Why the Nets having the second-easiest schedule in the NBA can help them in the Playoff race

The Nets having one of the easiest schedules left in the league is huge for the team.

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At the midway point of the season, the Nets have a 21-33 record but have an easier path for the Playoffs. That is due to a statistic called Remaining Schedule Strength, which calculates the combined winning percentage of all remaining opponents.

Brooklyn has the second-easiest schedule in the league, with only a combined winning percentage of 45.9%. The schedule will be crucial for the Nets as interim head coach Kevin Ollie looks to lead his team back to the Playoffs.

The Brooklyn Nets one potential saving grace is they have the second easiest remaining strength of schedule in the NBA pic.twitter.com/7QMNaDJAuV

— Cody Mallory (@RealCodyMallory) February 16, 2024

The Nets are healthier now

Brooklyn is ready for the second half of the season due to players getting healthy. Heading into the All-Star break, only Ben Simmons was dealing with an injury from the regular rotation. With this break, the team has rested their bodies, which could play a huge role moving forward.

Simmons is probably the most significant addition to the team since he’s the team’s offensive engine. At the same time, his defense would motivate the rest of the team to try harder and compete. The wing rotation of Dorian Finney-Smith, Cameron Johnson, and rookie Jalen Wilson will be significant for this team, as they can contribute in different areas of the game.

Brooklyn’s go-to scorers will have easier matchups

Cameron Thomas and Mikal Bridges have faced the best defenders in almost every game this season. By playing against teams with mediocre records, Cam and Mikal will have an easier time getting their rhythm and scoring more points than before.

The duo is scoring 42.9 points per game, which should get a marked improvement for the second half of the season, with more offensive threats in the supporting cast. Expect Thomas to get more on-ball opportunities, as Coach Ollie is the man in charge now.

The coaching change should galvanize the team

With Jacque Vaughn’s dismissal from his head coach role, the Nets are free from his struggles with rotations and in-game adjustments. With Ollie at the helm, the Nets are in good hands due to his experience as a champion coach with the UConn Huskies.

However, the players should use the Vaughn dismissal to galvanize themselves and compete. 

Mikal Bridges was “pretty vocal behind the scenes” about Jacque Vaughn’s offensive scheme, per @ShamsCharania on @RunItBackFDTV.

Vaughn’s offense heading into the season was planned to be primarily built around Ben Simmons, who has only played in 12 games this season. pic.twitter.com/PgDi36dV7Y

— Evan Sidery (@esidery) February 19, 2024

Nets promoting Kevin Ollie as interim head coach upon Jacque Vaughn's HC firing