What If Brook Lopez of the New Jersey Nets Never Got Hurt?
The New Jersey Nets took a huge blow to the gut when Brook Lopez went down to injury. Not only did the Nets lose their star young center, who is a 20-point and 10-rebound-caliber player, but they lost their main trade piece for Dwight Howard.
The Nets are not having an awful season without their starting center, as they currently sit one game out of the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. With Lopez, they could easily be in that eighth seed or better.
Here is a look at every Nets game this season and how the games would have gone if Lopez was in them.
Game 1: Wizards
1 of 21Actual Score: Nets 90, Wizards 84
The Wizards are one of the worst teams in the NBA this season. The Nets won the game without Lopez, and they should have. Having Lopez would have just resulted in a win by a greater margin.
Score with Lopez: Nets 101, Wizards 82
Actual Record: 1-0
Record with Lopez: 1-0
Game 2: Hawks
2 of 21Actual Score: Hawks 106, Nets 70
Not even Brook Lopez could have saved the Nets in this game. The Hawks are again a strong team, and the Nets had an awful 31 percent field-goal percentage.
Expect the same result, just a little less embarrassing.
Score with Lopez: Hawks 103, Nets 82
Actual Record: 1-1
Record with Lopez: 1-1
Game 3: Magic
3 of 21Actual Score: Magic 94, Nets 78
This game would have been closer and even more interesting because Lopez and Howard were the two main focuses of trade rumors between these two teams. With Lopez, the Nets would have been in the game all the way to the end, but still would have probably lost.
Score with Lopez: Magic 91, Nets 86
Actual Record: 1-2
Record with Lopez: 1-2
Game 4: Hawks
4 of 21Actual Score: Hawks 105, Nets 98
The Nets' second game against the Hawks was a lot closer than the first. They went from losing by 36 the first game to seven in the second meeting. With Lopez, the Nets could have won this game and brought their record to 2-2.
Score with Lopez: Nets 104, Hawks 101
Actual Record: 1-3
Record with Lopez: 2-2
Game 5: Cavaliers
5 of 21Actual Score: Cavaliers 98, Nets 82
The Nets could not find a consistent scorer this game. They only put up 82 points, and with the addition of Lopez, they still would have lost this game.
Score with Lopez: Cavaliers 96, Nets 88
Actual Record: 1-4
Record with Lopez: 2-3
Game 6: Pacers
6 of 21Actual Score: Pacers 108, Nets 94
The Pacers have emerged as a top team in the Eastern Conference. This game is similar to the Magic game, as even with Lopez the Nets would have lost. However Lopez would have helped make it a closer game
Score with Lopez: Pacers 104, Nets 98
Actual Record: 1-5
Record with Lopez: 2-4
Game 7: Celtics
7 of 21Actual Score: Celtics 89, Nets 70
The Nets went into this game against the Celtics without Deron Williams, Kris Humphries and Lopez. If Lopez was not injured and could have been in this game, he would have given the Nets a scoring big man they desperately needed. Lopez wouldn't have been enough to help the Nets beat the Celtics, but he would have helped the Nets in the paint on both ends of the court.
Score with Lopez: Celtics 85, Nets 79
Actual Record: 1-6
Record with Lopez: 2-5
Game 8: Raptors
8 of 21Actual Score: Nets 97, Raptors 85
These are the games that the Nets have to win if they want to make the playoffs. Even without Lopez, the Nets are better than the Raptors. Lopez would have just made the Nets win by a larger margin.
Score with Lopez: Nets 104, Raptors 85
Actual Record: 2-6
Record with Lopez: 3-5
Game 9: Heat
9 of 21Actual Score: Heat 101, Nets 90
The Heat are obviously a better team than the Nets. However, Dwyane Wade didn't play and the Nets only lost by 11 points. Williams only hit four of his 16 field goals, and Johan Petro, who started at center for the Nets, had zero points. Lopez would have given the Nets a better defensive presence in the paint and a consistent scorer.
Score with Lopez: Nets 102, Heat 97
Actual Record: 2-7
Record with Lopez: 4-5
Game 10: Hawks
10 of 21Actual Score: Hawks 106, Nets 101
The third game against the Hawks produced the same result for the Nets as the first two. However, with Lopez the Nets could have beaten the Hawks because he would have replaced Petro, who scored only eight points and grabbed five rebounds.
Score with Lopez: Nets 106, Hawks 104
Actual Record: 2-8
Record with Lopez: 5-5
Game 11: Nuggets
11 of 21Actual Score: Nuggets 123, Nets 115
The Nuggets have gotten off to a surprisingly good start and currently sit second in the Western Conference. The Nets were able to keep up with Denver offensively but they were unable to stop the Nuggets at all defensively. The Nets once again got basically nothing out of their starting center, and Lopez could have gotten the Nets the win.
Score with Lopez: Nets 121, Nuggets 118
Actual Record: 2-9
Record with Lopez: 6-5
Game 12: Suns
12 of 21Actual Score: Nets 110, Suns 103
The Suns were without their starting point guard, Steve Nash, but the Nets had their point guard, and he was at his best. The Nets with Lopez would have helped the Nets without him, but it would've been hard to outshine Williams that night.
Score with Lopez: Nets 116, Suns 101
Actual Record: 3-9
Record with Lopez: 7-5
Game 13: Jazz
13 of 21Actual Score: Jazz 107, Nets 94
Williams struggled against his old team, and the Jazz's center, Al Jefferson, and power forward, Paul Millsap, combined for 38 points. Lopez would have helped the struggling Williams but probably not enough to get the Nets the victory.
Score with Lopez: Jazz 105, Nets 98
Actual Record: 3-10
Record with Lopez: 7-6
Game 14: Clippers
14 of 21Actual Score: Clippers 101, Nets 91
The Nets again faced a team that was missing its star point guard when they faced the Clippers without Chris Paul. The Clippers still had Blake Griffin, who scored 23 points and grabbed 14 rebounds.
Score with Lopez: Clippers 99, Nets 96
Actual Record: 3-11
Record with Lopez: 7-7
Game 15: Warriors
15 of 21Actual Score: Nets 107, Warriors 100
Williams and MarShon Brooks were clicking on all cylinders against the Warriors and they really didn't need the help of Lopez.
Score with Lopez: Nets 113, Warriors 96
Actual Record: 4-11
Record with Lopez: 8-7
Game 16: Thunder
16 of 21Actual Score: Thunder 84, Nets 74
The Nets were inconsistent against the Thunder on a night that Kevin Durant only scored 20 points. Lopez could have given the Nets some consistency offensively, and the Nets could have won this game. The Nets and Thunder both scored 56 points in the second, third and fourth quarters combined.
Score with Lopez: Thunder 84, Nets 80
Actual Record: 4-12
Record with Lopez: 8-8
Game 17: Bobcats
17 of 21Actual Score: Nets 97, Bobcats 87
The Bobcats are the worst team in the NBA and a team that the Nets should easily handle. They were able to defeat the Bobcats, and with Lopez they would have beaten the Bobcats by at least 20 points.
Score with Lopez: Nets 105, Nuggets Bobcats 84
Actual Record: 5-12
Record with Lopez: 9-8
Game 18: Bulls
18 of 21Actual Score: Bulls 110, Nets 95
Derrick Rose missed a few games with a sore foot, but unfortunately for the Nets he didn't miss their game. The Bulls are arguably the best team in the NBA, and Lopez wouldn't have been enough to beat them.
Score with Lopez: Bulls 105, Nets 98
Actual Record: 5-13
Record with Lopez: 9-9
Game 19: 76ers
19 of 21Actual Score: Nets 97, Sixers 90
The 76ers have been a surprisingly good team this season, and the Nets' overtime win over them was huge. That win may have been the turning point in the season for the Nets, who also won their next game. Lopez would have made the overtime win a little easier.
Score with Lopez: Nets 98, Sixers 90
Actual Record: 6-13
Record with Lopez: 10-9
Game 20: Cavaliers
20 of 21Actual Score: Nets 99, Cavaliers 96
Although the score seemed close, the entire game was dominated by the Nets. Lopez would have helped open up opportunities for Williams and Humphries, and that would have put the Cavaliers out of the game completely.
Score with Lopez: Nets 108, Cavaliers 94
Actual Record: 7-13
Record with Lopez: 11-9
Conclusion
21 of 21With Brook Lopez on the team and not out from an injury, the Nets' projected record would be 11-9.
At 11-9 the Nets would in the seventh seed, assuming all other teams had the records they have now. They would be looking pretty solid 20 games into the season.
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