Table of Content
But that’s just part of a 12-game run through Jan. 31 in which two of the Nets’ three road games will be as close as can be — one at the Knicks and one down the road in Philadelphia. The only time they’ll need clearance to take off will be to visit the Pistons on Jan. 25. The month of January will feature a season-high 10 home contests.
That’s not the way to impress the new owner, Mat Ishbia, who was a walk-on at Michigan State . Walk-ons are competitors, fighters, and guys who had to earn their way – the Suns could use a little of that grit of late. Outside of changing up some personnel on the business side , it will be interesting to see if Ishbia is more of a spender and more aggressive than the outgoing Sarver. The Brooklyn Nets put up 91 points on the Warriors Wednesday night — in the first half. If you already have an account.
Player grades: Kevin Durant swishes 23 as Nets steamroll Warriors 143-113
Before getting too far into the findings, it’s worth noting that there isn’t too much disparity between teams’ strength of schedule in the NBA. Over 82 games, all the teams play each other and things tend to even out. Orlando should be stockpiling picks, even if it is second-rounders — the Lakers have the Bulls’ second-rounder this year, which suddenly looks a lot more promising.
All the Grizzlies want for Christmas is to get their second-best player back — Desmond Bane. He has been out with a toe injury since mid-November but is reportedly getting close to returning and giving Memphis an All-Star level second scoring option (he averaged 24.7 points a night in the dozen games he played before his injury). The spark of confidence is a byproduct of the recent stretch packed with winning and the smaller wins on the hardwood. The players are confident in the molding of chemistry and cohesion between one another, especially on the defensive end of the floor. The mood around the Nets, who sits in the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference standings through 31 games played, is an exciting one. Warren explained how the team is ready to take on the tough stretch and the tough shots ahead.
Boston Celtics
The Nets play their first nationally televised game of the season during that early home stretch when they host the Houston Rockets on Friday, Nov. 1. That is one of 12 games currently scheduled to air on either ESPN or TNT. It’s tough when everyone’s chasing after you. The margin for error is thinner, teams give you their best shot every night, and getting back to the top of the mountain becomes even harder.
The last two weeks have included a favorable schedule that included a season-long seven-game homestand and a handful of matchups against bottom-tier opponents. Sure, Brooklyn took care of business and has won 10 of their last 11 games , but a big test can change all. Overall, the Nets will have hot and cold stretches of the season. When evaluating the team, it’s important to not only take wins and losses into account, but also consider the quality of competition.
National League
As noted before, teams in the western conference are projected to have tougher schedules. Although Brooklyn ranked 25th overall, they ranked 10th among the 15 Eastern Conference teams. Although this is still slightly favorable, it’s unlikely to swing things in the East. For reference, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Phoenix Suns are tied with the toughest schedules (.519 winning percentage, 42.56-win equivalent). The Milwaukee Bucks have the easiest (.490 winning percentage, 40.18-win equivalent). Whether or not an opponent is played at home or on the road definitely impacts the difficulty of a team’s schedule and this could increase strength of schedule disparities a bit.
But you get the feeling he doesn’t like that label either. The Nets’ recent history of drama and underachieving means the bar is higher, which he understands in a way — but notices the treatment for everyone else. These past few weeks, they’ve been creeping and now they’re on the come-up, making themselves relevant in the Eastern Conference. But Kevin Durant notices the lack of attention his team has received.
Brooklyn Nets vs Golden State Warriors Injury Report Revealed
Before the season, on September 18, 2019, Joseph Tsai acquired the full ownership of the Nets from Mikhail Prokhorov. On March 7, 2020, Kenny Atkinson resigned as the Nets' head coach and was replaced by Jacque Vaughn on an interim basis. The team’s schedule also includes 11 back-to-back sets.
On September 10, the Nets announced a venue change from Nassau Coliseum to Barclays Center for the October 18 game against the Toronto Raptors. The Nets made the playoffs for a second consecutive season and faced the Toronto Raptors in the First Round, where they were swept in four games. Brooklyn Nets games will be broadcast regionally on the YES Network for the 18th consecutive season and on WFAN for the 16th consecutive season. The Nets will be featured on national television 20 times this season, with six games on ESPN, six contests on TNT and eight games on NBA TV. After hosting Golden State, the Nets will welcome Milwaukee to Brooklyn on Friday night. Irving hit 13-of-23 shots against the Pistons, marking the fourth time in the last five games he has broken the 30-point barrier.
Durant has been playing at a historic pace and has been sensational in every aspect of the game. He’s a matchup nightmare for everybody, and if he plays, Jonathan Kuminga will have the unenviable task of guarding the two time Finals MVP. Former No. 6 overall pick Mo Bamba may be the Magic’s greatest trade chip… League executives expect Orlando to hold out for a protected first-round selection or a late first-round pick to part with the 24-year-old rim presence. This is not a deterrent — if the price of landing an All-Star level player is a second-round pick, teams will factor it into the cost of doing business and happily pay it.
There is a local challenge element to the game, too. The Dubs lost to the Knicks on the Garden floor by 38 (THIRTY-EIGHT) points Tuesday night a bloody affair. So Nets — and Knicks fans — will want to see not just if the Nets can not just win, but match that margin of victory. The Knicks have now won eight straight. Combined with the Nets six straight, it’s the longest combined win streak in New York basketball since ... So, about that tanking for Victor Wembanyama… the Magic have won 6-of-7, including two wins over the Boston Celtics, and is playing its best basketball of the season.
Right now, early in the trade season, teams are asking full retail for players — hence the Magic wanting a first-round pick for Bamba. Prices will get more realistic the closer we move to the Feb. 9 trading deadline. The Wizards’ recent 10-game losing streak was maybe best exemplified by their crunch-time defense against the Lakers last Sunday, which could best be described as embarrassing.
The Warriors have to figure out what they have in James Wiseman. Through a combination of injuries, NCAA ineligibility and poor play, Wiseman has barely played any professional basketball in the past three years. Since turning pro in 2020, Wiseman has only played 1300 minutes combined in the NBA and the G-League.
Around the league vultures are circling, hoping that Masai Ujiri decides to blow this thing up at the trade deadline and make some deals, but history suggests whatever the league expects him to do he will do the opposite. Christmas came to the Pacers last summer when they drafted Bennedict Mathurin, who looks to be a star they can put next to Tyrese Haliburton in the backcourt and have something to build around. Golden State’s Christmas gift is on backorder and will not arrive until mid-January, when Stephen Curry’s shoulder heals and he can return to the court.
DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine play next to each other, not with each other, on offense and the team’s defensive effort is often flat. Mavericks (15-16, LW 11). What Luka Doncic and the Mavericks need for Christmas — a second shot creator and scorer — is unlikely to be in Santa’s bag this time of year, and may be on backorder until next summer. Dallas will host LeBron James and the Lakers on Christmas Day, a winnable game since the Lakers will be without Anthony Davis. LeBron vs. Luka is a good headliner, but for all the knocks on the Dallas supporting cast it is better than what the Lakers roll out. If those other players can knock down a few 3-pointers, the Mavericks should pick up the win.
