When: January 30, 2016; 7:00 PM EST
Where: Smoothie King Center; New Orleans, LA
TV: YES Network
Radio: WFAN 660 AM
The Brooklyn Nets’ seemingly endless run through one of the most disastrous seasons in franchise history continues tonight in New Orleans against the upstart Pelicans, who have won four of their last five games and get their All-Star center, Anthony Davis, back from a concussion.
Meanwhile, on Friday night in Dallas, the Nets lost 91-79 to Deron Williams and the Mavericks in a game that wasn’t really as close as the final score indicated. Brooklyn has dropped its last two games since surprising the Thunder at Barclays last week and has lost seven of its last eight overall. Safe to say 2016 has not been kind to the Nets.
The interesting thing, though, is that, before the Nets play their last game of January, they currently have the same record (3-12) in the month this season as they did in January of last season. Of course, Brooklyn was able to rebound a bit after that devastating 15-game stretch to sneak into the postseason but it doesn’t look like this version of the Nets will be able to do the same. On the bright side, with a win, the Nets can finish the month 3-13, which would best that of the 2014-15 team. Silver linings!
But, the Nets are just 2-6 this season in the second half of back-to-backs and are playing a Pelicans team that hasn’t played since Thursday night in a win over the Kings. It’s not going to be easy for this team — this season, nothing has been, that’s for sure — but at least, after tonight’s game, Brooklyn’s schedule gets a bit easier in the month of February.
Probable lineups
BKN- Donald Sloan (PG), Wayne Ellington (SG), Joe Johnson (SF), Thaddeus Young (PF), Brook Lopez (C)
NOP- Norris Cole (PG), Bryce Dejean-Jones (SG), Alonzo Gee (SF), Anthony Davis (PF), Omer Asik (C)
Final thoughts
Obviously, it’s bad news for Brooklyn that Anthony Davis is playing tonight, as he has a big height advantage over Thaddeus Young, but Tyreke Evans (knee) is still out, so rookie D-League call-up Bryce Dejean-Jones will probably get the start for Alvin Gentry’s team. Davis might not be at 100 percent, though, and Dejean-Jones has only played in four NBA games thus far, which provides some hope to Brooklyn. Still, it’s hard to win on the road with no rest against a surging team like New Orleans.
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