Brooklyn Nets NBA Playoff Odds
How the Brooklyn Nets Got Here
The Nets began the season with lofty expectations with a star the studded duo of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. During the season they added a third star, James Harden, and a number of role players to fill out their roster.
While injuries, health and safety protocols and fatigue has taken some of the shine off their season the Nets still look like a powerhouse in the Eastern conference when healthy.
Durant, Harden and Irving have played just eight total games together this season, but all the lineup shuffling hasn't stopped their offense. First-year head coach Steve Nash has managed to get the most out of his team regardless of which players suit up and that has resulted in a 119.4 Offensive Rating, best in the NBA in non garbage time minutes per Cleaning the Glass.
Having three dominant scorers will benefit the Nets in the postseason when they need a bucket. Brooklyn has the second-most isolation possessions per game (11.0) behind only the Portland Trail Blazers and rank first in Effective Field Goal Percentage (52.1%) and Points Per Possession on those plays per NBA Advanced Stats.
The defense, which has fallen off a cliff since the Harden trade, ranks 22nd in the NBA, allowing 113.8 points per 100 possessions in non garbage time minutes. That's a slight improvement compared to the 116.3 points the Nets allowed between the time of the trade and the All-Star break.
The combination of those factors has made the over a profitable bet for Brooklyn — the over was 40-32 in Nets games this season, the fifth-most profitable team in the NBA.
The Nets enter the NBA Playoffs as the favorites in the East and overall, despite the questions surrounding their health. And based on how unstoppable the teams looks when things are rolling, the Nets seem poised for a deep run if they can keep their Big 3 healthy.
