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Brooklyn Nets: Team from The Last Dance season too good to be forgotten

By Sameer Kumar

24 Apr 1998: Head coach John Calipari of the New Jersey Nets talks with his guards Sam Cassell, Kendall Gill and forward Keigh Van Horne during a game against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. The Bulls defeated the Nets 96-93.
24 Apr 1998: Head coach John Calipari of the New Jersey Nets talks with his guards Sam Cassell, Kendall Gill and forward Keigh Van Horne during a game against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. The Bulls defeated the Nets 96-93. /
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While watching “The Last Dance,” you may have noticed that the 1997-98 New Jersey Nets, now Brooklyn Nets, came up. Let’s take a look back at those Nets.

Most of the third episode of “The Last Dance” focused in on Dennis Rodman and other things surrounding the Chicago Bulls, but it was hard not to notice that they showed footage of the Bulls sweeping the New Jersey Nets, now Brooklyn Nets, in the first round of those playoffs.

However, the Nets weren’t a bad team whatsoever, as they finished with a 43-39 record and boasted a roster of solid building blocks in Keith Van Horn, Jayson Williams, Sam Cassell, Kendall Gill and Kerry Kittles, and were coached by a guy named John Calipari.

That squad also averaged the fifth-most points per game in the league that season with 99.6.

Despite the sweep, the Nets actually held their own against the eventual champs, as they took the Bulls to overtime in game one of the series with Chris Gatling leading all Nets scorers with 24 points. However, Michael Jordan, in his typical fashion, scored five of Chicago’s seven points in the extra period to prevent the Nets from making a statement win.

In the second game, the Nets actually clawed back to within three points with 15 seconds left in the game despite trailing by as many as 20 points in the third quarter. Despite their late efforts, however, Scottie Pippen effectively iced the game with two made free-throws to give Chicago a 2-0 lead heading to the Meadowlands.

Chicago took care of business pretty convincingly in the series-clinching win, but things looked bright for New Jersey, as they made the playoffs for the first time in four years, and their play against the league’s most dominant team inspired confidence that this team can be legit.

However, things went south the next season despite acquiring one of the league’s best point guards at the time, Stephon Marbury, in the middle of the season.

Next. Should the Brooklyn Nets bring Jason Kidd back as head coach?. dark

The Nets wouldn’t make the playoffs again until the 2001-02 season, but this season stands out as one of the better ones in franchise history.