Nothin' But Nets
Fansided

The Elating Highs and Deflating Lows of Kenny Atkinson’s First Season

By Zach Cronin

Mar 26, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Brooklyn Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson coaches against the Atlanta Hawks in the third quarter at Philips Arena. The Nets defeated the Hawks 107-92. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 26, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Brooklyn Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson coaches against the Atlanta Hawks in the third quarter at Philips Arena. The Nets defeated the Hawks 107-92. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 5
Next
February 25, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Brooklyn Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson during the first quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Nets 112-95. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
February 25, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Brooklyn Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson during the first quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Nets 112-95. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

A Second-Half Resurgence

For the Brooklyn Nets, the time before the All-Star Game and the time after it was entirely different; like watching a CYO team go four-on-five against the Kentucky Wildcats, to watching a Division III team play the Wildcats. Heading into the midseason break, the Nets had the league’s worst record at 9-46, and that put them nine games back of the Phoenix Suns at the bottom of the standings. A myriad of causes played into that, and the injuries were the biggest.

MUST READ: Looking at Free Agent Small Forwards For the Nets

The times have since changed, and the success they’re having now is way beyond the realm of comprehension after such a dreadful first half.

Brooklyn’s 10-13 post-All-Star, and that’s good enough to tie them with the Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans and Indiana Pacers for the 17th-best record in the NBA — the Nets are still below-average, but they’re no longer the worst team in the league, and that’s saying something. (Yes, I know, overall they’re still in the cellar but let us have this!)

More from Nothin' But Nets

Atkinson has added a couple of players into the rotation like Archie Goodwin and K.J. McDaniels, and both sides of the ball have looked much, much better than before. The offense is crisp, and Brooklyn’s become much more selective with their shots, a sign that the young guys are growing and learning. Defense is still a trainwreck, but it’s not as bad as it used to be. The major thing is that Atkinson’s teachings are sticking with everyone, and the lapses on defense are a lot less noticeable now.

The highlight of everything is, undoubtedly, the Nets winning three straight games recently. It’s a small victory, but it’s something to build on.