Brooklyn Nets: 5 Reasons Why The Season Can’t Be Salvaged
By Tom Firme
Close Losses Are A Bad Sign
Some might look at the fact that Nets have taken seven of their 13 losses by single digits as a promising sign.
Brook Lopez was upbeat after Brooklyn’s 107-99 overtime loss to the Warriors, showing his ability to shake off missing a potential game-winner. Lopez told the New York Post’s Brian Lewis, “We had multiple chances — definitely three that I can think of — where we could have had the game and that would have been that. But it’s a matter of learning from those experiences.”
However, since their expected win-loss record is 5-12, according to Basketball-Reference.com, it’s no moral victory.
LeBron James‘ game-winner with one second left on Saturday was the latest example of the Nets’ fecklessness in pressure situations.
CBSSports.com’s Zach Harper placed Johnson among the worst clutch players. Johnson had shot 5-of-16 (31.3 percent) from the field for 12 points in the last five minutes of regulation and overtime through Nov. 25. Harper stated, “The Nets have needed Johnson so far this season and he hasn’t been there.”
Losing by close margins frequently is no sign they can compete and win more games, but that no matter how the Nets hang around, they remain too unlucky for big clutch plays.
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