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Home / Sports News / Those rejuvenated Brooklyn Nets have been a true surprise, now two games over .500 and maybe even playoff bound after once being 8-17, and now even 13 ½ games ahead of the last place Knicks

Those rejuvenated Brooklyn Nets have been a true surprise, now two games over .500 and maybe even playoff bound after once being 8-17, and now even 13 ½ games ahead of the last place Knicks

By Arnie Leshin 
Arnie Leshin

It can only happen in Brooklyn? You mean, like having about 3,500 empty seats in Monday night’s 123-94 win over the Sacramento Kings at the Barkley Center?

 

No matter, these Nets are of a different breed this rejuvenated NBA season. They don’t have the fanatic, knowledgeable fans like the team over the bridge in Manhattan, but somehow they have pieced together a lineup that is catching attention.

 

Once at 6-12 and 8-17, they are now 25-23, with their latest win streak at four They are fourth in the Eastern Division, but only four and a half behind the Boston Celtics and six behind the Philadelphia 76ers. The Toronto Raptors are in first place, 10 games ahead of Brooklyn.

 

And best of all, they sit 13 and a half ahead of the New York Knicks. Believe it.

 

This is their best start since the 2003 and 2004 seasons when they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs in the NBA finals. That was the Jason Kidd, Richard Jefferson, Kenyon Martin era.

 

This is the DeAngelo Russell, Jarrett Allen, Spancer Dinwiddle era, and then some. The versatile 6-foot-5 Russell, an All-America at Ohio State, came in a trade with the Lakers when the Nets parted ways with Brook Lopez, an original Net. Russell has been super, scored 31 points that included 7-of-14 3s, and handed out eight assists.

 

Dinwiddle comes off the bench, and it doesn’t bother him, it bothers opposing teams, as he’s the second leading scorer at 17.4. The 6-6 player out of Colorado University is a pleasant surprise. Leading scorer Russell, averaging 19.2 a game, started slowly with Brooklyn, but has taken over as the team leader.

 

The Nets’ big guys are 6-11 Jarrett Allen from University of Texas, and 6-10 Ed Davis from North Carolina University. They are the one-punch off the backboards, with Davis taking down 16 Monday night.

 

And they have a quality head coach in Jeff Atkinson, and they have depth with the likes of 6-7 Jaret Dudley (Boston College), 6-6 Joe Harris (Virginia), 6-7 Caris LeVert (Michigan), 6-1 Shabazz Napier (Connecicut), 6-7 Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (Arizona), and 6-6 Allen Crabbe (California).

 

On the injury list is second-leader scorer LeVert (18-4), and he’s starting to do some light shooting. Crabbe’s knee is getting better, and he’s limited in practice, and Napier (arm) is due back shortly.

 

They can score. They have 100-plus points in 45 of 48 games, and have scored over 100 in two losses. They have numerous come-from-behind victories, in fact recently trailing the Houston Rockets by 16 points, forcing an overtime, and winning.

 

They have had winning streaks of seven straight, five in a row, presently four straight, and three in a row. And no more long losing skeins. From the foul line they are above average, and Russell and Allen have been their best.  

 

Of the 15 teams in the Eastern Conference, these Brooklyn Nets are sixth best. They have a better record then all the teams in the Southeast, including the first place Miami Heat.

 

Are we talking playoffs? Well, put it this was, was anybody talking about how good the Nets would be at this point? They have been a pleasant surprise for the home crowds, and even with empty seats.

 

Believe it.

 

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