Are the Brooklyn Nets headed for the Playoffs?

The Brooklyn Nets

Most people at this time of the year make a conscious effort to stick to their New Year’s resolutions and make sure they don’t give up too soon.

No team waits for the New Year to make changes in their play but in the NBA, if you’re down in the dumps, it’s different. When you change the calendars for the year it’s as good a time as any for a struggling team to make a positive change to its play, and so far no team has demonstrated that trait better than the Brooklyn Nets.

On Wednesday night, when the Nets beat the red hot Golden State Warriors 102-98, they accomplished more than just the W.

- They are so far unbeaten in 2014 with a record of 4-0;

- They snapped the Warriors’ 10 game winning streak; and

- They joined Playoff contention by grabbing the 8th and final spot.

Did anybody expect a team with a record 10-21 to achieve all of the above sans All-Stars Deron Williams and Brook Lopez?

I doubt anybody expected them to achieve what they have. This four-game win streak makes it seem that the Nets have what it takes to make the Playoffs, an achievement which once seemed impossible, but the rest of the teams in the East also played a hand in the Nets making to the 8th spot, by playing worse basketball.

Thanks to the rest of the East and the Nets’ current performance, there has been a lot to cheer about in Brooklyn since the start of the new year. Here’s a list of those reasons.

Early disappointing performances

The Nets were plagued with a stretch of poor performances very early in the season

Touted to be among the title contenders in the East prior to the season, the Brooklyn Nets fans were looking forward to the season after a splash in the summer.

The team added veterans Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Jason Terry and Andrei Kirilenko to a roster already having Williams and Joe Johnson listed. The proposed starting line-up of Garnett, Pierce, Johnson, Williams and Lopez had 35 All-Star appearances among them.

But the swagger the team carried after defeating the Miami Heat in the their first match of the season at the Barclays Center has been buried deep after embarrassing losses to teams like the Washington Wizards, Orlando Magic and the Charlotte Bobcats.

Injuries too contributed to their terrible start to the season. Early in the season Terry, Kirilenko, Lopez and even Williams would make appearances in suits due to injuries. Although not injured, Garnett and Pierce saw reduced playing minutes so as to ensure they remained fit for the long-term.

In certain games the effort of the guys on the floor was questioned by many. There was a stretch of 9 games in November where they managed to win only one game, the lone win coming by a slim two point margin on the back of a clutch shot by Johnson.

Although the month of December was slightly more encouraging, the team could not manage any consistency.

The management never withdrew their support but Jason Kidd still came under high scrutiny in the media after there were reports from a veteran scout that his contribution on the bench was close to nil.

Encouraging performances in 2014

The starting back court duo of Deron Williams (prior to injury) and Joe Johnson have seen stellar offensive games in 2014

The winning streak since the start of 2014 has raised hopes among Nets fans. There have been plenty of positives.

The intensity on the offensive end has definitely stepped up. Joe Johnson’s clutch shots and big games this season have earned him the name ‘Joe Jesus’ in the locker room. In the absence of Deron Williams, out with a sprained left ankle, he has averaged 25 points a game and has given the Nets the much needed offense.

Prior to sitting out the last two games with a sprained ankle, Williams averaged 25 points and 5 assists in games against the Oklahoma City Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers.

With no option but to go deep into their bench during the beginning of the season, the team has discovered lethal performers in Mirza Teletovic and Alan Anderson. At the beginning of the season, these players were not expected to make it to the 8 or 9 man rotations but owing to consistent performances Teletovic and Anderson have averaged 19 and 25 minutes respectively.

Veteran Forward Pierce’s playing minutes over the last couple of weeks is 3-4 minutes above his season average. His stats don’t catch the attention of the eye in the box score, but his leadership and presence on the court make a huge difference to the team.

Previously injured bench players Kirilenko and Terry are slowly but surely seeing more minutes on the court. Their level of contribution has not been up to expectations but considering the veterans that they are, they could only improve with more time on the floor.

Are the Playoffs a possibility?

Those were a lot of positives but are they enough to take the Nets into the Playoffs and be competitive?

Lopez and Williams will be missed dearly but the team has slowly but effectively learnt to deal with that. Garnett had a huge game by his current standards, scoring 13 against the Warriors, but can he be a consistent?

There are still a few questions to be answered before the team can consider themselves worthy of the Post-season.

Having said that, if they continue the level of effort and play they have showcased over the last 4 games, nobody would doubt their ticket to the post-season, given that they are already in the 8th spot.