After election day, the Nets had several days off, gearing up for a devastating back-to-back against the top two teams in the East. On Friday, they would battle the reigning NBA champions, the Boston Celtics, and on Saturday, they’d be going against the undefeated 10-0 Cleveland Cavaliers. Despite the Nets' 4-4 record, many fans expected clear losses against these two contenders. Fast forward to Saturday night, and while fans were ultimately correct, with the Nets losing both games, they were incorrect about how much they would lose by.
Against Boston, the Nets came out swinging, going on a 16-2 run in the first six minutes, completely surprising the Celtics. Now, it should be noted that the Celtics were without Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis; however, this team was 7-2 going into the game. Cam Thomas was dissecting the defense, scoring 31 points on 11-22 FG, pulling up on elite guard defenders like Derrick White and Jrue Holiday. However, Boston came knocking on the door, and in the fourth quarter, they clawed back and took the lead with five minutes to go. Yet, like every other game this season, the Nets fought hard. After an excellent defensive possession by Dorian Finney-Smith on Jayson Tatum, the Nets were able to take the Celtics into overtime, where they eventually got out-talented. An expected loss, but a competitive one.
The following night, the Nets flew over to Cleveland to confront the undefeated Cavaliers, coached by former Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson. The Nets played an incredibly competitive game; six minutes into the second quarter, the Cavs built a 15-point lead, 52-37, and it appeared that the Nets were going to get blown out, a familiar feeling for Nets fans last season. However, unlike last year, this team has grit. Despite being down, they were not out, going on a 30-5 run over nine minutes! Ultimately, the Nets had six careless turnovers in the fourth, leading to transition opportunities for Cleveland, and defensively, they could not stop the Cavs, who scored 35 points on 14-18 FG in the fourth. The Nets lost 105-100, but like the night before, it was a competitive loss with multiple starters playing well, as Johnson, Schroder, and Thomas combined for 67 points.
After this stretch of games, the Nets are now 4-6. However, due to the competitive nature of these losses, a debate has sparked among Nets fans on whether this team is too good to tank and if the franchise should consider pursuing star players such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has been disappointed with the Bucks' 2-7 start to the season. Personally, I believe Nets fans are being premature in giving up on the tank. While Giannis is appealing, he’s turning 30 in December, and the asking price from the Bucks would be astronomical, making it difficult to build around him due to the players and picks they would have to give up.
Fans need to see the forest through the trees. While the Nets are outperforming expectations, this team is not competing for a championship; it's debatable whether they can even make the playoffs. Aborting the tank because fans lack the fortitude to stomach a losing season would be awful for the Nets' long-term future. The biggest goal of this season is to have the best chance at drafting generational prospects so the Nets can have a foundation to build upon going forward. There’s no denying that coach Jordi Fernandez has this team playing hard; however, it is not going to last. This team does not have the talent or depth to maintain this level of play, especially when the veterans are moved at the trade deadline. For now, fans should enjoy the basketball and not be too concerned with speed running this rebuild.
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