ESPN Power Rankings: Brooklyn Nets on the Rise For Second Straight Week

For the second straight week, the Brooklyn Nets rose in the ESPN power rankings.

Current Ranking: 23

Ranking Last Week: 28 (up five spots)

ICYMI: Last Week’s Rankings

The Brooklyn Nets finally moved up in the rankings last week, and they’re already back at it again.

In Marc Stein’s most recent power rankings, the Nets were ranked 23^rd – a five-spot upgrade from last week.

This ranking is tied for the second-best of the Nets’ entire season. Further, it’s the highest they’ve been since week four of the NBA season, when they were 18^th in the field.

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This was no surprise, considering the Nets are arguably playing their best basketball of the season. They have seven wins in this month alone – one more than the Cleveland Cavaliers (for now).

Stein highlights this very notion in his comments.

"He writes, “these same Nets, you’ll recall, went 4-37 from December through February. The Cavs, in case you’re wondering, are 6-8 in March.”"

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Stein also pointed out the obvious importance of Jeremy Lin – noting the Nets are 9-19 with him, and 7-38 without him.

It’s now clear to both Stein and the NBA that the Nets aren’t pushovers anymore. At least, not the pushovers they seemed to be in January and February.

The Nets have a golden opportunity to continue their positive streak this week. They will take on the Atlanta Hawks and Detroit Pistons (teams the Nets recently defeated), as well as the Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic (who are more-than beatable teams).

Big Movers: Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets (up five spots)

Look what we have here! The Nets join the “Big Movers” list for the first time since I began this column. The Hornets, on the other hand, have won four of their last five games and find themselves just two games out of the eighth seed in the East.

Next: The Present and Future of Nets' Newest Additions

Big Losers: Detroit Pistons (down four spots)

The Nets could be partially to blame for the Pistons’ drop. Either way, losing six of seven games in the midst of a playoff race doesn’t help too much, either.