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It’s Monday. Power rankings are out. The Nets are last.
The Nets' latest losing streak (12 games) has topped their previous one (11). Eight of the 12 games have been within five points in the last five minutes, they continue to come back from double-digit deficits, and they rank 14th defensively since the streak began. But they've shot 1-for-19 on clutch 3-pointers and Brook Lopez has four turnovers and just one basket in clutch time over the 12 games. Still, it was a difficult decision not moving them up to No. 29 just for trying the Trevor Booker underhand tip shot with 0.2 seconds left in regulation in Wednesday's loss to Washington.
Perhaps no one is benefiting more from the unexpected, uh, relevance that we're getting from the Knicks in February than the Nets, who find themselves in a 1-23 funk that the Gotham tabloids don't have the time or space to recognize. Brooklyn's 12 consecutive defeats account for the franchise's longest skid since that unforgettable 18-gamer to start the 2009-10 season. The Nets, though, sure know how to inch closer to the Committee's good side. Love their move to honor 1984 Nets draftee Oscar Schmidt in a ceremony Monday night to pay homage to one of the greatest players we sadly never saw in the world's finest league.
Is it weird that for as bad as this team is, they're still more enjoyable to watch than the 2015 Nets that made the playoffs? Because they are.
Losers of a dozen in a row and 22-of-23, and it’s a sign of where this team is in the New York market that nobody is really talking about it, they’d rather rip James Dolan. Which to be fair, is a lot more fun than watching a Nets game. Don’t expect a Brook Lopez trade by the deadline unless another team becomes desperate and meets Brooklyn’s demands — he’s their best asset and GM Sean Marks isn’t giving him away.
Just when you think the on-court product couldn't get any worse for Brooklyn, the Nets added these ridiculously awful jersey patches with their first official sponsor.
Then again, maybe this is all a massive ploy to take our attention off of the actual basketball. We see you, Nets.
Jeremy Woo, Sports Illustrated (30)
A small positive takeaway—the Nets’ defense has been incrementally improving. Small sample size, and their offense has been league-worst in this span, but over the past seven games, their D has been the fifth-most efficient in the league. Baby steps.
Grant Hughes, Bleacher Report (30)
You don't lose 11 in a row and 22-of-23 overall unless you're aggressively seeking out new ways to fail.
Brooklyn is blazing its own sad trail into the history books of ineptitude by collapsing on its home court and coughing up leads. By starting the calendar year with 12 straight losses at home, the Nets set an NBA record, according to ESPN Stats & Info...and then they went out and lost their 13th to the Washington Wizards on Wednesday.
Worse still, they're 6-9 in games they've led by 10 or more points, per John Schuhmann of NBA.com. No other team's record is below .500.