Brooklyn Nets' Kevin Durant (7) looks to pass during the second half of an NBA basketball game ... [+] against the San Antonio Spurs Monday, Jan. 2, 2023 in New York. The Nets won 139-103. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.The Nets were already showing signs of life in early December when they took their 12th loss in a 11-point defeat at home to the Boston Celtics.
It was the kind of game you never felt like the Nets were winning and just chalked it up to the Celtics being a better team at the time.
At that point, the Nets went from allowing 153 points in their ninth loss to 15 games to going on a respectable run of seven wins in 11 games to demonstrate there was a pulse after the rough start highlighted by Steve Nash’s firing and Kyrie Irving’s eight-game suspension imposed by the team.
After the Nets fell to the Celtics, they were 6 1/2 games back of the top spot in the East and thoroughly in the morass of the play-in contenders where they were last year when an 11-game losing streak dropped them from the top of the conference to a middling 44-win team that was often was about who was unavailable for different reasons.
And following the frustrating showing against the Celtics, the Nets kept winning until Wednesday when they finally could not complete a comeback in Chicago. The Nets were due to lose at some point since nobody was going to 57 games in a row, but what they achieved in between losses significantly changed the narrative of things.
While the Nets earned eight wins over losing teams, they also got an 18-point win over Milwaukee and an eight-point win against Cleveland, the league’s top scoring defense. The Nets not only won those games but they scored 118 and 125 against two of their colleagues in the top four of the East.
There were a number of impressive things during the second-longest winning streak in franchise history. Besides the standout individual numbers of Durant and Irving, the shooting was downright electric as the Nets shot a league-best 55.9 percent, a number that was 3.6 ahead of the Denver Nuggets.
Other standout numbers included a league-best 124.1 points per game, a league-best 44.2 percent from 3-point range, 27.8 assists per game (the most in the East), including their 42-assists in a 143-point showing against Golden State on Dec. 21. The Nets were even second in the league in blocks (6.1) during the span of Dec. 7 to Jan. 3.
Breaking down the shooting numbers even further, the Nets led the league by making 51.2 percent on shots with four seconds or fewer on the shot clock while also shooting 56.3 percent in their 12 fourth quarters. The also made 45.6 percent on catch and shoot shots, 52.8 percent on pullup shots and 64.7 percent on shots in the paint with all three figures being the best in the league during that span.
It was the kind of streak that made the league notice and finally showed what was anticipated on June 30, 2019 when the Nets signed Durant and Irving. It also was the kind of streak that made you wonder why Jacque Vaughn did not just stay on as the head coach instead of Nash getting the job in Sept. 2020 shortly after the Nets were swept out of the bubble by the Toronto Raptors.
“We understand how we want to play every night,” Durant said. “I feel like the league is always on notice with the talent we have on our team. I don’t think anybody takes us for granted when they’re preparing for us each night. But I think for us we found some things that were good for us on both ends of the floor and want to just be consistent with executing those things as we move forward.”
Moving forward means continuing to win consistently, especially as the schedule toughens with Friday’s visit to New Orleans, a home rematch for the TNT audience next Thursday against Boston along with a five-game trip later this month with stops in Phoenix, Utah, Golden State and Philadelphia.
What the Nets achieved in the past month also coincides with some positive developments by the Knicks. The day before the Nets lost to Boston, the Knicks were blown off their homecourt with a disaster of a second half against Dallas and since then they are 11-5 in the form of an eight-game winning streak, a five-game skid and a three-game winning streak.
Those recent developments create the potential of New York basketball becoming a dud like last spring when the Knicks won 37 game and the Nets were unceremoniously swept by the Celtics in the opening round that ended the season by April 25.
Larry Fleisher, Contributor
https://www.forbes.com/sites/larryfleisher/2023/01/05/a-12-game-winning-streak-lifted-the-brooklyn-nets-into-the-nba-elite/
By: Larry Fleisher, Contributor
Title: A 12-Game Winning Streak Lifted The Brooklyn Nets Into The NBA Elite
Sourced From: www.forbes.com/sites/larryfleisher/2023/01/05/a-12-game-winning-streak-lifted-the-brooklyn-nets-into-the-nba-elite/
Published Date: 01-06-2023
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the biggest rivalry in the NBA?
The NBA's most fierce rivalry is held by Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics.
The NBA Finals has seen 12 meetings between the Boston Celtics (with 9 wins) and the Los Angeles Lakers (12 wins). The Celtics won nine of those meetings. Their first meeting was in 1959, but they both continued to excel in the following years, especially during the 1960s and 1980s, when they would face each other six times and three, respectively. They still met twice in that same year, despite the fact that 2000 was a new millennium.
What is a technical foul vs. a flagrant foul in the NBA?
A technical foul in NBA refers to any unsportsmanlike behavior. This includes arguing with officials or excessive celebrating. A technical foul allows you to make one free throw, while the opposing team can also take possession of your ball.
Flagrant fouls are when a player makes violent or aggressive contact with another player. It can result in two free shots for the opposing side and possession of a ball. Flagrant fouls can be classified into two categories: Flagrant one or Flagrant 2. Flagrant one does not cause an ejection and is considered less severe than Flagrant 2.
Unlawful contact between two people on the court is called a personal foul. This is typically a result of illegal hand-checking and holding, pushing, pushing or tripping an opponent. Personal fouls may also lead to free throw attempts or possession of the ball by the opposing team. However, unlike technical fouls and flagrant fouls, personal fouls do not necessarily reflect unsportsmanlike behaviour.
All fouls in the NBA can lead to free throw attempts or possession of a ball for the opposing side. It is the intent behind the fouls and the severity of the contact that makes the difference between technical fouls and flagrant or personal fouls.
Who holds the record for most career playoff wins in the NBA?
With LeBron James leading the way, racking up an impressive 174 wins in NBA Playoffs history and 266 games played, it's no wonder he is one of the most sought-after basketball players today.
Which NBA player has been voted the NBA's most prolific scorer?
Kareem AbdulJabbar is the NBA's most prolific scorer. He has 38,387 career points. LeBron James is second with 37,062 point. Karl Malone, who has 36,928 point is in third. Kobe Bryant comes in fourth place, scoring 33,643 Points. Michael Jordan is fifth with 32,292 point.
How long does a player stay on waivers?
The waiver applies to any NBA player who is fired by their team in the course of the season. Waived players can be claimed by another team within 48 hours. If more teams claim the player during that time, priority goes the team with poorest record.
Which NBA player has made the most blocked shots during a single season
Mark Eaton set the all-time records for blocks (456) and blocks per game (5.56) in a season during 1984-85. Eaton's all-time total that year was the greatest single-season number in NBA history.
Hakeem Olajuwon currently holds the NBA record for most career blocks, with 3,830. Throughout his 18-year career and 1,238 games played, Olajuwon averaged 21.8 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 3.1 blocks per game.
Statistics
- The 2013–14 season opened with 92 international players on the opening night rosters, representing 39 countries and over 20% of the league. (en.wikipedia.org)
- "NBA first-round ratings drop 27 percent, 40 percent since 2017–18". (en.wikipedia.org)
- Between 2012 and 2019, the league lost 40 to 45 percent of its viewership. (en.wikipedia.org)
- Williams would 'likely' accept a deal worth $14-15M/year; Celtics are 'unlikely' to offer such a deal (HoopsHype) (bleacherreport.com)
- The 2013–14 season opened with 92 international players on the opening night rosters, representing 39 countries and over 20 percent of the league. (en.wikipedia.org)
External Links
si.com
- NBA Free Agency Preview: The Biggest Questions and Rumors
- Free From Quarantine: The NBA Bubble Is A Unique Experience
basketball-reference.com
- Thomas Bryant Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more | Basketball-Reference.com
- Dennis Schroder Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more | Basketball-Reference.com
sbnation.com
bleacherreport.com
How To
How do you prepare to experience a NBA game?
The best way to prepare for an NBA game experience is to ensure you have the right tickets. You can buy tickets online through the team or from a third-party ticket seller. Be sure to plan your trip and learn the arena rules so you don’t forget. Be sure to arrive in plenty of time to warm-up or do pre-game activities. Get team merchandise like a shirt or helmet if you need it. Bring your camera and binoculars for close-up shots of the action on court. Finally, consider other entertainment options at halftimes, such as a concert or special event, if you don't want to miss any of the action. Enjoy the game!
