Official 2015-16 Brooklyn Nets Season Watch Thread (21-59, 3rd slot as of 4/12)

[Evantime34]

I haven't been following Philly closely.  Just realized Okafor is out with a knee/shin injury.  Will be re-evaluated on Tuesday.  So, it doesn't sound like he'll play in either of these two games vs the Nets.  Doesn't bode well for a Philly upset of the Nets.  Only thing in Philly's favor is that this it the last game of a long road trip, so the Nets may have their minds elsewhere (although with the 3 days off they went home between games).

The Sixers actually play better when Okafor is on the bench so it might not be a terrible thing that he's hurt.

[celticsclay]

I haven't been following Philly closely.  Just realized Okafor is out with a knee/shin injury.  Will be re-evaluated on Tuesday.  So, it doesn't sound like he'll play in either of these two games vs the Nets.  Doesn't bode well for a Philly upset of the Nets.  Only thing in Philly's favor is that this it the last game of a long road trip, so the Nets may have their minds elsewhere (although with the 3 days off they went home between games).

The Sixers actually play better when Okafor is on the bench so it might not be a terrible thing that he's hurt.

somebody gets it

[nickagneta]

Looks like Okafor is being pulled for the remainder of the season. So he will miss both Nets games.

[hwangjini_1]

Looks like Okafor is being pulled for the remainder of the season. So he will miss both Nets games.

i'm surprised philly doesnt just cut to the chase and pull all their roster for the rest of the season. just forfeit all their games and save time and effort for everyone. 

[LarBrd33]

Looks like Okafor is being pulled for the remainder of the season. So he will miss both Nets games.

Perhaps his last game as a 76er

[Quetzalcoatl]

Looks like Okafor is being pulled for the remainder of the season. So he will miss both Nets games.

i'm surprised philly doesnt just cut to the chase and pull all their roster for the rest of the season. just forfeit all their games and save time and effort for everyone. 

I don't know, all the 76ers fans I'm seeing are saying that this will actually help them win, since Noel plays way better without him.

[Eddie20]

Looks like Okafor is being pulled for the remainder of the season. So he will miss both Nets games.

Perhaps his last game as a 76er

Yeah, maybe. If Hinkie didn't operate such a circuis perhaps they would've been allowed to workout Porzingis. Alas, it didn't work out and they were stuck with a player who has a game that isn't suited for today's NBA.

[LarBrd33]

Looks like Okafor is being pulled for the remainder of the season. So he will miss both Nets games.

i'm surprised philly doesnt just cut to the chase and pull all their roster for the rest of the season. just forfeit all their games and save time and effort for everyone. 

I don't know, all the 76ers fans I'm seeing are saying that this will actually help them win, since Noel plays way better without him.

With Philly you have to recognize that they maybe have 2 or 3 NBA players on that team right now by design.  Once Saric decided to stay overseas and Philly made the decision to give Embiid a bone graft and effectively punt on the season (I still hear he could have played this year if they weren't concerned about long term health), they just filled out that roster with young athletic d-leaguers who might have some semblance of potential.  They didn't make any significant trades or sign a single veteran fee agent.  It's just a roster filled of borderline NBA players and tons of future assets they haven't cashed in yet.  The only way they can really compete is if they sneak up on some team with speed/athleticism and streaky shooting.  Noel is mobile so he fits better with whatever sitting duck lineup they currently have there.   They have a really interest summer ahead of them.  I expect that 5 of their top 6-7 guys next season aren't even playing for them right now.   Okafor is a heck of a prospect and he can be really effective for some team, but that team will need to commit to a system that makes the most of Okafor.  Okafor's stint in Philly felt temporary the moment he was drafted.  He knew it.  The team knew it.   

[Forza Juventus]

I'm not the biggest Okafor fan but he is very young and obviously very talented. We will see where the Brooklyn pick falls in the lottery and then on draft night see if a trade for Okafor is reasonable. I'm not the biggest Okafor fan but I could definitely talk myself into a trade especially if Ainge were to trade for him. He's earned our trust especially in trades lol

[Quetzalcoatl]

With Philly you have to recognize that they maybe have 2 or 3 NBA players on that team right now by design.  Once Saric decided to stay overseas and Philly made the decision to give Embiid a bone graft and effectively punt on the season (I still hear he could have played this year if they weren't concerned about long term health), they just filled out that roster with young athletic d-leaguers who might have some semblance of potential.  They didn't make any significant trades or sign a single veteran fee agent.  It's just a roster filled of borderline NBA players and tons of future assets they haven't cashed in yet.  The only way they can really compete is if they sneak up on some team with speed/athleticism and streaky shooting.  Noel is mobile so he fits better with whatever sitting duck lineup they currently have there.   They have a really interest summer ahead of them.  I expect that 5 of their top 6-7 guys next season aren't even playing for them right now.   Okafor is a heck of a prospect and he can be really effective for some team, but that team will need to commit to a system that makes the most of Okafor.  Okafor's stint in Philly felt temporary the moment he was drafted.  He knew it.  The team knew it.

Let's see though:

76ers:   
Nerlends Noel - NBA Player
Robert Covington - NBA Player
Isaiah Canaan - NBA Player
Elton Brand - Borderline NBA Player at this point
Jerami Grant - NBA Player
Nik Stauskas - Borderline NBA Player
Carl Landry - Surprisingly feisty NBA Player

vs

Nets:
Brook Lopez - Borderline All-Star
Young - NBA Player
Bojan Bogdanovic - NBA Player
Wayne Ellington - NBA Player
Shane Larkin - Borderline NBA Player
Donald Sloan - Borderline NBA Player

So I don't know, looks pretty even to me!  Let's go Philly tonight!

[Ilikesports17]

Trying to put a new spin on this:

Could this be a sign that they want to move Noel?

Noel plays better when Jahlil is out of the game. Giving Noel the last month or so of the season to rack up stats and play really well could drive up his value.

Also historically, rooks have come on strong. Wiggins did it, Russell is looking like hes gonna do it, even Kelly did it.

March and April were easily his best months that year. Averaging 17 and 7 in 8 games in April.

Jahlil seems like he could increase his value there.

[LarBrd33]

Trying to put a new spin on this:

Could this be a sign that they want to move Noel?

Noel plays better when Jahlil is out of the game. Giving Noel the last month or so of the season to rack up stats and play really well could drive up his value.

Also historically, rooks have come on strong. Wiggins did it, Russell is looking like hes gonna do it, even Kelly did it.

March and April were easily his best months that year. Averaging 17 and 7 in 8 games in April.

Jahlil seems like he could increase his value there.

I wouldn't rule out the possibility they end up moving BOTH.  If healthy Embiid is in play, both of those other guys could probably fetch some great surrounding pieces.

[rondofan1255]

Looks like Okafor is being pulled for the remainder of the season. So he will miss both Nets games.

I just saw this online too. Surgery for torn meniscus in right knee.

[hpantazo]

Looks like Okafor is being pulled for the remainder of the season. So he will miss both Nets games.

I just saw this online too. Surgery for torn meniscus in right knee.

Wow, rough season for Okafor all things considered. He started off outraged to be on a team as bad as Phili, blew his top a few times by getting into night-club fights after being taunted, and now ends it with a torn meniscus.

Combine that with the legitimate questions still surrounding Embiid's health, Noel is the only reasonably traceable Center on their roster going into the offseason.

[Quetzalcoatl]

I'm not watching the game, but it looks like the 76ers are up big early