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Fansided

Nets beat the Wizards…but shouldn’t they be tanking?

ByJeremy Goldstein|
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 08: Caris LeVert #22 of the Brooklyn Nets handles the ball on offense against the Chicago Bulls in the first half at Barclays Center on March 08, 2020 in New York City. 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 Steven Ryan/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 08: Caris LeVert #22 of the Brooklyn Nets handles the ball on offense against the Chicago Bulls in the first half at Barclays Center on March 08, 2020 in New York City. 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 Steven Ryan/Getty Images)
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The Brooklyn Nets beat the Washington Wizards (let’s go) in a game that nobody should’ve wanted.

Brooklyn entered the bubble without a real shot at the title, trying to stave off the eighth seed by the skin of their teeth with a cavalcade of eighth-stringers.

On Sunday, though, at least they gave us a spot of joy, as well as an all-important reminder.

Yes, there’s nothing quite like the wonderful puns of Ian Eagle on a muggy Sunday afternoon.

Caris LeVert put in a wonderful fourth quarter possessing shades of his 37-point fourth (plus overtime) takeover against the Celtics from five months ago. Joe Harris proved his value from behind the arc (6-of-7!). Besides his 22-15 points-board double-double, Big Jay converted all 10 of his free throws — not bad, considering he’s hitting them at a 62% clip on the year.

But as much as I enjoyed the ephemeral short-term pleasure of watching LeVert teleport me back to his March with his fourth-quarter takeover, I couldn’t help but feel that itch in the back of my throat reminding me not to get too excited.

Such a feeling reminded me of my favorite SAT word from a half-dozen years ago: pyrrhic. A Pyrrhic victory is a victory “that inflicts such a devastating toll on the victor that it is tantamount to defeat. Winning a Pyrrhic victory takes a heavy toll that negates any true sense of achievement or damages long-term progress.”

Think of a triple-overtime thriller where the Nets come out victorious, but by playing through fatigue, a healthy but fragile Kevin Durant aggravates his achilles and has to be held out for two weeks. The victory is delightful, sure, but would you really trade a triple-OT W for two weeks of Kevin Durant?

In the same light: would you trade four playoff games for a first-round pick?

Before Tyler Johnson goes out tweeting that FanSided is hating again, I will present both sides of the argument. My only disclaimer: it’s a tough sensation, rooting against your own team because, deep down, you know it’s in their best long-term interests.