Brooklyn Nets: Top 5 Players From the 1980s

Nov 7, 2014; Brooklyn, NY, USA; New Jersey Nets former owner Lewis Katz is remembered by friends, family and NBA commissioner Adam Silver (fourth from right) between the first and second quarters of a game between the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Knicks at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 7, 2014; Brooklyn, NY, USA; New Jersey Nets former owner Lewis Katz is remembered by friends, family and NBA commissioner Adam Silver (fourth from right) between the first and second quarters of a game between the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Knicks at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
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The 1980s were a historic decade for the Brooklyn (then New Jersey) Nets. To dive deeper into the 80s, here’s my ranking of the best players from that era.

Nov 7, 2014; Brooklyn, NY, USA; New Jersey Nets former owner Lewis Katz is remembered by friends, family and NBA commissioner Adam Silver (fourth from right) between the first and second quarters of a game between the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Knicks at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 7, 2014; Brooklyn, NY, USA; New Jersey Nets former owner Lewis Katz is remembered by friends, family and NBA commissioner Adam Silver (fourth from right) between the first and second quarters of a game between the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Knicks at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

In the 80s, the Nets made the playoffs five times (second most in a decade in the franchise’s history). They even upset the defending champions to win their first playoff series since the NBA merger. Above all, the Nets started to become relevant in the NBA after only finishing better than tenth in the Eastern Conference once in the previous five years.

To recount this historic decade, let’s take a look into five players who made the team great during that time.

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