Last week, the Nets were elated after beating Play-In Tournament race rivals Atlanta Hawks in back-to-back games. In the week since those wins, the Nets have lost three out of their last four games, putting them 4.5 games behind Atlanta.
Brooklyn’s latest loss was against the Charlotte Hornets, 110 to 99. It was a deflating performance from the Nets, as they could not sustain a superb first quarter. The most promising part of the game was Cameron Thomas’ return, as he scored a game-high 31 points. With this defeat, there are some key takeaways from this game.
Cam Thomas is the Nets’ best scorer
Even when he is getting guarded by the opponent’s best defender, Thomas makes scoring look easy. He announced his return by scoring 17 points in the first quarter. However, the rest of the team couldn’t keep up, as the offense stalled and became too reliant on Cam.
He only played 30 minutes, as he dealt with a minute restriction. He could’ve scored more if he had not come off an ankle injury that took him out for multiple games.
Cam’s performance was encouraging, as the team needed someone to take over. Mikal Bridges has been in an extended slump over the past few weeks, which showcased why Cam is one of Brooklyn’s most important assets.
Brooklyn loses energy too easily
Coach Kevin Ollie has preached energy-generating behaviors (EGB) since he took over from Jacque Vaughn after the All-Star break. This game was not the best example of energetic play, as the Nets looked deflated every time the Hornets scored.
Brooklyn must play with unmatched energy and hustle to keep winning games. They must win the hustle plays so they won’t get caught watching the opponent get the loose ball and turn it into transition points. The Hornets had 26 transition points in this game, which Coach Ollie lamented after the game.
Brooklyn is likely out of the Play-In
It might be time for Brooklyn fans to accept that the team is not making the Play-In Tournament. They are now 4.5 games behind Atlanta, which will be a challenging deficit to overcome.
The Nets must take care of business in their remaining games and pray for the Hawks to slip up. Thankfully, Atlanta has a challenging schedule ahead, but Coach Ollie wants his team to lock in and work towards the possibility of making the Play-In Tournament spots.
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