The Brooklyn Nets were riding a wave of momentum after a promising 4-2 stretch - their best run of the season so far. But that surge hit a wall Thursday night in a 106-95 loss to the Miami Heat, a game that served as a reality check and the opener of a tough six-game slate ahead.
Let’s be clear: that recent 4-2 run was no fluke, but it did come against teams with losing records. And while it gave Nets fans a glimpse of what this young, rebuilding squad is capable of, it also nudged Brooklyn down to sixth in the draft lottery standings - not exactly ideal positioning if you're playing the long game.
They're now 1.5 games back of a three-way tie for third between the Pacers, Kings, and Clippers. The Pelicans sit two games ahead in second, and the Wizards lead the lottery race by 2.5 games.
In other words, that recent hot streak has made Brooklyn just competitive enough to drift away from the top of the draft board - a classic conundrum for a team caught between development and long-term planning.
Now, things get real. Four of the Nets’ next five opponents are teams with winning records: the Raptors (17-11), 76ers (14-11), Timberwolves (17-10), and Rockets (16-8).
The lone matchup against a sub-.500 team? The Golden State Warriors, who are still no pushover at 13-15.
Head coach Jordi Fernandez isn’t spending much time scoreboard-watching or dissecting strength of schedule. His focus is on internal growth - and that message hasn’t changed.
“I don’t look at the schedule that much that way,” Fernandez said. “Right now, we start a new stretch of five games, and it starts tonight at home.
It's about finding a way to compete for four quarters and get better. We’ve played against good teams.
This is the best league in the world, and all these teams are very good. It doesn’t matter where they are right now, all those players are very special.
We’ve done a good job competing and getting better, and now that’s what we’re expecting to do during this next set of five games. Try to get 3-2 or better.”
That’s the kind of mindset that tells you Brooklyn isn’t tanking - at least not intentionally. This team wants to compete, and Fernandez is leaning into the grind of development, even if the wins don’t always follow.
Against Miami, the Nets ran into a buzzsaw on the defensive end. The Heat came in with the NBA’s third-ranked defense, and they played like it.
Brooklyn shot just 38.8 percent from the field (38-of-98) and a rough 22.4 percent from three (11-of-49). That’s not going to cut it against a team that thrives on forcing tough shots and controlling the tempo.
It doesn’t get much easier from here. Next up: the Toronto Raptors, who boast the league’s seventh-ranked defense. For a Nets offense still trying to find its rhythm, this upcoming stretch is going to be a serious test - not just of execution, but of resilience.
The Nets are in that tricky phase where development and draft positioning are constantly tugging in opposite directions. But if they can stay competitive, push good teams, and maybe steal a few wins along the way, they’ll come out of this stretch with more than just moral victories - they’ll come out with a clearer identity.
And for a team still trying to build something sustainable, that might be the most valuable win of all.