NEW YORK — The Brooklyn Nets (21-32) are 11 games below .500 and are 2.5 games behind the Atlanta Hawks for the 10th and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Brooklyn is still within striking distance of the play-in tournament, but if they’re going to make sure that they play at least one game in the postseason, they’ll have to start winning games soon.
“Yeah, for sure,” Nets guard Mikal Bridges said after Tuesday’s 118-110 loss to the Boston Celtics. Bridges put up 27 points and three assists in Tuesday’s loss that was the front end of this home-and-home series between Brooklyn and Boston. These teams will see each other again in Boston less than 24 hours after Tuesday’s final buzzer.
“I mean, we want to make the playoffs, be in the play-in,” Bridges said. “I mean, just try to get there. You know, nobody wants to go home early. So, yeah, everybody has a sense of urgency.”
At one point this season, the Nets were in a position where they were hoping to make one of the six playoff spots and not have to participate in the play-in tournament scenario at all. However, after the way that the season has gone since the team was 13-10, it looks like they ran out of time to make that aspiration possible.
The good thing is, they are still within range of the play-in tournament and after Wednesday’s game at the Celtics, Brooklyn will have some much-needed time off because of the All-Star break. Once that break ends, they will have to get to work soon if they want to secure one of those coveted play-in tournament spots.
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