Nets' Recent Success Could Propel Them to Postseason

Before the NBA All-Star break, the Brooklyn were riding a three-game winning streak after defeating the Miami Heat, Charlotte Hornets, and Philadelphia 76ers. The wins against the Heat and 76ers brought major momentum for Brooklyn in terms of the standings, as the team now sits as the 12th seed in the Eastern Conference, just 1.5 games back from the Play-In Tournament.

In fact, the Nets' performance through the month of February has been extremely impressive. They rank first in the league in defensive rating since Feb. 1 (105.2) and have held their last 10 opponents to just 99.2 points per game.

Brooklyn started relatively hot on offense this season, with the main issues lying defensively. Now, the script has flipped, with the team showing elite defensive prowess while scoring less on offense. Expected to be at the bottom of the NBA standings this year, the Nets are surprising many as they have a solid shot at the postseason.

There is still discourse on whether or not Brooklyn should push for the postseason or focus on development and try to go for a higher draft pick. If the Nets miss the postseason while winning, it hurts them tremendously in the long run. However, fans can't help but get excited knowing they have a shot at the Play-In Tournament.

Something to note is that Brooklyn is doing all of this without its leading scorer, Cam Thomas. Thomas, averaging 24.7 points per game, has been battling hamstring issues but looks to return before the end of the season.

The 23-year-old star would no doubt give the Nets a major boost, and his prolific scoring could raise Brooklyn's offense to the status of its defensive as of late. Combine this with the Nets having won six of their last 10 games, and they could gain serious momentum to climb toward that final Play-In seed.

In a weak East, the Nets are a unique position where, despite the poor record, they can still compete for the postseason. Even if fans become disappointed based on whatever direction they choose, it's more of a win-win scenario. If Brooklyn is still in a position to play basketball in late April, expect the team to go all out.

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