Nets in Weird Position Going Into Second Half

The Brooklyn Nets are competitive, but they find themselves in no man's land going into the second half of the NBA season.

Feb 12, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) brings the ball up court against Brooklyn Nets forward Ziaire Williams (8) during the fourth quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The first half of the Brooklyn Nets season was about the battle between tanking for a higher draft pick and instilling a competitive spirit and drive.

That constant battle ruled in favor of the competitiveness of the team, but once injuries and trades got in the way, the Nets' tank job became a lot easier to manage.

Now, at the All-Star break, the Nets find themselves facing this conundrum once again. They sit just 1.5 games back of the No. 10 seed in the East after winning six of their last 10 games before the break.

Bleacher Report writer Grant Hughes looks into the duality of the Nets season as the year is coming to a close.

"The Brooklyn Nets have shown an uncommon level of fight for an undermanned rebuilder whose re-acquisition of 2025 and 2026 first-round picks made clear that losing was the point this season." Hughes writes.

"Even lately, amid some roster turnover, they've scrapped all the way to the finish of close games. Twenty wins is a low total, but the Nets have managed it while refusing to let go of the rope when other teams in their position would have.

"It's hard to be sure any current members of Brooklyn's roster feature in management's long-term plans, but this group is still responsible for setting an organizational culture. Can the Nets keep playing hard and caring as the losses mount?

"That's a tough two-step to pull off, but Brooklyn has done it better than most."

The Nets have 28 games left, and in that time, they need to find a happy medium between staying competitive and trying to earn the best pick possible in a loaded draft that features Cooper Flagg at the top of the heap.

The Nets are back in action tomorrow as they host the NBA-best Cleveland Cavaliers. Tipoff for the game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.

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