Brooklyn Nets NBA schedule release: 3 toughest road trips

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MIAMI, FL – MARCH 31: Joe Harris #12 of the Brooklyn Nets handles the ball against the Miami Heat on March 31st, 2018 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) /

The Brooklyn Nets released their 2018-19 regular season schedule on Friday. With their season opener on Oct.17 at Detroit, here are the three toughest road trips the Nets will face next season.

The official Brooklyn Nets 2018-19 regular season schedule has been released.

Brooklyn’s season opener will be Oct. 17 at the Detroit Pistons. The Nets’ home opener will be Oct. 19 against the New York Knicks.

The Brooklyn Nets’ 82-game schedule consists of 41 home games and 41 road games. With the Nets schedule split in half, this are the three toughest road trips Brooklyn will face during the 2018-19 season.

The NBA 18-19 schedule is out... and it's Brooklyn all day. https://t.co/hyc5gkt8px
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) August 10, 2018

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 23: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson #24 of the Brooklyn Nets drives to the basket Domantas Sabonis #11 of the Indiana Pacers during the first half at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 23, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

Oct. 20-26

This is the first big road trip the Brooklyn Nets will face in the 2018-19 season. In this six-day period, the Brooklyn Nets will face these three teams:

Oct. 20 at Indiana Pacers
Oct. 24 at Cleveland Cavaliers
Oct. 26 at New Orleans Pelicans

These three games during their six-day road trip will not be must-win games, but Brooklyn should aim to win at least two of them.

The Indiana Pacers will be a good game for the Nets to look to capitalize off of. The Nets will have two important tasks in this game; lock down Victor Oladipo and protect down low.

Oladipo is a versatile guard who can catch fire from any part of the floor. The Pacers guard, who is coming off of a career year, can drive the ball at a high level and shoot from all areas of the floor. It will be important for the Nets point guards to play tight defense on Oladipo and limit his touches.

Protecting down low will be an important task against the Indiana Pacers. Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis will be hard guards for the Nets frontcourt players. Both Sabonis and Turner can shoot the ball, not just from mid-range but from behind the arc, well.

This means Brooklyn will have to rely on help defense and expect Indiana to spread the floor.

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The Nets last won at Indiana on March 21, 2015, and have lost six straight at Indianapolis.

When Brooklyn plays the Cleveland Cavaliers four days later, the Nets should aim to win this game. The Nets managed to beat the Cavaliers at home last season in a nail-biter, thanks to Spencer Dinwiddie‘s great crunch-time play, but this game will be different.

The Cavs no longer have LeBron James, which means the ball will be distributed much more.

The Cavs will likely play small ball offense so Brooklyn will have to lock-down the 3-point line and their mid-range area. If Brooklyn can successfully lock down those two shooting areas and play consistently on the offensive end, the Nets can leave Cleveland with a win.

Brooklyn’s last win in Cleveland came during James’ stint in Miami, on April 3, 2013. The Cavaliers have won the last 10 meetings against the Nets at Quicken Loans Arena.

The final game of this three-game road trip will be against the New Orleans Pelicans on Oct. 26. The game will be a hard game for Brooklyn to win.

The Pelicans frontcourt play will be a big problem for the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets have to keep an eye on Anthony Davis and limit his touches and lock him down. Davis can spread his offensive play to all areas of the floor, but thrives down low.

He will be a hard guard at the center position for both Jarrett Allen and Ed Davis.

Brooklyn can pull off a win if their offense is not only consistent, but their overall defense is solid.

The Nets won at Smoothie King Center on Jan. 20, 2017, but lost their last meeting against the Pelicans on the road last Dec. 27.