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Brooklyn Nets: Five Worst Games of the 2016-17 Season

By Christian Milcos

Dec 18, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) dives to keep the ball in play during the fourth quarter of the game against the Brooklyn Nets at the Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers won the game 108-107.Mandatory Credit: John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 18, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) dives to keep the ball in play during the fourth quarter of the game against the Brooklyn Nets at the Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers won the game 108-107.Mandatory Credit: John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 18, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Bojan Bogdanovic (44) drives to the net as Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) defends during the third quarter of the game at the Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers won the game 108-107. Mandatory Credit: John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 18, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Bojan Bogdanovic (44) drives to the net as Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) defends during the third quarter of the game at the Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers won the game 108-107. Mandatory Credit: John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Dec. 18: 108-107 Loss to Sixers

The Nets could not figure out a game plan for defending versatile big men this season. Brooklyn lost this contest by only one point, but if not for a late cockamamie three from Jeremy Lin, the Sixers would’ve secured the victory with time to spare. Despite winning at the half, a third quarter defensive meltdown spelled disaster for Atkinson’s squad.

Joel Embiid put his potential on full display in front of a lively Philadelphia crowd. He scored 17 points in the third quarter alone and finished with 33 overall, a career-high for the Kansas product. He also tacked on 10 boards, three blocks, two steals and two threes to cap off an unfathomable stat line. The Nets began to double and even triple team the seven-footer, which opened up the floor for three-point marksmen like Ersan Ilyasova and Sergio Rodriguez, who combined for seven buckets from behind the arc.

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This game was tough to swallow for Nets fans. There are very few scenarios that are more infuriating for a viewer then seeing a single player take over a game offensively. The first 12 minutes after halftime epitomized this school of thought.

This was yet another contest that contributed to a brutal winter for the Nets. Following that night, Brooklyn took on Toronto, Golden State and Cleveland consecutively. Hopefully next season, the masterminds behind making the NBA schedule will have some mercy on the Nets’ already grim situation.