The Kings come in tomorrow without Rookie of the Year favorite Tyreke Evans, so the Nets have a good shot at winning.
How many times have those words been written or said this season?
Coming out of the All-Star break this was a game I penciled as one the Nets would get – even with Evans healthy - and have been saying all along how important this week is. There is another one, but if the Nets don’t get one of the next three – they have to get tomorrow - they probably will own the record for most losses in a season.
The thinking here is the Nets should get two of the games this week and then at least one if not two from the week of April 4-10. Their goal is 10 wins. It’s still doable although it may take a herculean feat since they’ve won just seven of 70 thus far.
The rationale is there are plenty of bad NBA teams, anyone can get beaten on any given night, and then there’s the law of averages. They have to win one eventually. Here’s a look at the final dozen:
Tomorrow vs. Sacramento: If the Nets lose this game, especially with Evans unavailable, it’s going to be hard to maintain whatever belief they have that they won’t make history. The Nets have to jump on Sacramento and get up big early to be able withstand one of their typical third-quarter lulls if they have one.
Friday vs. Detroit: The Pistons have been a disappointment and unimpressive all season, even against the Nets. They go into tonight having lost 13 of 15 games. Another gettable game.
Saturday at Chicago: Before winning their last two the Bulls had lost 10 straight. Chicago forward Luol Deng probably won’t be back by Saturday when the Nets play one of the handful of teams they’ve beaten this season.
March 29 vs. San Antonio: The Spurs probably won’t have Tony Parker, but they still have Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Richard Jefferson playing in his final Meadowlands game. The Spurs still have too much.
March 31 vs. Phoenix: Steve Nash and company could run the Nets out of the building, but a good showing could help entice Amar’e Stoudemire, one of the players they’re expected to pursue this summer and one who hasn’t already spurned New Jersey.
April 3 vs. New Orleans: The Hornets are all but out of the playoffs and if Chris Paul is hobbled this could be a surprise win.
April 4 at Washington: This starts a must-win week with some gettable games, starting with this one against a team they should have beaten twice already. If they guard Andray Blatche, the Nets could finally beat the Wizards.
April 7 at Milwaukee: This was one we thought could be gettable, but the Bucks have been playing great lately and have made it look easy, especially Andrew Bogut, against the Nets this season.
April 9 vs. Chicago: Two coaches likely in their final games on the bench face off in what could end up as the Nets’ final win in the Meadowlands.
April 10 at Indiana: The Nets should be as good/bad as the Pacers. Their roster isn’t much better – if at all – and they’ve had lengthy injuries to many core players. Yet they’re sitting at 24 win right now. The Nets must guard the perimeter better than they have against Indy.
April 12 vs. Charlotte: Two wins against the Bobcats doesn’t mean the Nets automatically will get a third. Charlotte likely will be playing for playoff seeding – and to make sure they don’t lose three times to the Nets. But this is the final game at the Meadowlands so the Nets should come with a little more.
April 14 at Miami: It all depends on what the Heat are playing for here. If they have their seed all sewn up, they could give Dwyane Wade and Jermaine O’Neal some rest and give the Nets the opportunity to end the season with a win.
Al Iannazzone covers the Nets for The Record (Bergen County, N.J.).