With the NBA on hiatus and New York continuing its battle against the novel coronavirus outbreak, Brooklyn Nets games will not be played for the foreseeable future.
For the Nets, as much as any team, this comes at an odd time — Brooklyn was battling the Orlando Magic for the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference standings. At the stoppage of play, the Nets had a half-game advantage over the Magic.
Since there aren’t any games, each day Nets Wire will highlight impressive individual performances and major moments throughout Nets history:
In John Calipari’s second full season with the Nets — which also happened to be his last full season in New Jersey — the team made the 1998 NBA Playoffs as the No. 8 team in the Eastern Conference, snapping the franchise’s three-season playoff drought.
But, being the last seed in the East in 1998 meant the Nets had to square off against Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman and the rest of the Chicago Bulls right away.
The Nets put up a fight in the first game of the series, forcing overtime after they trailed by 10 through three quarters. Chris Gatling scored 24 points and Sherman Douglas added 16 off the bench. Jayson Williams was all over the glass, finishing with 21 boards — 11 coming on the offensive end.
Still, New Jersey could not hold off Jordan (39 points) and Pippen (24), as the Bulls won the first game of the series 96-93 (full box score).