They Must Get Better at Closing Games
Over a quarter of the Nets’ 54 losses (15) were by margins of five points or less. The refereeing in those situations didn’t help their cause. If the 28 missed or non-calls by the officials had have been made then a fair portion of those 15 losses would’ve become wins. Even getting into the 30s in wins changes the outlook and trajectory of the team.
Regarding clutch stats, Brooklyn was one of the worst teams in the league. Their winning percentage in such situations (38%) was only better than four other teams. Some of the NBA’s best teams were elite in that facet so for Brooklyn to become a playoff-ready squad they’ll need to start winning the tight ones.
Their field goal percentage in such situations was also terrible (37.8%), good enough for only 28th in the league. Only four players on the Nets’ roster were able to exceed that shoddy mark, a further illustration of their lack of ability to finish tight games. Russell, Crabbe, and Dinwiddie namely, will have to lift next season for Brooklyn to be any sort of threat in late-game situations.
As a whole, they have no players who were a net positive in plus/minus in those clutch situations. The best teams and the best players produce in the high-pressure scenarios. Right now, Brooklyn doesn’t have a player who can rise to the occasion. D’Lo will be the focal point for that going forward, as he will be for the franchise’s hopes in so many other areas.
