Even after their brutal start to the season, the Nets begin the stretch run 3 1/2 games behind Toronto for first place in the Atlantic Division. Here are the five things Brooklyn will need to do to catch the Raptors and claim the division title:
1. Stay healthy: With Brook Lopez already lost for the season, the Nets can’t afford to have any other players go down for significant stretches of time. Joe Johnson has been playing through right knee tendinitis and Deron Williams’ ankle issues are well documented, though Andrei Kirilenko appears to be over his back problems. Making sure Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett maintain the health and effectiveness they have displayed since the start of 2014 will be critical.
2. Get Deron Williams back on track: Williams has spoken repeatedly about losing confidence because of his extended time on the sidelines and his play when he’s been healthy not meeting the standards expected before signing his max contract in the summer of 2012. This team was built to have Williams be its engine – now the Nets need him to play that way.
3. Solve their back-to-back woes: The Nets have been abysmal in second halves of back-to-back games this season, going 2-10. Eight of Brooklyn’s final 31 games will be second halves of back-to-backs, mostly against underwhelming opponents. The Nets can’t afford to continue losing those games at a 83-percent clip.
4. Successfully counter big lineups: Brooklyn has turned its season around over the past six weeks, going 14-6 since the calendar flipped to 2014. But all six of those losses – two against the Raptors, and one each against the Pacers, Pistons, Thunder and Bulls – have come against teams that feature traditional lineups with a natural power forward and center combination. The Nets need to find an effective strategy for combating these big lineups.
5. Survive the circus trip: The Nets won’t play a home game until March 3, with their next two weeks being spent on the road because the circus has taken up residence at Barclays Center. If the Nets keep their heads above water over the next six games, they have 11 more road games left — and only four against teams currently with winning records.