4 NBA teams that have improved over early season struggles
Brooklyn Nets
Before Dec. 1: 8-16
After Dec. 1: 13-8
Founding Father Benjamin Franklin once said, “Nothing is certain in life except the Brooklyn Nets choking.” Then he got on a horse and warned the Americans about the British crossing the Delaware River.
But seriously, the Nets were really, really, really bad in close games. They did this by making bonehead plays down the stretch or just rolling over and dying in the fourth quarter.
The signs were there in their first game of the year, where they had two possessions to win it against the Detroit Pistons but a bad Jarrett Allen layup and a Caris LeVert turnover doomed them.
The bad times continued from there as November was particularly dreadful month where the Nets went 5-10. Their losing streak bled into early December as they fell apart in games against the Los Angeles Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, Philadelphia 76ers, Utah Jazz, Oklahoma City Thunder and blowing a seven-point lead with 34 seconds left against the Memphis Grizzlies.
So, what’s changed?
The first part of their change was purely mental. Losing eight in a row and blowing so many games takes its toll on one’s psyche, and the Nets got a much-needed win against the Toronto Raptors on Dec. 7. Not only was it a “FINALLY, WE WON” game, but it came against one of the league’s top teams.
Since that game, the Nets have gone 13-5, including wins against the (Jimmy Butler-less) 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers and surviving a double-OT game against the Charlotte Hornets.
Their shot selection has greatly improved and they’re getting to the free throw line more than they were, where they’re shooting slightly better than they were before December. An uptick of just four percent isn’t huge, but when games are coming down to the last minute, every little point matters.
Spencer Dinwiddie had a fantastic December after being signed to his extension, putting up 20 points a game on 46.6 percent shooting. He has taken a step back in January, but his offensive production was a huge part of the Nets’ winning ways.
One big caveat of all this is the Nets have had a very, very easy schedule, facing likely playoff teams only seven times and going 3-4, getting throttled in those four losses. The Nets have shown they can hang with big teams, but they will need to prove they can keep closing out games and not revert back to their November ways.