The underachieving Brooklyn Nets (here's their record, over ten years) seem stronger than ever, barring injuries and internal tumult, though they haven't yet played together as a full team, and the NBA is wide open, with a large number of contenders for the championship.
Writing 10/3/22 in TrueHoop, Don’t sleep on the Brooklyn Nets!, David Thorpe noted the team's flaws, including the lack of a veteran center and the need for shooter Joe Harris to return healthy, but suggested Simmons could elevate the team as a passer and defender, that Durant could lead, and coach Steve Nash could boost Simmons.
Meanwhile, rival teams like the Bucks, Boston Celtics, and Philadelphia 76ers have improved.
While NetsDaily's Lorenzo predicted a 51-31 record, FiveThirtyEight forecasted 45-37 (14th in the 30-team league), and ESPN panelists, noting that the "Nets will look to reestablish themselves as title contenders," placed them 11th in the league, while ESPN separately predicted a 40-42 record.
So, as their season debut Wednesday at the Barclays Center approaches, all prognostications come with caveats. Indeed, Tom Lorenzo's 10/14/22 preview for NetsDaily, What are the best and worst case scenarios for the Brooklyn Nets this season?, offers an enormous range.
The best case, he observed, involves the superstar "trio of Ben Simmons, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant play[ing] 60+ games together in the regular season," getting the team to gel, leading to a deep playoff run and a potential title.
The worst case is recurrence of Simmons' back injury, a moody Irving missing games, and Durant reinstating the trade demand he made last summer.
The four-game preseason started poorly and ended well. In Three Observations From First Nets Preseason Game That Deserve More Looks, Steve Lichtenstein 10/4/22 cited the team's defensive confusion.
Eleven days later, in his 10/15/22 summary, What To Like/Dislike About Nets’ Preseason, Lichtenstein's likes included the team's health, the stellar performances of Irving and Durant, and Simmons' passing. His dislikes included the impact of Simmons' reluctance to shoot and the poor foul shooting of Simmons and Nic Claxton.
A team with potential
Writing 10/3/22 in TrueHoop, Don’t sleep on the Brooklyn Nets!, David Thorpe noted the team's flaws, including the lack of a veteran center and the need for shooter Joe Harris to return healthy, but suggested Simmons could elevate the team as a passer and defender, that Durant could lead, and coach Steve Nash could boost Simmons.
In The Athletic today, Ben Simmons, Steve Nash, T.J. Warren and more: Nets’ biggest questions for 2022-23, Alex Schiffer noted that the Nets "boast one of the deeper teams on paper, but injuries, drama and attrition serve as some of the biggest hurdles."
So the questions include the avoidance of injuries and the development of team chemistry (shooters Harris and Seth Curry will be out for the opener), Simmons' return to All-NBA caliber, Nash's ability to steer the team in his third year, and the Nets' capacity to develop a defense on par with its top-five offense.
Simmons' uniquely strong defense on Milwaukee Bucks' superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo was thus a welcome sign.
Meanwhile, rival teams like the Bucks, Boston Celtics, and Philadelphia 76ers have improved.
The prognostications
As noted by ESPN, Caesars Sportsbook predicts 50.5 wins for the Nets, and with much better odds for a championship than several teams ranked higher by ESPN panelists.
In other words, as noted by NetsDaily, "The word for Nets is ‘unpredictable,’ say TNT broadcasters."
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