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Tank you very much, Nets lose OT battle in Boston



 Not many NBA fans or sports handicappers had Friday night's game between the Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics at TD Garden going into overtime.

Jordi Fernandez and crew pushed Joe Mazzulla, Jayson Tatum and company to the brink of defeat. 

In fact, Brooklyn led from the open tip until 4:24 left in the 4th quarter of play. 

Tatum led the way for Boston with 33 and Cam Thomas paced the Nets with 31. 

The defending champions took all they could handle and body blow after body blow before letting their talent and superstars take over late. 

Dorian Finney- Smith played terrific defense on the final play of regulation as Tatum's desperation three sailed wide of the rim to send the game to the extra session. 

In overtime, Brooklyn fell 108-104. The Nets  should not hang their heads. 

This was supposed to be a year where the Nets would be in the hunt for top picks in the NBA Draft Lottery, but it appears that Fernandez will not allow this team to give up, no matter what players are on the floor. 

The Nets finding their leader of the future along the sidelines is a major development for this franchise and an attractive selling point for prospective free agents and for trade targets down the road. 

So while some will be disappointed by a hard-fought loss in Boston, the Nets aspirations to get into the NBA Draft Lottery may not be entirely dead. 


Knicks feeling buyer's remorse by mortgaging future for Bridges

 



The New York Knicks made a franchise altering decision this summer. 

In a move that was somewhat unprecedented, the Knicks executed a trade with the Nets to send six future picks to Brooklyn in exchange for Mikal Bridges.

The trade helped jump start a Brooklyn rebuild that was long overdue since the mass exodus of Kyrie Irving, James Harden and Kevin Durant. 

Knicks general manager Leon Rose was hailed as the executive of the year for bringing in Bridges.

He made another splash move by sending Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle to Minnesota in exchange for Karl Anthony Towns. 

So after 3-4 record, and Bridges looking more like a role player than co-star, early returns have been promising for Brooklyn and disappointing for the Knicks. 

 Giannis Antetokounmpo is clearly unhappy with Milwaukee, a team that is tied with the Philadelphia 76ers at 1-6 for the worst record in the NBA.

Since Rose cleared the cupboard of draft picks and tied up any future salary flexibility, it's nearly impossible for New York to make a play for the Greek Freak. 

The Nets, on the other hand, are in an interesting position as they sit at 4-4, good enough for third in the Eastern Conference. 

They have a bevy of vets including Dennis Schröder, Cam Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith that would be valuable trade pieces for a contending team. 

Giannis has listed the Nets as a top destination should he ask out of Milwaukee, which looks to be a matter of when not if.

Unless the Knicks turn things around in a hurry, it appears the Nets have decidedly won this trade. 

Nets get freaky with Milwaukee in this proposed trade

 


The Brooklyn Nets are not good soldiers. This was supposed to be a tank year, but now Brooklyn looks like it could be a factor in the Eastern Conference playoff race. 

In a historically good rookie draft class, the Nets may be headed in the right direction as far as winds are concerned, but the wrong direction in regards to NBA Draft Lottery ping pong balls. 

The Nets own Milwaukee's top four protected first round pick in 2025. Sending the Bucks their pick back along with a few additional draft picks may allow a deal like this to go through. 

Will the Nets try to short-circuit a rebuild and bring in the Greek Freak?




Right now, Brooklyn is not nearly as futile as many experts expected them to be, and in fact they may be in contention for the play-in or a playoff spot. 

Adding Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kris Middleton would be a major shot in the arm. 

Middleton certainly has injury concerns as does Giannis who has been injured through several of Milwaukee's playoff runs. 

Nonetheless, with the Bucks headed nowhere fast at 1-6, Giannis' days there could be numbered and the Nets are atop his short wish list along with Miami.

The Knicks essentially took themselves out of a potential Giannis move by trading for Karl Anthony Towns and sending six draft picks to Brooklyn for Mikal Bridges.  

Things will certainly heat up come the trade deadline if Milwaukee continues heading South and the Nets keep piling up wins. 

Brooklyn owns NY's best record with gritty win over Grizzlies



 A New York basketball team was aiming to be top three in the Eastern Conference. Through eight games of the NBA season, that has been the case. 

The team that sits behind the 8-0 Cleveland Cavaliers and 7-1 Boston Celtics is a New York-based basketball team, but not the one that immediately comes to mind.  

The 3-3 Knicks, that have championship aspirations this year, are sitting behind the 4-4 third place Brooklyn Nets.

In Monday's 106-104 nailbiter over Memphis at Barclays Center, Cam Johnson and Dennis Schröder led the way with 20 points apiece, while Dorian Finney- Smith chipped in 17. 

Ja Morant and rookie Zach Edey paced the Grizzlies with 25 each. 

The Nets were playing without Ben Simmons who was resting in the second half of the back to back. 

Jordi Fernandez has the Nets playing with grit and tenacity. 

While the NBA season is young and less than ten percent complete, the emergence of the Brooklyn Nets as a quality basketball team is one of the surprising storylines so far this year. 

Simmons hints he's not fully content with current role on Nets




 Ben Simmons is a problem. Not the kind of problem that other teams have to deal with, but that his own team has to deal with. 

Yes, he was two rebounds and two points shy of a triple-double during Friday night's win against Chicago, but the seven-year veteran intimated that he envisions himself as a starting player. As long as injuries aren't hampering him, Simmons sees himself as one of the starting five, according to this exchange with Brian Lewis of the New York Post. 




 The visions of grandeur for a player that cannot stay healthy, nor committed to basketball going back to his days with the Philadelphia 76ers is baffling . 

Simmons's confidence looks shook around the rim and he has an unwillingness to take contact and trips to the free throw line due to his poor shooting percentage. 

Simmons is a former three-time All-Star, but he's certainly far removed from that level of play after injuries have taken their toll.

Jordi Fernandez has this Nets group far exceeding expectations in the early season, and the last thing the locker room needs is Ben Simmons to put his personal priorities ahead of the team's. 

Nets ignore memo to tank; knock off Bulls for third win



Much to the chagrin of their fan base, the Brooklyn Nets look like a quality basketball team.

Winners of three of their last four games, the Nets are not just failing to tank, but they're ascending up the Eastern Conference standings. 

Cam Thomas hit a logo 3-pointer to ice the game and Ben Simmons doled out 11 assists in 26 minutes, falling two rebounds and two points shy of a triple-double. 

Brooklyn will take on Detroit on Saturday afternoon with tipoff set for 3:30 pm E T.  

With rumors that Giannis Antetokounmpo listing Brooklyn and Miami as preferred destinations if he asks out of Milwaukee who is falling apart under the direction of Doc Rivers. 

The Nets may be out of Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey, Dylan Harper top three NBA Draft Lottery territory already, but owning Milwaukee's pick may bring a more impactful player than once thought. 

Two Nets land on NBA's Top 20 scoring list

 


One name will surprise you and one won't when you peruse up and down the list of the NBA's leading scorers to find two Nets in the top 20.

Cam Thomas is a walking bucket and at 27.4 PPG it's less than shocking he's among the best to fill up the cup.

 Thomas has actually had two straight down games by his scoring standards against Denver on Tuesday night and Memphis on Wednesday night.





The biggest surprise perhaps of the young NBA season is that Dennis Schröder at 24.6 PPG through five games is just six spots behind his back court mate at No. 19 in the league in scoring. 

Schröder is enjoying a Renaissance year under first year head coach Jordi Fernandez. 

But the question remains, will he be on this Nets rebuilding team past the trade deadline or does he become valuable trade asset for a contending team. 



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