And here we are, at the end of the road. This season had it’s highs, and then it had its lows …. a lot of them.
A lot of people will probably say that the lows outweighed the good, which is a fair thing to say. What I can say is that this year was a year of growth. We got to see a bunch of young guys figure out a grown man’s league in the NBA. The coach and his staff got better. With something like that, you are going to see a bunch of moments that will make you want to turn your head. But just remember,
it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
And of course, the Nets did secure the third seed in the Lottery meaning they will have a 52.1% chance at a top four pick and a 14.0% chance at the overall No. 1.
Before our boys in Brooklyn cross the finish line, they will be taking on the Toronto Raptors in the final regular season game. The Raptors currently stand as the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. The Raptors will need to get used to playing in the city, as it looks like the New York Knicks could be their potential matchup in the first round of the playoffs. What better way to get ready then with a team whose best interest is to lose?
Where to watch
Catch the action at 6:00 p.m. ET on the YES Network and NBA League Pass, as well as streaming on the Gotham Sports App.
Injury Report
A lot of the players will be sitting out for this one as they will get ready for the summer. Perfect time for the G League guys to get one last game in to play their hearts out.
For the Nets, Nolan Traore (illness) is questionable and another nine are just out: Terance Mann (knee), Josh Minott (ankle), Ziaire Williams (bursitis), Egor Demin (plantar fascia), Noah Clowney (ankle), Nic Claxton (finger), Danny Wolf (ankle), Porter (hamstring) and Sharpe (thumb).
For the Raptors, R.J. Barrett (knee), Collin Murray-Boyles (neck), and Trayce Jackson-Davis (illness) are all listed as questionable for the game.
The Game
When you think of the term underrated, it is a perfect way to describe who the Raptors are in the Eastern Conference. Of course, the heavy hitters that will be looked at closely in the East will be the Celtics, Pistons, and Knicks (who they have lost to 13 straight times), but the Raptors have a ton of talent on their own that can make them very interesting to see.
Brandon Ingram is a natural 20 point scorer, and this season he has done it very efficiently as he has shot almost 48% from the field this year. Scottie Barnes is a special two-way player than guard positions 1-5. Then you have a guard like Immanuel Quickly who is uber quick (get it) who can knock it down from deep as well.
With this level of talent, the Raptors will look to give a little more effort than usual for this Sunday evening matchup. If Toronto wants to lock in the sixth seed and, more importantly, have a chance to get into the fifth seed slot, they will have to beat Brooklyn and hope for Atlanta and Orlando to lose.
For the Nets sake, another loss is unlikely to matter. They have secured the top three seed in the May 10 Lottery. IF they lose again and the Indiana Pacers beat the Detroit Pistons, they would tie for second. However, the chances of that became limited Saturday night when the Pistons, who’ve already clinched the top seed in the East released their injury status. They’re not prioritizing rest. Most of their top players will be available.
Player to Watch
Scottie Barnes has to be one of the most underrated players in the NBA. The 6’8” 24-year-old can play multiple positions, even point guard. On the season, he’s averaging 18.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists. His only weakness is 3-point shooting, where he’s hitting only 30.4%. But bottom line, he is the leader of the Raptors, as Toronto Sun noted this week in one of its post-season lookaheads. Barnes noted that he hasn’t played in the post-season since 2021 and he is ready to go.
“I’m so excited. It’s been a long time coming,” Barnes told the Sun after Thursday’s win over Miami. “I’m ready to get back out there, but just have to focus on these next two games and then really take that moment, it will be a reality.”
“We’re all pretty excited. We want it,” Barnes told the Sun. “That was our goal. It’s coming through. Coming to the end of the season we’re just trying to accomplish that. Play in it, get that experience, try to win and just try to advance.”
So expect Barnes and the rest to give it all in the finale
Personal Note
I had fun with this team this season. The Flatbush Five definitely showed some promise, MPJ proved that he is definitely worthy to be a number one option, Ziaire Williams played some of the best basketball in his career, and the Long Island guys went OFF. And as all of that took place, you as the Brooklyn Nets fan base stayed strong despite the trials and tribulations. Things will get better, guys.
Our guys here at Netdaily, Bob, Brian, Lucas, Collin, Connor, Anthony, and Scott, did an amazing job as always this year. I’m really glad I am apart of this amazing team.
The Vault
A perfect New York song to end the season.
More reading: RaptorsHQ, SB Nation NBA, New York Post, New York Daily News, Clutch Points, Nets Wire, Steve’s Newsletter
- Brooklyn Nets Game Notes – Brooklyn Nets
- Toronto Raptors Game Notes – Toronto Raptors
- Brooklyn faces Toronto, aims to stop road slide – AP
