The Brooklyn Nets have been through plenty of trying times and situations this season as they try to navigate their way through this transition period for their franchise. At this point of the season, Brooklyn is focused on trying to make up enough ground to get into the Eastern Conference play-in tournament before time runs out.
The Nets did a good job of winning an important game for their playoff hopes as they defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday 120-101 despite being a significant underdog heading into the contest. The Cavaliers were missing Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley for the game, but that didn’t stop Brooklyn from underestimating Cleveland with their season on the line.
After some disappointing losses to some of the worst teams in the NBA over the past week, it looked like the Nets’ season was on its last leg. Now that they took care of business at the Cavaliers, it seems like they have some breathing room.
One factor that stood out in Sunday’s win was the fact that Brooklyn was effective on both ends of the floor instead of just being good on one end. Nets guard Mikal Bridges, who put up 25 points, five rebounds, five assists, and three steals, discussed how the team’s biggest challenge is playing defense when shots aren’t falling:
“That’s what it is, that’s what we got to be. We got to be the team, even if we’re not making shots, to have that energy because everybody can make shots and start playing hard. So, on the nights when they’re not falling, we just got to grind through it and stick together and know like it’s going to come eventually. Just keep getting stops and that’s going to fuel our offense.”
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