The Brooklyn Nets' March Schedule Bodes Well for Lottery Race

The Brooklyn Nets currently sit at 15-44 on the season after a 2-9 February stretch. They made up ground in the draft lottery race, moving into the bottom three of the NBA standings, meaning they now have equal odds at the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Just as Thanos once promised harmony to the cosmos, the Nets' March schedule may provide a new kind of equilibrium, one that puts them closer to locking down a spot at the top of the lottery odds.

After moving down to the eighth pick in the 2025 NBA Draft when Brooklyn had the sixth pick in pre-lottery position, balance is needed. The Nets have 23 games left in the season and the 16th hardest strength of schedule.

Before getting to a lighter April stretch, they will have to get through 17 games in March, 14 of which are against teams in the top 10 of their respective conferences.

The month gets started Sunday afternoon against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Barclays Center, who boast a 37-24 record and are fourth in the Eastern Conference. The Cavaliers could be missing both Donovan Mitchell and James Harden in the game, but their frontcourt has proved to be a challenge for Brooklyn this season.

Next up will be a three-game East road trip, with two consecutive games against the Miami Heat on Tuesday and Thursday, and a game against the Detroit Pistons on Saturday. Two wins for a Miami team trying to grab a top-six seed would be crucial.

The Nets will then return home for the first back-to-back of the month on March 9 and 10. They will play the Memphis Grizzlies and then the Pistons again. The Grizzlies are currently 11th in the Western Conference and are coming off a win against the Dallas Mavericks. Brooklyn lost its lone matchup with Memphis this season.

From March 12 to March 22, the Nets will play a game every other day. Three on the road: Atlanta Hawks (March 12), Philadelphia 76ers (March 14) and the Sacramento Kings (March 22). Three at home: Portland Trailblazers (March 16), Oklahoma City Thunder (March 18) and the New York Knicks (March 20). The game against the Kings will have the most implications for the lottery race, as they currently hold the league's worst record.

The final 5 games of March starts with the second night of a back-to-back against the Trailblazers on March 23 on the road. Brooklyn will then head to California for two away games, first against the Golden State Warriors on March 25 and then against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 27. Two home games against teams with losing records will close the month with the Charlotte Hornets on March 29 and the Kings on March 31.

March record prediction: 3-14