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Tracking the Nets’ In-Season standing: How they can advance to the knockout stage?
Like the other teams around the Association, the Brooklyn Nets will conclude their pool play in the league's In-Season Cup this Tuesday. With a good win-loss record on their hand, the only goal is to finish strong and punch their ticket to the tournament’s quarterfinal round.
Below are the Nets’ current standing in the In-Season Tournament and the various ways they can advance to the knockout round.
Nets’ In-Season position
As of the lead-up to Tuesday's showcase, the Nets currently hold the second position in the East's Group C with a 2-1 record. Meanwhile, the Orlando Magic are at the top (3-1) of the ladder, while the Boston Celtics are still on the run as the third-ranked team with a 2-1 card.
The Nets will play the already-eliminated Raptors this Tuesday. As such, their fate of advancing lies in the game against Toronto.
- If the Nets win and the Celtics lose (against the Chicago Bulls), the Nets can win the group via a point-differential lead over the Magic.
- If the Nets and Celtics both win, Group C will have a three-way tie for first place that would be determined by point-differential.
Orlando has a +22 point differential. For Brooklyn to overtake them with a win, they have to beat Toronto by as much as a 14 points. The completion of this will allow them to enter the In-Season Tournament quarterfinals.
If they fail to secure the top spot in their group, the Nets still have the opportunity to advance as a wild card team if:
- New York, Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat all lose
- Brooklyn ended up second in its group and took the tiebreaker margin over other second-place teams from other East groups with a 3-1 record.
Both the Knicks (+18) and the Heat (+11) are above the Nets’ point-differential score (+8). The Cavaliers have a +6 on the other hand.
All in for the money
On behalf of his team, Spencer Dinwiddie already proclaimed that the Nets are truly on the hunt to take a spot in the quarterfinals and eventually win the In-Season Tournament.
Considering the prize for each player of the winning team, the veteran can only salivate with the amount of money they'll bag.
"Who don't like money? Aye listen, half a million dollars, that could pay for my Rolls-Royce.”
