The Brooklyn Nets were in Orlando last night (Wednesday) to challenge the Magic and looking to close the gap on the 3 1/2 game deficit they were in for the 10th and last Eastern Conference NBA Play-In Tournament spot. The Nets were 26-39 at tip-off, 4-5 under interim head coach Kevin Ollie, and the No. 11 seed chasing the No. 10 seed Atlanta Hawks.
The Hawks were 29-35 when they began a five-game, nine-day western conference road trip last night in Portland versus the Trailblazers. The Nets’ window to catch the Hawks and the No. 9 seed Chicago Bulls, which were 31-34 prior to playing the Indiana Pacers last night, is narrowing with only 16 games remaining.
Inconsistency has plagued the Nets for most of the season, and surfaced when they dropped consecutive road games to the lowly Detroit Pistons (118-112) last Thursday and Charlotte Hornets (110-99) on Saturday. The Pistons (11-53) were tied with the Washington Wizards on Tuesday for the worst record in the league and the 16-49 Hornets had the fourth worst.
Guard Cam Thomas, who returned to action on Saturday after missing six games with a right ankle/midfoot sprain, led the team with 29 points on Sunday in a 120-101 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers to avoid a three-game losing streak.
“I think our guys are resilient,” Ollie said after practice Tuesday. “They’ll bounce back. They did bounce back, but now we have to be more consistent with our effort and that can’t be wavering from game to game. I’m not talking about wins and losses, I’m talking about the process of it, and I thought our process was right, even in Cleveland when they made some shots, our rotations were right.
“We didn’t hang our heads,” he added, “when they did make shots. And that’s what I want them to do is fall in love with the process of getting better each and every day. Not worrying about a playoff spot or nothing like that. We’re worrying about getting better every day, and I thought they did that in Cleveland.”
Brooklyn finishes a five-game road trip on Saturday against the Indiana Pacers and Sunday will meet 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year favorite Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs in Austin, Texas, but the game is not officially listed as a Nets home game. They return to the Barclays Center on Tuesday to host the New Orleans Pelicans.
On March 7, the Nets announced that Ben Simmons is out for the remainder of the season. In a statement released by the organization, they informed that the 6-10 forward will be sidelined as “he consults with specialists and explores treatment options for the nerve impingement in his lower back. Simmons, along with his representatives and Nets medical personnel, are currently in discussions with numerous experts to determine the course of action that will provide him with the best opportunity for long-term sustainable health.”
Simmons will have missed 67 of the 82 scheduled games this season and played in just 42 of the Nets’ 82 regular season games last season—and was out for their four playoff games. When on the basketball court, Simmons is still a productive player, as evidenced by his first game of the calendar year against the Utah Jazz, when he scored 10 points, dished out 11 assists, and grabbed eight rebounds on January 29. The problem for Simmons has been his inability to stay healthy. Next season is the last of his five-year deal. He will make just under $40.5 million.
