When the Nets take the court on December 1, they’ll be cross-matched against the Miami Heat and will be looking to win their seventh game in their last nine tries.
Although the club will be without Kyrie Irving for the ninth consecutive game, they haven’t had much trouble winning in his absence. They’ve gone 6-2 over that stretch, but have also managed to win nine of their 15 games in November.
Per the Brooklyn Nets’ public relations department, the 9-6 record in November gave the Nets the best November since 2012. Back then, the club managed to put together an 11-4 record thanks to the contributions of the likes of Deron Williams, Joe Johnson and Andray Blatche.
It’s also worth mentioning that the 2012-13 season was the team’s first year competing in Brooklyn. With the HSS Training Center now open and fully functioning, it’s fair to say that the move to Brooklyn is 100% complete and that the squad is achieving at some levels not seen in the city in quite some time.
Entering play on November 29, the Nets have managed to win some close games thanks in large part to the individual contributions from players such as Spencer Dinwiddie and Jarrett Allen, but as a team, the club has collectively done its part.
Surprisingly, Brooklyn has arrived at the 20-game mark of the season as one of the most offensively potent teams in the Association. The Nets are averaging 112.6 points per game, good for 11th in the league. They also happen to be score 107.8 points per-100 possessions—16th best.
Already, they’ve shown the ability to close out close games, as well. They are 7-4 in games decided by six points or less and have won each of their last four contests under such circumstances.
The Nets will enter play in December with a 10-9 record. For the most part, being one game above .500 is considered mediocre, but considering the fact that Kenny Atkinson’s team has been playing without a number of its top guns, the Nets arriving in December with that mark—and the fact that they haven’t done so in seven years—bodes positively for the team’s future.