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Brooklyn Nets: Truly A Disappointment

By Steve Krebs

Feb 25, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Joe Johnson (7) shoots over New Orleans Pelicans center Omer Asik (3) during the second quarter of a game at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 25, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Joe Johnson (7) shoots over New Orleans Pelicans center Omer Asik (3) during the second quarter of a game at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
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There comes a time where we all have to disregard favoritism, and face the facts of reality. For Brooklyn Nets fans, that realization speaks to the truly disappointing, and coma-induced state of our hometown basketball organization.

Over the past year, Brooklyn Nets fans have seen a lot, but what we are failing to recognize, is success. With the exception of acquiring Thaddeus Young, a situation that seems much more likely a rental than a full purchase, not one move has been made to alter this downward spiral.

If the season was not already approaching rock-bottom, the loss to an injury-depleted New Orleans Pelicans team that certainly could not be deemed formidable in the least, should add another nail in the coffin. The Nets actually returned to full health, with Jarrett Jack coming back from an ailing hamstring, and they still could not beat a team that is missing two starters, and a prolific scoring sixth man.

It seems team chemistry reaches as far as logistics, and travel, because on the court, the players are on completely different planets.

Joe Johnson appears all but done with his time in the Barclay Center, and the Nets would be doing their-self a service by accommodating this unspoken request. Age does come somewhat into play here, but the regression in points per game this season to 15.7, compared to his career average of 17.4, suggest his skills are eroding more than anything. When you are taking more shots (13.8-12.9) and scoring less points, there is clearly a problem.

In all fairness to Iso-Joe, he has carried this team long enough, and is most likely the only silver-lining in an otherwise unsuccessful past few seasons. Even when he is hitting shots, and reverting back to the player the Nets hope they would attain, the team falls short.

Rather than playing through each other, Brooklyn appears to be playing as if there is only one person on the court on most offensive sets. The ball barely moves two or three times before someone is dribbling into the corner, or a double-team, and hoisting up a shot that hits everything but the inside of the rim.

Labeling the current play as anything but cohesive would be a generally soft description, asking how this remotely defines any shred of team basketball, would be a much more accurate statement.

Without playing as a unit, that illustrious eighth playoff spot staring the Nets in the face, might as well be all but forgotten about. Let’s be honest, if they cannot even beat a team that is riddled with injury, and only three games over .500, how could beating a No. 1 seed be in the realm of even the most far fetched of possibilities?

Brooklyn fans should keep the faith that a turn-around is on the horizon, but realistically accept this season as a loss. I just hope things get better, because based on the choices the organization has made up to this point, it can certainly get worse.

But hey, at least we are the best basketball team in NY, right?

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