Brooklyn Nets: Leaderboards, awards contention through 10 games
By Phil Watson
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A look at the next 10-game segment
The next 10 games for the Brooklyn Nets will carry them through the day after Thanksgiving and will include closing their season series against a pair of Western Conference opponents.
They will make the return visit to the Golden State Warriors on Saturday after losing the first meeting at home on Oct. 28, 120-114. The Nets will also play both of their games against the Minnesota Timberwolves during this stretch, Nov. 12 at Minneapolis and Nov. 23 at Brooklyn.
The degree of difficulty increases for the Nets as seven of the next 10 games will be on the road. Here’s the full slate:
- Tuesday at Phoenix
- Friday at Denver
- Saturday at Golden State
- Nov. 12 at Minnesota
- Nov. 14 Miami
- Nov. 16 at Washington
- Nov. 17 Los Angeles Clippers
- Nov. 20 at Miami
- Nov. 21 at Dallas
- Nov. 23 Minnesota
At first glance, those seven road games are going to be tough. Phoenix (2-7) could be winnable. The Suns are a young team that is 2-3 at home so far. Minnesota could go many directions, depending on which way the winds of the Jimmy Butler saga are trending.
Washington is a dumpster fire, but the Wizards did get their first home win in four tries on Sunday by beating the New York Knicks.
Dallas is also 2-7 and rebuilding, but the Mavericks are 2-2 at home so far.
As for the rest of the trip, Denver and Golden State are among six NBA teams still unbeaten at home. The Warriors are the two-time defending champions, so obviously that is a huge challenge. And Denver? The Nuggets are a hard get on the road when they’re bad because of the altitude.
Now that they’re off to a really good start at 8-1? That could be difficult indeed.
Miami has stumbled a bit out of the gate at 3-5 and are 2-2 at home. Brooklyn won once in Miami last season, so it wouldn’t be a next-level upset if it were to happen again.
The Nets also get Miami and Minnesota at home during this stretch, along with the Los Angeles Clippers, who are a mild surprise in the early going at 5-4, with two road wins in five tries already. A completely healthy Danilo Gallinari is making a difference for the Clips.
Wild optimism says the best-case scenario for this stretch is 8-2, with losses at Denver and Golden State.
Next. 10 best Nets from 2nd NBA decade (1986-96). dark
More reasoned expectations would be to hope for 5-5, be satisfied with 4-6, accept 3-7 and hope it’s no worse than that.