Nets Finish Regular Season with Win Over Pistons

nytimes.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

April 17th, 2013

Detroit Pistons vs. Brooklyn Nets

Final Score: Pistons 99 Nets 103

The Brooklyn Nets finished up their first regular season in their new home on a positive note by beating the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night. The Nets finished their first season in Brooklyn with a (49-33) record, which gave them home court in the first round, as they are the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. 

Positives:

Interim Head Coach P.J. Carlesimo did a pretty solid job for Brooklyn after filling in for the fired Avery Johnson. Carlesimo finished the season with a (34-19), and that record is the best start for any coach in Nets franchise history. Carlesimo’s future with the Nets is unknown, as the Nets front office has made no commitment to him, but he’s got them ready to go for a big playoff series with the Chicago Bulls, and he’s done a great job getting the Nets to their regular season expectations.



With not much to be played for besides a late tune up before the playoff start the Nets starting lineup looked pretty good in the final game. All-Star Center Brook Lopez finished up his breakout season with a great game. Lopez scored 20 points on seven for 15 shooting, and grabbed nine rebounds in just 21 minutes of action.

Most importantly in this game against the Pistons was that the Nets came out of it healthy. Carlesimo elected to play everyone in this game which can be risky, but nobody was hurt. The series with the Bulls is figured to be a war, so health will be very important not only against the Bulls, but if the Nets advance to more than likely play a series with the Miami Heat.

Negatives:

The major negative that happened to the Nets on Wednesday night had nothing to due with their game against the Pistons, but had to do with the Bulls and Atlanta Hawks games. The Bulls, who seem to be the one team that no team wants to play in the first or second round were able to beat the Wizards 95-92 to secure the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. The Nets it would be safe to imagine would have much rather played the Hawks, who they split the season series with compared to losing it 3-1 to the Bulls. 

Next up for the Nets will be their first playoff home game at the Barclays Center against the Bulls at 8pm on Saturday night.