The Brooklyn Nets are confronted with challenging circumstances as they continue to eye a play-in tournament spot: Their place in the standings and inability to stay on the plus side of the win-loss ledger over four- and five-game stretches puts them at a disadvantage. Brooklyn has not had a winning streak of four or more games this season.
They have 13 regular season games remaining when they face the Indiana Pacers tonight on the road. They were 23-45 before playing the Celtics Tuesday night in Boston and went into that matchup at 12th on the East, five games below the 10th seed Miami Heat, which are in the Eastern Conference play-in position. The 7th through 10th seeds will be the four tournament squads.
The Nets’ objective became more problematic when they had to shut down leading scorer Cam Thomas for the remainder of the season after he reinjured his left hamstring on Saturday in a 116-110 loss to the Chicago Bulls last Thursday. He has dealt with the issue for most of this season, suffering the initial injury nearly four months ago on Nov. 25. The 23-year-old, 6’3″ shooting guard has played in only 25 games this season, averaging 24 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. Thomas, who was drafted by the Nets in 2021 with the 27th overall pick out of LSU will be a restricted free agent at the end of the NBA season. With Thomas sidelined and the Nets’ roster being one of many moving parts since trading former starters Dennis Schröder and Dorian Finney-Smith this past December, Tyrese Martin, a 6’6″ guard selected in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors out of the University of Connecticut, is a player taking advantage of opportunities. Martin, who signed a two-year deal last month after initially being signed to a two-way contract, went into Tuesday’s game averaging 12.8 points a game in just under 24 minutes in March. “I think the consistency and also buying into where we try to build long-term, trying to put in place what our culture and our identity is, showing up every day and getting 1% better, building relationships, and executing trying to be a star in his role” are important factors, said Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez on Sunday before the Nets’ 122-114 win over the Atlanta Hawks at the Barclays Center.
“I think that Tyrese did that since the first day. That’s why he earned what he earned, and his consistency and how the type of a pro that he is. That’s why we want him around, and that’s why we committed to that and rewarded him,” Fernandez said, “Now the reality is he’s got to keep doing it and he’s got to keep doing it and do it better. The challenge is how much can you grow? So far we’re, like I said, very, very happy with him.” The Nets will play the Pacers again in Indiana on Saturday and the Dallas Mavericks at the Barclays on Monday.