Brooklyn Nets' Early-Season Schedule Breakdown and Record Predictions
For the Brooklyn Nets, the beginning of the 2013-14 season was far from enjoyable.
Bad news. The 2014-15 schedule might be just as tough, if not tougher, for Brooklyn this time around.
Shouldering a heavy sum of championship expectations last year, the Nets stumbled out of the gate and fell flat on their face. Those aspirations of contention deflated quickly, as the team went 10-21 to begin the year.
By the end of November, the Nets had taken some serious lickings and sat at 5-12 with their heads slumped and arms folded.
While the team underwent some serious renovations this summer, a start similar to last season would be troublesome.
It took a valiant second-half effort for the Nets to make the postseason and win a series, but the 2014-15 Eastern Conference won’t be nearly as soft it was a season ago.
This season's Nets appear better suited to weather the early-season storm. Under new coach Lionel Hollins, the Nets will be tougher, healthier and deeper than they were a year ago.
Or at least they hope they will be.
Of its first 15 opponents, Brooklyn will see just six teams that are coming off a playoff berth. But don’t let that fool you—the Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks and even the revamped Minnesota Timberwolves won’t be easy wins.
Things will get easier for the Nets once the season begins to get its legs.
But early on, Brooklyn could be headed for some turbulent waters.
Week 1: October 29-November 8
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Key Game: Wednesday, Oct. 29 @ Boston Celtics (7:30 ET)
How to Watch: YES Network
Other opponents: Detroit Pistons, Oklahoma City Thunder, Timberwolves, Knicks
Record Prediction: 3-2
Ah, opening night.
The Nets are going to be eager to get off on the right foot one year removed from last year’s disappointment.
Brooklyn fell to the Cleveland Cavaliers in its first game of 2013-14, a tough loss that set the tone for a total clunker of a kickoff.
Boston will be the Nets’ opponent this time. Though the Celtics don’t match Brooklyn’s talent, they exceed the Nets in terms of youth and energy. In two recent preseason contests, the Celtics came out on top by scores of 95-90 and 100-86.
The Nets should beat the Pistons in their second game on the road, but they're likely to take an L when the Thunder stroll into the Big Apple for the home opener at Barclays.
Following the contest with Oklahoma City, Brooklyn has two more home games before the end of the week.
The first is a winnable contest against the T’Wolves, but in their inaugural game in New York, Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine could run all over the Nets and shine under the bright lights.
In the second, a showdown with the Knicks, Brooklyn will look to take an early-season lead in the series against its crosstown rival. The Nets should take Game 1, being that it’s in Brooklyn.
Week 2: November 9-15
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Key Game: Thursday, Nov. 13 @ Golden State Warriors (10:30 ET)
How to Watch: TNT
Other opponents: Orlando Magic, Suns, Portland Trail Blazers
Record Prediction: 1-3
Have you ever seen We’re the Millers? If not, here’s the quick version: shady “businessman” (wink wink) takes a cross-country road trip with some quirky people disguised as his family, everything goes wrong.
Whether you’ve seen it, prepare to watch We're the Nets in Week 2 of the regular season.
First, the Nets should beat up on the Orlando Magic at home. Then it gets hard. After a probable beatdown of the lowly Magic, Brooklyn embarks on a very tough three-game stretch on the road.
Suns. Warriors. Blazers.
Loss. Loss. Loss.
Brooklyn is going to have an extremely difficult time slowing down any of these teams, but the marquee matchup is against Stephen Curry’s Dubs for a reason.
The Nets-Warriors game will be broadcast on TNT, making this Brooklyn’s first nationally televised appearance of the year.
It’s a chance to make a statement to the league and to fans—these Nets are different than last year’s.
It’s also a tremendous opportunity for Deron Williams to go head-to-head with Curry and prove that, when healthy, he’s still among the NBA’s elite point guards.
Week 3: November 16-22
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Key Game: Wednesday, Nov. 19 vs. Milwaukee Bucks (7:30 ET)
How to Watch: YES Network
Other opponents: Miami Heat, Thunder, San Antonio Spurs
Record Prediction: 2-2
It’s just another game, the Nets will say in their most fluent coach and player’s language. We’re not thinking about him.
But we’ll see right through the cliches and empty platitudes. We’ll know. For Brooklyn, this game is enormous.
The him referred to above is Jason Kidd—the man who left Brooklyn high and dry after just one year at the helm as he pursued other opportunities.
According to Tim Bontemps of the New York Post, Kidd failed in his attempt to garner more control in the front office this summer, and the Nets brass gave him the green light to seek employment elsewhere.
After an agreement was worked out between the Nets and Bucks, Kidd became the head man in Milwaukee while Brooklyn received two future second-round draft picks (2015 and 2019).
The Nets went out and got a better coach, too.
Here’s what the former fan favorite, and all-time great PG, told Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN New York in regard to his ugly exit from Brooklyn:
""Did I want to be traded?" said Kidd, whose Bucks play the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Monday. "I think once [the Nets] OK'd the talk to Milwaukee, that just showed, whatever you want to call it, rumors or no rumors that they wanted to fire me in December had to have some legs."
Kidd was alluding to reports by ESPNNewYork.com and Yahoo! Sports about how management strongly considered making a coaching change last December when the Nets were in the midst of a 10-21 start but Russian ownership stuck with Kidd.
"
Williams says he hasn’t spoken to Kidd since the coach’s departure. Hollins has already taken some subtle shots at his predecessor.
But things haven’t gotten out of hand—yet.
When Kidd returns to Barclays Center—where his number was hung in the rafters last season—things should get interesting.
Outside of the Bucks game, expect the Nets to fall to the Heat and Spurs.
Brooklyn has a fighter’s chance against both of them, but the disparity in talent and chemistry is just too great.
The Thunder will be without Kevin Durant, which could allow Joe Johnson and Bojan Bogdanovic to have a field day on both ends. Don't count Brooklyn out of that one, especially after seeing the Thunder once already—and probably losing the first time.
Hollins used to give Scott Brooks fits when the Memphis Grizzlies squared off against Oklahoma City. It wouldn't be surprising to see that trend continue.
Week 4: November 23-30
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Key Game: Sunday, Nov. 30 vs. Chicago Bulls (3:00 ET)
How to Watch: YES Network
Other opponents: Philadelphia 76ers
Record Prediction: 2-0
After an up-and-down month, the Nets could close out the early stage of the year with a pair of wins.
But, oh, how different those wins would be.
The Philadelphia 76ers are literally trying to lose. After all, they did swing a deal with Brooklyn for Marquis Teague.
Not much needs to be said about this one—if the Nets don’t thoroughly smack them around, there’s a serious problem.
The highlighted game here, though, is against the Chicago Bulls.
The Bulls are widely expected to finish first or second in the East, thanks to the return of Derrick Rose and the additions of Pau Gasol and Doug McDermott to an already established unit.
Brook Lopez got bullied by Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson in the 2012-13 playoffs and can use the Sunday showdown with Chi-town as a statement game.
As a team, the Nets can make a statement, too. If they figure out a way to out-bang the Bulls down low—a definite possibility given Hollins’ affinity for big-man play—the formula could be established for a steady season and possible postseason run.
Lopez, Kevin Garnett and Mason Plumlee are no joke. They're not as impressive of a front line as the boys from Chicago, but they're still a formidable unit.
If Brooklyn is going to make any noise this season, it’s going to have to go through the likes of Chicago, the Cleveland Cavaliers and other elite teams.
A win on Nov. 30 will help serve as a building block for creating a winning formula the rest of the year.
Early-Season Overview
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Record Prediction: 8-7
If the Nets go 8-7, or even 7-8, they should be content.
Luckily, they won’t have to see LeBron James until Dec. 8. But still, easy wins will be hard to come by early on.
Spurs, Warriors, Bulls, Heat, Blazers, Suns and the Thunder (twice)? C’mon now. Let’s be realistic.
In all likelihood, the media will hype things up if the Nets do, in fact, start below .500. (The Nets start out poorly again! The sky is falling in Brooklyn!)
Stop it. Brooklyn is still a good bet to finish the year above .500—even if the margin is slight—and earn a playoff berth. If the team can stay healthy, it’s too talented and too deep not to at least make the postseason.
But expectations should be tempered in the season's infancy.
The Nets are going to get put to the test in the opening months. And though it shouldn’t be as ugly as last season, especially with Hollins calling the shots, the overall outcome will likely be similar.
Slow start, strong finish.
Brooklyn's 2014-15 schedule was provided by ESPN.
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