Inside The Nets

Brooklyn Nets record B+ grade in The Athletic's first-quarter assessment for the 2023-24 season

With a sparkling offense and resilience through injuries, the Nets have rolled greatly in their first 22 games this season.

Peter Sunjic

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The entire league has finally breached through the first quarter of this regular season, with the Brooklyn Nets showing impressive strides so far.

Perhaps boasting the most unique and dynamic roster, filled with a good richness of dynamic and reliable 3-and-D wings and plenty of must-watch rising stars like Mikal Bridges and Cam Thomas, Brooklyn has been defying the initial perception of the majority. 

They are currently coasting with a Top 8 record (12-10) in the Eastern Conference and appear poised to maintain their positives.

From this, a report from The Athletic gave them a reputable grade that truly mirrors their good basketball campaign thus far.

Impressive and exciting

The Athletic staff writer Zach Harper has officially released his 1st quarter assessment for every NBA team this season. And his grade for the Nets? B+.

According to Harper, the Nets have also shattered his expectations and have been nothing short of amusing. Amid a poor defensive rating, they were still able to go toe-to-toe with opponents through the use of their surprising offensive sparks.

Harper sees Brooklyn continuing their spectacular displays and performing even beyond against other teams. As such, these remain questions to be answered as the playoff time hits.

“I really like this Nets team, even though they’re the complete inverse of what I expected. I thought we’d see a struggling offense that is one of the best in the league defensively. Instead, we’ve seen a high-powered offensive juggernaut most nights with a defense trying to catch up. I think the Nets could ruin a lot of nights in the regular season for teams better than them, but we’ll see if that translates to the postseason. The Nets are really fun, though.”

The Nets need to continue what they are doing

What the Nets are displaying so far this season is truly remarkable. Despite facing injuries to key players in their core unit, the only direction for the Brooklyn Nets is up as they strive to compete and secure their desired position by the end of the regular season.

While their defense remains an enticing work in progress, Brooklyn still clearly has that vision and direction to what they aim for — tools that can only help them eventually succeed.

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Peter Sunjic
PETER SUNJIC

Peter's journey with basketball commenced in the first grade, and it has since evolved into an integral part of his life. Standing on the brink of a potential professional playing career, Peter ultimately chose to pursue a degree in Political Science and Journalism in Zagreb, Croatia. Despite this academic pursuit, his deep-rooted love for the game of basketball endured, undiminished. Now, as a writer and editor, Peter finds an avenue to channel his unwavering passion for basketball-related news and analysis. Whether it's deciphering the latest happenings or delving into the lore of old-school basketball, he covers every corner of the NBA world.

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