NEW YORK -- The Nets used the wrong slogan this season.
We Are Brooklyn?
Try, We Aren’t Any Good.
The most expensive team in the NBA managed to hit a new low Friday night, losing to a team that is intentionally trying to lose games in hopes of securing the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.
The final from Barclays Center: the $43.4 million 76ers 90, the $90.4 million Nets 88.
“You act like we are one of the better teams in the East, or in the league,” Nets coach Lionel Hollins after his team’s worst loss of the season. “We’re not. We are right there with [the Sixers]; we just have a few more wins. That’s all it is.”
The Nets (16-20) have now lost four in a row. Their downward spiral continues, with no hope in sight. From here until March, the schedule is an absolute nightmare. Thirteen of their next 17 games are against projected playoff teams if the season ended Friday. They are 2-14 against .500 or better teams (at time of game played).
That’s why they desperately needed this game. That’s why it’s downright embarrassing that they lost it.
“I think we’re OK,” Joe Johnson said after gutting through 38 minutes. “I don’t think we’re that good. We’ve shown that the past four games.”
Kevin Garnett must’ve thought the Nets would have this one in the bag. Normally, he always sits the second game of a back-to-back set. But this time, he decided to sit the first game. They could’ve used him.
The Nets, who are going to be without Deron Williams (rib fracture) for at least a week if not longer, built a 13-point lead with 2:20 left in the third quarter, but shot just 6-for-18 from the field with eight turnovers the rest of the way.
Hollins made the extremely questionable decision to sit Mason Plumlee (15 points, 15 rebounds) for all but 2 minutes, 38 seconds of the fourth quarter, a decision that ultimately backfired. Brook Lopez (18 points, six rebounds), who was ineffective on the defensive end, logged just 2:50 in the final period.
Nerlens Noel gave the Sixers a two-point lead with 3.2 seconds left when he dunked home a pass from Michael Carter-Williams. Then, out of a timeout, all the Nets could muster on their final possession was a desperation heave by Lopez.
Disaster all around.
The way the Nets are playing, they’ll be lucky to make the playoffs. Their offensive is far too simplistic. If you stop the pick-and-roll, you stop them. They have absolutely no one who can attack the rim to generate easy baskets, and are too reliant on midrange jumpers and 3-pointers as a result. Their lack and athleticism and speed continues to kill them. And their late-game execution has been extremely poor. Injuries also have taken a toll, forcing some guys -- namely Johnson and Jarrett Jack -- to play too many minutes.
Change is needed. But given their short-term salary cap situation, that’s easier said than done.
Imagine what owner Mikhail Prokhorov is thinking. Probably the same thing as you: The 2014-15 Brooklyn Nets aren’t any good.