Brooklyn Nets: Analyzing Potential First-Round Playoff Opponents
By Pete Schauer
Averaging 19 points and seven rebounds, Brook Lopez has been key to the Brooklyn Nets’ winning season. (Photo Credit: Mark Runyon,
)
Having clinched a playoff spot for the first time since the 2006-07 season, the Brooklyn Nets (formerly New Jersey) are back in the postseason since the days of Jason Kidd, Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson.
At 46-32, Brooklyn will likely claim the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, as it’s currently three games behind the Indiana Pacers for the third slot and holds a 3.5 game lead over the fifth-seeded Chicago Bulls. With five games remaining, it’s more than likely that the Nets will remain the fourth seed, setting them up for a 4-5 matchup in the East.
But just who will that No. 5 seed be in the East, you ask?
If the season ended today, Brooklyn would find itself in a seven-game series with Chicago to start the NBA playoffs, but as we all know, the season isn’t officially over for another week and the Atlanta Hawks are tied with the Bulls for the fifth seed, but Chicago holds the tiebreaker.
The Boston Celtics are still barely somewhat in the mix, trailing the Bulls by 2.5 games in the conference, but I like the odds of Chicago or Atlanta clinching the fifth seed for the playoffs.
With that in mind, it’s time to take a look at what the two potential matchups would look like for the Nets if they hang onto the fourth seed and face either the Bulls or Hawks in the first round of the playoffs.
If Brooklyn draws Atlanta, it would be an easier matchup than the Bulls. Although the Nets went 2-2 against the Hawks during the regular season, Brooklyn is firing on all cylinders of late and should be too much for Atlanta to handle in a seven-game series.
Brook Lopez is blossoming into one of the best centers right before our eyes and while Joe Johnson is struggling of late, Deron Williams certainly isn’t, averaging 24 points and seven assists per game in April. I think the Nets would have the edge at PG with Williams over Jeff Teague and at SG with Johnson over Devin Harris while Josh Smith would be the biggest threat to the Nets at power forward.
The resurgence of Deron Williams during the latter part of the season has been huge for the Nets. (Photo Credit: Mark Runyon,
)
Ultimately, I think Brooklyn’s defense would be too much for the Hawks’ offense to handle. It wouldn’t be a sweep for the Nets, but they should be able to move onto the next round against Atlanta if they draw that matchup.
Now, if Chicago hangs onto the fifth seed, I think Brooklyn could be in some serious trouble.
Aside from the fact that the Nets were 1-2 against the Bulls this season, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune reports that Derrick Rose hasn’t ruled out the possibility of playing in the playoffs. Rose would probably be a bit rusty having not played in a year, but I think we can all agree that we’d take a less than perfect Rose over 75 percent of the point guards in the NBA.
Whether or not Rose plays is obviously still unknown, but if Brooklyn is going to advance to the second round of the playoffs, it’s going to come down to the big men. We all saw Chicago’s physical style of play that ended the Miami Heat’s 27-game winning streak and it’s the same physical play that could doom the Nets.
The key for Brooklyn will be to contain Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah in the paint and take advantage of Chicago’s guard play with Williams and Johnson. In the Nets’ only win against the Bulls this season, Boozer and Noah didn’t even play, but Brooklyn did only lose to Chicago in the first meeting by one point.
Ultimately, I believe Reggie Evans will be the key for the Nets come playoff time. Brooklyn is at its best when Evans is dominating the glass and altering opponents’ shots, which the Nets would undoubtedly need against Chicago’s bigs.
When it’s all said and done, I see Brooklyn and Chicago squaring off in the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs, with the series going to seven games.
How it all plays out depends on the health of Joe Johnson and Derrick Rose.
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