NBA Playoffs 2013: Brooklyn Nets Playoff Profile

Deron Williams will be the ultimate key for the Brooklyn Nets in the playoffs. (Photo Credit: Mark Runyan, Basketball Schedule)

For the first time since the Jason Kidd days of the 2006-07 season, the Brooklyn Nets will be competing for a title in the 2013 NBA playoffs.

The 2013 postseason will provide the Nets with an opportunity to win their first ever NBA championship, as their previous two titles came in the ABA, prior two leagues merging in 1976. Big offseason moves—highlighted by the re-signing of point guard Deron Williams and acquisition of six-time All-Star Joe Johnson—have Brooklyn in prime position to make a run at a championship in 2013.

With one games remaining in the regular season, Brooklyn sits at 48-33 and second in the Atlantic Division, having already locked up the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference. The Nets lost the division to the rival New York Knicks, who locked up the No. 2 seed in the East thanks in large part to the scoring efforts of Carmelo Anthony.

Deron Williams leads the Nets in assists and is second on the team in scoring. (Photo Credit: Shinya, Flickr.com)

Team Leaders

Heading into the playoffs, the Nets will be led by point guard Deron Williams and center Brook Lopez, but Brooklyn has an excellent supporting cast. Let’s take a look at the statistical leaders for the Nets this season.

Points:  Brook Lopez- 19.4 PPG

Rebounds: Reggie Evans– 11.1 RPG

Assists: Deron Williams- 7.8 APG

Steals: Gerald Wallace– 1.4 SPG

Blocks: Brook Lopez- 2.1 BPG

Emotional Leader: Reggie Evans

Reggie Evans is exactly the type of player the Nets franchise has been missing since the days of Kenyon Martin.

While Martin was obviously more of an offensive presence, Evans is an absolute beast on the boards and is a scrappy player who can win games for the Nets. He’s in the game to crash the boards and hassle opponents’ big men on defense, which is exactly what he’s done this year. According to NBA Geek, Evans leads Brooklyn this season with a 9.5 wins produced mark.

A struggling Joe Johnson needs to pick it up if the Nets are going to make a deep run in the playoffs. (Photo Credit: Mark Runyan, Basketball Schedule)

Player to Watch: SG Joe Johnson

Following a hot start to the season, Joe Johnson has cooled off considerably. After averaging 18 points per game and shooting 41 percent from 3-point range in January, Johnson averaged just 13.3 points per game and posted a 32 percent 3-point mark during the month of March.

His points production is down as well are his field-goal, 3-point and free-throw percentages of late.

April has been somewhat of a better month for Johnson—as he’s shooting 39 percent from deep and had back-to-back 20-point efforts in wins against the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers—but the Nets will need a more consistent Johnson in order to make a run at an NBA title this season.

First-Round Matchup

If the season ended today, Brooklyn would get the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the playoffs, as Atlanta is 44-36 this season and currently owns the No. 5 seed. The Nets went 2-2 against the Hawks this season, losing their most recent matchup at home, 105-93.

While it’s been an up and down series for Brooklyn this season when facing Atlanta, the Nets should have the advantage both defensively and on the glass in the rebounding department.

There’s still a chance the Chicago Bulls can sneak into the fifth spot in the East. They trail the Hawks by just a half game in the Eastern Conference and have one game remaining against the Washington Wizards, but Atlanta still has two games left on its regular season schedule.

Prediction

I think the Nets get the Hawks in the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs. It’ll be a close series, but I like the Nets in six games.

I think Brooklyn’s biggest advantage will be its bench—led by Andray Blatche and C.J. Watson—and will be able to take advantage at the point guard spot, with Williams being the superior and more experienced player over Jeff Teague.

Josh Smith and Al Horford will be forces in the paint, but the Nets have enough on the interior to combat them with Lopez and Evans. Look for Williams to shine in the first round for the Nets, as they advance to the next round.

Hit me up on Twitter @Pete_Schauer and let me know how you think this series plays out.