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Nets disrespected in latest NBA Power Rankings



 NBA.com released its Week 7 Power Rankings, and while the Brooklyn Nets jumped up three spots, their place in the league pecking order seems somewhat disrespectful.

The league webpage cites, Ben Simmons' injury status and all the inferior teams the Nets have beat on the schedule as reasons as to why they landed where they did at No. 19 overall. 

The Warriors and Clippers, respectively, are ranked just ahead of the Nets despite both clubs fashioning sub .500 records. 

Jacque Vaughn and crew will gladly take this recent slight as motivation to fuel the remainder of the campaign. 

While Brooklyn might not be ready to mix it up with the heavy weight title contenders, the emergence of Cam Thomas, the continued development of Mikal Bridges as a option 1B. and a supporting cast that runs nine deep and can shoot the lights, make the Nets a team to watch.


 

One interesting note from the NBA.com piece is that the Nets are 10-1 when they surrender less than 120 points this season with their only loss coming on opening night to Cleveland. 

The Nets prolific offensive scoring was not something on many pundits radar as the team is littered with outstanding individual defenders, but that has taken a backseat to a run and gun offensive system predicated on volume threes. 

Brooklyn's schedule gets a bit tougher over the next nine games as they play eight on the road including a West Coast swing in Sacramento, Phoenix, Denver, Golden State and Utah before coming home December 20 to play host to the Knicks. 

If the Nets are able to tread water of this tough stretch, they may continue to slowly climb up the Power Rankings ladder.   


Adidas, Durant trade barbs over Anthony Edwards' new kicks

 Anytime a Nets fan hears Kevin Durant and big toe in the same sentence, it triggers the painful 2021 Game 7 playoff loss to the Bucks. 

But in this instance, Durant was speaking on Anthony Edwards new she's put out by Adidas. 

Durant was overly critical of the new shoes and the manufacturer, Adidas, took exception in a since deleted tweet. Durant is no stranger to online beefs, but the shoe giant had a comical explanation for coming at the NBA superstar.

Nets commit unforgivable coaching gaffe in lackluster loss to Hornets

 


Cam Thomas returned to the Nets on Thursday night after missing the last nine games with an ankle sprain. 

The Brooklyn Nets indicated that Thomas would be on a minutes restriction, but with Brooklyn stuck in a tight contest with Charlotte down the stretch, Thomas was not on the court for the most important minutes. 

Thomas poured in 26 points in 25 minutes, but the Nets lost 129-128 as Cam Johnson missed an open 3-pointer just before the buzzer sounded.

It's incomprehensible how the coaching staff prevented its best player from being on the floor in clutch minutes and with the game on the line.

Even if Thomas was limited to 25 minutes, the coaching staff should have budgeted the minutes to allow him to be on the court for the final five minutes. 

The Nets paid the ultimate price as they were handed a loss and denied their fourth win in a row. 

Nets have a buying or selling conundrum ahead of the deadline



 The Brooklyn Nets currently sit at a record of 9-8 and in tenth place in a crowded Eastern Conference. The team is exceeding expectations and will be getting leading scorer Cam Thomas back in the lineup on Thursday night after he missed the last nine games because he suffered an ankle injury. 

The Nets are not quite ready to compete with the heavyweights in Boston, Milwaukee or Philadelphia, but find themselves in a mix with about a half dozen other teams looking to make the next jump in the conference. 

So as Sean Marks looks to maintain roster flexibility with one eye on building a contender and the other on stockpiling young assets, he's faced with a bit of a crossroads for this Brooklyn squad.

The Nets have four key players who will become free agents after this season including: Nic Claxton, Royce O'Neale, Lonnie Walker IV, Spencer Dinwiddie, Dennis Smith Jr. and Harry Giles. Marks has bird rights for Dinwiddie, Claxton and O'Neale and each can play a critical role for a true contender this year. The return for any of those respective players would also be significant with first round picks not being out of the question.

Even Dorian Finney-Smith, with years remaining on his contract has been rumored to be a player multiple teams are interested in for a first round pick.  

Marks will need to evaluate which of those names are candidates to remain with the core of the team as they develop the young player and build a contender for the future. Since Marks doesn't want players to walk after the year without receiving anything in return, he'll need to walk the GM tightrope. 

Could the Nets get a top 5 seed in the East and pull an upset against Cleveland, New York, Indiana, Orlando or even Miami? 

It's absolutely possible, but how much would the prospect of a potential first round playoff upset and likely second round exit change the calculus for Marks to hold on to multiple pending unrestricted free agents? 

On the flipside, should the Nets go big game hunting at the deadline or in the offseason?

 Brooklyn is only 17 games into the season, but as it draws near the midway point of the year, fans and the front office will have a better indication of where this team is headed, what pieces to keep, what pieces to send out and what additional talent they can bring on the roster to get the Nets back into contending status. 

Key player on Nets injury report won't be back anytime soon

 


A look up and down the Nets injury report and you'd strain your neck and eyes trying to read all the names.

From Cam Thomas' sprained ankle to Ben Simmons's nerve impingement in his lower back, Brooklyn has been banged up this early season. t

While it looks like the teams leading scorer will be back sooner than later, the team's  leading assist man won't be back as fast.

Thomas has resumed basketball activities and isn't scheduled for any further MRIs or imaging on his injured ankle.

Simmons, however, will still need to rehab his injured back, and is not cleared to practice.

Given Simmons injury history and specifically his surgically repaired back, the Nets could be without their starting point guard for the foreseeable future.

Executive shares successes and challenges of near three decade career with Nets



Lou Terminello is synonymous with the New Jersey Nets era of the franchise. Having joined the club in 1981 when the team opened Brendan Byrne arena. 

Terminello is a well-respected name in Nets history and ascended from a role of Director of Sales to Vice President of Partnerships and Sales upon his departure from the team. 



The Nets 28-year stay in the Meadowlands is the longest at one venue in the team's now 56-year history. 

Terminello sits down with Randy Zellea of Backsports Page and Rick Laughland of Nets Insider to reflect on the Jersey Days and all the ins and outs of what was happening both on the court and on the business side of the team.

Nets star has jersey retired at storied college basketball program

 


Mikal Bridges may be Brooklyn's very own, but his heart will always be in Philly. The former Villanova Wildcat and Philadelphia native had his jersey retired at the Pavilion on Friday night.

Bridges is approaching the prime years of his NBA career, but he was honored as one of the all-time greats under a legendary coach in Jay Wright.

Bridges won the National Championship as a freshman in 2016 (program's first since 1985) and again as a junior in 2018.

Coincidentally, Brooklyn will take on Philadelphia on Sunday night at Barclays Center.

Come Sunday, Bridges will surely cast aside his Philadelphia loyalty and try to deal the Nets Atlantic Division foe only it's fourth loss of the season after a scorching hot 9-3 start. 

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