Getting into the postseason was hard enough, but now it gets even tougher for the Nets

For the first time in their three-year history in Brooklyn, the 2014-15 Nets had a real chance of not making the playoffs, which would have been a truly unspeakable disaster for such an expensive team with beyond-lofty expectations.

So, when they nudged out a win over the Magic–and the Grizzlies subsequently beat the Pacers an hour later–the Nets secured the East’s final postseason berth in about the most roundabout way possible. Down 12 points in the third quarter, Brooklyn seemed content to fade away into the offseason but, in two days, have to play the conference’s best regular season team in the Atlanta Hawks, who swept the Nets (4-0) in 2014-15.

It’s easy to view just making the playoffs as a big victory in itself, but that kind of mindset gives the Nets much more credit than they deserve for what was extremely disappointing in every aspect. The simple fact that they ended up making the postseason due to some luck, a bad Eastern Conference and admittedly strong play at the end of the Magic game doesn’t change any of that.

This roster–filled with max contracts and untapped potential–underperformed in every way and will most likely look very different next season as Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young can both enter free agency along with some other Nets. So, this postseason might be Brooklyn’s last chance to make actual noise before an uncertain future.

If they were the No. 5 or No. 6 seed, maybe that goal would feel more attainable for the Nets. But, since they’ve been under .500 for the vast majority of this season, they are the No. 8 seed and have a date with the Hawks–winners of 60 games this season. If you remember, Atlanta won 19 games in a row at one point and swept the month of January completely. For comparison purposes, the Nets went 3-10 in January.

With really good non-stars like Jeff Teague, Paul Millsap, Al Horford, Kyle Korver, etc across the board and a Gregg Popovich disciple at head coach in Mike Budenholzer, the Hawks have managed to maximize their team’s value without breaking the bank and without mortgaging their next few years. That is a remarkable achievement and one the Nets have come very, very far from emulating.

So, by adding two and two together, the situation looks pretty bleak for Brooklyn. Sure, beating out the Pacers for the playoffs was a nice development but if it results in a quick exit in four or five games, then it won’t mean anything. With the resources spent on this unit, that would truly be crushing.