Nets Finding Their Sweet Spot

The Brooklyn Nets have been walking this tightrope between competing at their highest capability and trying to get in the best position possible to acquire the No. 1 overall pick in this year's NBA Draft.

With Duke star Cooper Flagg as the likely top selection, being bad this year can be good, but with Jordi Fernandez in his first year as head coach, the Nets were outperforming their expectations.

Trades were made to quell the noise, but the Nets still found ways to compete. However, Bleacher Report writer Dan Favale has noticed a change with the Nets as of late.

"After outperforming expectations at nearly every turn this season, the Brooklyn Nets are striking that happy medium between competitive pluckiness and much-needed losing," Favale writes.

"While they now hover around the bottom five in net rating, they hardly play like it. Head coach Jordi Fernandez is chaperoning a team that's feisty on defense and experimental at the other end. There may be late-season performances worth monitoring. Ziaire Williams, Tyrese Martin, Trendon Watford—just to name a few.

"These silver linings, along with that hotter-than-expected start to open the season, are not torpedoing the Nets' lottery odds. Finishing with a bottom-four record and top-shelf No. 1 pick chances is out of the question. Brooklyn, though, is well positioned to close the year with the fifth-worst record. It just has to hold off the Philadelphia 76ers and Toronto Raptors."

The Nets are back in action tonight to take on the Dallas Mavericks at 8:30 p.m. ET.