets record fall to 10-24, Billy King's tenure as general manager ends.

On Sunday, January 10, 2016, Mikhail Prokhorov orders a rebuild:

"By making this decision now it enables our organization to use the rest of the season to diligently evaluate candidates with proven track records.  It's clear from our current state of affairs that we need new leadership.  With the right basketball management and coach in place we are going to create a winning culture and identity and give Brooklyn a team that it can be proud of and enjoy watching." Ryan Bort, Newsday

The Nets hire Sean Marks on Feb. 18, 2016, as new general manager.  In April, the team ends the regular season with a 21-61 record.  Before the month is through, Sean Marks offers Kenny Atkinson his first head coaching position.

• Season One (2016-2017): Oct. 28, 2016, the Nets boast a 1-1 record; it marks their lone moment playing at or above the .500 mark.  On April 8, 2017 they win their 20th game of the season; a 107-106 victory over the Bulls at Barclays Center.  They finish the season with a 20-62 record.

• Season Two (2017-2018): Oct. 27, 2017, the Nets are 3-3, but never again reach .500 for the rest of the season.  This time, however, they win their 20th game of the season by Feb. 26, 2018; coincidentally, another 104-87 victory over the Chicago Bulls at Barclays Center.  The Nets would finish the season with a slightly improved 28-54 record.

This is Kenny Atkinson's third season.  After 210 games, he owns an 71-139 (.338) overall record as Nets coach.  As recently as a month ago - with the Nets in the midst of an eight game losing streak - fans and faux experts across social media were calling for Atkinson's termination.

What say you?

Me?

That was a kneejerk and not very well thought out reaction.  Truth be told, one-third of all Kenny Atkinson's victories as Nets coach have come in the first three months of this season alone.

They won their 20th game of the season on Jan. 5, 2019, against none other than the Bulls; another 117-100 victory at Chicago, no less.  They're now 15-5 (.750) over their last 20 games, and are within five victories of surpassing last year's entire win total.  And with a 23-23 record, they presently occupy sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings.

Despite this relative success, injuries to key players (Caris Levert; Allen Crabbe; Jared Dudley) should not go under spoken.  Yet, adversity seems to have revealed within these Nets an endearing Brooklyn-like resiliency.

Is reaching .500 in January important?

Alas, consecutive benchmark victories against Boston and Houston transpired without Kyrie Irving on the floor, and James Harden essentially playing by himself.  However, where it concerns the Nets I would argue the answer is indubitably, yes.  Sean Marks and Kenny Atkinson somehow adapted and overcame the great mistake left behind by Billy King.  Over the last 2 1/2 years, they've methodically engineered steady improvement to the point where the Nets are now experiencing upwards climb.  The added ability to effectively impact the team through the draft is also back in their control, not to mention their substantial salary cap reserves at the ready. former cap reserves ...

Cycle back to the 2016 mission statement ...

At this point, I believe it safe to say a new basketball culture is indeed growing in Brooklyn; an earnest grassroots effort to build an NBA contender, involving many wonderful and individual player stories, to be sure.  The plan put in place back in 2016 is working.  This year's play bears that out.  As a result, the Nets are becoming increasingly more enjoyable to watch, as promised by Mikhail Prokhorov, and reaffirmed by incoming partner, Joseph Tsai.

Just don't wait for an apathetic local media to start shaking their pom-poms.

Go Brooklyn!

Brooklyn Nets: The Joy of Sixth

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

WEDNESDAY

Hawks  100

NETS   116

FINAL

Brooklyn Nets: Flatbush Playing .764 Ball Since Snapping Eight Game Skid Back on Dec. 7 Against Toronto.

Brooklyn's hard work is going under-spoken.  Very simply, the local media is generally ignoring what is presently the better story in town.

But I'll save that for another day ...

In my humble opinion, Kenny's Kids have earned enough credibility this season to at least have last Monday's lopsided loss at Boston expunged from of our collective short-term memories.  Both teams entered that game tied for the the best record against Atlantic Division opponents.

The Nets season was off to an 8-10 start when on Nov. 13 Caris Levert sustained a foot injury.  Yet, the players remained committed to each other, exhibiting commendable resiliency throughout their ensuing eight-game losing streak.  After which, their continuing perseverance in the face of more recent and mounting injuries should likewise be applauded.  Already playing minus Caris LeVert, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, and Allen Crabbe, the Nets now lose Jared Dudley during Wednesday night's 116-100 victory over the Atlanta Hawks at Barclays.

Their victory over the Hawks gives them 21 for the season (21-22), to date, which presently ranks them sixth in the Eastern Conference standings ahead of the Heat and Hornets.  This season in particular has been an education in finishing and closing out games.  That being said, the Nets are now closer to the end of the season than its start.  In the aftermath of LeVert's injury and their ensuing eight-game slide, the Nets are 13-4 over their last 17 games.

In Kenny Atkinson's first ever season (2016-2017) as a head coach, the Nets finished with a 20-62 record.  Last season, the Nets did not win their 21st game until Mar. 8 (against 45 losses), en route to a 28-52 season.  This season, the Nets win their 21st game on Jan. 9, which by the way evens the Nets record (11-11) at home, finally.

However, they're still -0.4 in point differential.

They've nevertheless set themselves up for what should be a interesting, if not very entertaining second-half of the season (trade deadline, included).

I'll simply leave off by reaffirming my belief that Flatbush is absolutely going about this the right way.

Brooklyn Nets: The Reintroduction of D'Angelo Russell

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

SUNDAY

NETS

vs.

Pistons

FROM

Detroit Rock City

Brooklyn Nets: Hello Again .. D'Angelo Russell Returns After Missing 32 Games.

D'Angelo Russell made his return to the line-up against the Miami Heat Friday at Barclays.  Nets fans anticipation of a better future with him, rather than without him, clearly remains strong.  After the Borough's promising young point guard missed 32 games while recovering from knee surgery, Brooklyn welcomed him back with a standing ovation.

However, there's still a very small measure of doubt lurking in the back of every one's minds.

Last season with the Lakers, he missed games in November and December due to a left knee injury.  In a Jan. 7, 2017 game against Sacramento, he rolled his ankle.  Then. right around this time last season (Jan. 20), he hurt his right knee in a game against Indiana.  His series of missteps didn't end there, as he rolled his ankle yet again in a March, 25 game against Denver.

In 2015-2016, he averaged 13.2 points and 3.2 assists through 80 games games as a rookie.  Despite injuries last season, he improved to 15.6 points and 4.8 assists, in 63 games played.  He was averaging 19.4 and 5.4 assists through his first 12 games of the season until going down after a Nov 11 game against Utah in which he scored 26-points in 32:38 minutes.

FRIDAY

HEAT   95

Nets     105

FINAL

Although it was nice seeing him on the floor again, his game is obviously still a few days away.  Nowhere near game speed, he went 0 for 5 from the field against Miami, with just a point from the charity line, and two assists during 14-minutes of floor time.

But one of the other knocks previously levied against D'Angelo is his defense.  The Nets have shown when they hold opponents under 100-points, they usually win.  In fact, scoring has really been their problem.  The Nets are still averaging 105.8 points.  However, they're still allowing their opponents a prohibitive 108.8 points per game.

One of the questions I have is how long before we see Russell and Jahlil Okafor together playing consistent complimentary basketball?  Akafor has been averaging near 11-minutes a game since Coach Atkinson started incorporating him into the line-up after New Year's day.

With the exception of Jeremy Lin, Coach Atkinson has a full compliment of players again.  I wouldn't mind seeing Okafor taking away minutes from Tyler Zeller.  However, Spencer Dinwiddie has made quite a name for himself in D'Angelo Russell's absence - as have Caris LeVert and Allen Crabbe.

Hopefully Coach Atkinson can start straightening out some of his rotations, which have seemed ponderous at times.  But I'm not complaining.  Injuries can do that.

Dare I say the near future is looking up ... again.