After one of the most lopsided defeats in franchise history - a 120-66 drubbing at the hands of the New York Knicks - the Brooklyn Nets find themselves at a crossroads. The loss wasn’t just bad; it was historic, the kind of defeat that forces a team to look in the mirror.
Head coach Jordi Fernandez and his players didn’t shy away from accountability. They owned it.
And now, with a Friday night matchup against the Boston Celtics looming, the Nets have a chance to respond.
Let’s start with the good news: Brooklyn’s injury report is as clean as it's been in a while. The only player listed is forward Haywood Highsmith, who remains sidelined. Fernandez’s last update on Highsmith came back on January 7, when he noted that the team was pleased with the forward’s rehab progress, though he didn’t offer a specific timeline for return.
Outside of Highsmith, the roster is intact - a rare luxury this deep into the season. Rookie guard Ben Saraf remains on assignment with the Long Island Nets in the G League, which makes sense considering Brooklyn’s current health. Saraf opened the season in the starting lineup for six games, but since then, his minutes have come either off the bench or down in Long Island, where he’s getting consistent reps and valuable development time.
And he's making the most of it. Saraf is averaging 13.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, while shooting 39.2% from the floor and 37.9% from beyond the arc.
Those are solid numbers for a young guard adjusting to the pro level. Whether he gets meaningful minutes with Brooklyn again this season will likely hinge on two things: injuries and whatever moves the front office makes at the trade deadline in February.
As for the main roster, there’s no sugarcoating what happened at Madison Square Garden. The Nets were thoroughly outplayed in every facet of the game - from effort to execution.
It was the kind of night where nothing went right. But the NBA season is long, and redemption can come quickly.
Friday’s matchup against the Celtics is exactly the kind of test that could show what this team is made of.
Boston is clicking right now - they’re one of the hottest teams in the league - and they bring a level of physicality and discipline that will challenge Brooklyn on both ends of the floor. But with a full rotation available, the Nets have the pieces to compete.
The question is how they’ll respond. Will they come out flat, still shaken from Wednesday’s blowout?
Or will they play with urgency, focus, and pride?
We’re about to find out. One thing’s for sure: after what happened in New York, this team owes itself - and its fans - a better showing.