At the midpoint of the NBA season, The Post’s Nets beat writer Tim Bontemps takes an in-depth look at the team and gives us grades from the first half.
CRUCIAL STRETCH
The Nets will face the Hawks at Barclays Center on March 17 before embarking on an eight-game West Coast trip that will keep them away from Brooklyn until April 4.
KEY COACHING DECISION
Reggie Evans has played fairly well in the starting lineup, but the Nets lack offensive spacing when he’s on the floor. Carlesimo will have to consider whether Evans’ incredible rebounding numbers make up for that.
QUESTIONS THAT NEEDS TO BE ANSWERED
Will the Nets make a move? There’s no doubt the Nets are looking around in the days leading up to Thursday’s trade deadline. But with limited assets — notably Kris Humphries, a free agent after next season, and sophomore MarShon Brooks — can they make an addition to try to bolster their playoff hopes?
PLAYER WHO NEEDS TO STEP UP
The reason the Nets are 2 1/2 games behind the Knicks in the Atlantic Division, more than anything, is because Carmelo Anthony has played like a franchise player and Deron Williams has not. The Nets need the Williams of old in the final couple months of the season.
PREDICTION: 49-33. Atlantic Division winner. Third in Eastern Conference. Lose to Pacers in second round.
3 THINGS that need to happen for Nets to make the Finals:
1. Star point guard Deron Williams must play like one — something he’s done rarely this season — to hang with top-flight teams.
2. If anything has defined the Nets this season, it’s been their wild swings from terrific to terrible. A deep playoff run requires a sustained level of excellence this team has yet to prove it can maintain.
3. The Nets need to avoid running teams for as long as possible in the playoffs. They have gone 7-4 against slow, methodical teams in the Knicks, Bulls, Pacers and Celtics. They are 0-5 against the Heat and Bucks, who prefer the game to be a track meet.
REPORT CARD
Brook Lopez: Deservedly headed to Houston after a terrific first half of the season, Lopez has been terrific and easily the best player on the Nets.
Grade: A
Andray Blatche: Considering he was signed to a one-year, non-guaranteed deal late in the offseason, his production (more than 10 points and five rebounds per game) has been tremendous.
Grade: A
Joe Johnson: Steady but unspectacular, he has been solid since a slow start and has played in every game.
Grade: B
Gerald Wallace: Stats have dipped from past seasons and he is playing fewer minutes, but plays huge off-court role as team’s locker-room leader.
Grade: B
Reggie Evans: He does one thing — rebounding — as well as anyone, making up for the limits on the rest of his game.
Grade: B-minus
Keith Bogans: A consistent and reliable performer all season long, leading to him often being on the floor late in games.
Grade: B-minus
MarShon Brooks: Has had his moments, but more often than not is used as a fringe member of the rotation as the fifth guard.
Grade: C-plus
Jerry Stackhouse: Became a member of the rotation and played well during one of their best stretches of the season.
Grade: C-plus
Deron Williams: Hasn’t lived up to the nearly $100 million contract he signed in July, with injuries at least partially to blame.
Grade: C
Kris Humphries: After being a starter for the first half of the season, he was demoted before Avery Johnson was fired and has struggled since.
Grade: C
C.J. Watson: Has been inconsistent, particularly with his shooting, and two point-guard lineup with Williams largely has been ineffective.
Grade: C
Mirza Teletovic: On a team with five big men, the Bosnian sharpshooter — apart from a few shining moments — often has been the odd man out.
Grade: C
Tyshawn Taylor and Tornike Shengelia: Both of the rookies have shown some promise in brief stints with the Nets and in the D-League, but are works in progress.
Grade: Incomplete
Avery Johnson: A great November (11-4) was negated by a poor December (3-10), resulting in owner Mikhail Prokhorov deciding to pull the plug before year’s end.
Grade: F
P.J. Carlesimo: His tenure got off to a terrific start with wins in 12 of the first 14 games. After a recent cooling-off, record in the first seat is still 17-8.
Grade: B
Billy King: After committing over $330 million in salary to revamp the roster, still may need to make a move at the deadline to make a playoff run.
Grade: B-minus
tbontemps@nypost.com