It seems like a geological age has passed, but it actually was four months and three trades ago that the Nets bemoaned the Not So Magnificent Seven.
In November, the Nets dropped seven games they could have won. At home against Orlando, they lost with 4.1 seconds left. Against Charlotte, they led by five with a little more than three minutes remaining. They trailed Cleveland by one inside of three minutes. At Denver, they were a Brook Lopez dunk away from tying with 14.9 seconds remaining. In Sacramento, they stunk but were within two with under 30 seconds left. At Utah, they had a legit chance. In Boston, they led throughout, folded.
They didn’t have a closer. They didn’t have chemistry. They were losing.
Now, they are enjoying the other side, the winning side. They are on a four-game winning streak, having rallied late in all four. And, if you can believe it, they are just 5½ games out of the eighth playoff spot.
Not only are the Nets winning, they’re winning close. They are 8-7 in games decided by four points or less. Their last three wins have been by one, four and four points. And the last two wins came with Deron Williams (back for Boston tomorrow) away from the team.
“Our confidence is higher. I think we’re getting more efficient offensively,” said Kris Humphries, superb in the 102-98 overtime win against the Clippers on Friday, when he had 19 points, a career-high 20 rebounds and was superb defensively against Blake Griffin as the Nets rallied from 20 points down.
Coach Avery Johnson, who has preached patience and growth and more patience, has to be the most satisfied, considering where they the Nets have been.
“Just closing better,” Johnson said. “We’re making our free throws. We’re at least getting a good catch in-bounds, whereas we couldn’t even get the ball inbounds sometimes in the first 30 games . . . Our guys are diligent.”