Why are the Nets better then expected

[TrueFan]

Can anyone who's been watching the Nets this year explain why they are over achieving so far.

Is it the coach/system?

Free agents out performing expectations?

Maybe it's too small a sample size. Anyone predicting they will fall back down to a bottom 5 team?

[Denis998]

They play hard. Great signings on the off-season. Trevor Booker was overshadowed during his time in Utah, he has been playing really well. Good value in other players as well.

[alldaboston]

Good coach. Underrated offseason acquisitions. Clear sense of direction.

[LarBrd33]

They aren't.  When fully healthy they have been a borderline playoff team for 4 straight years.  Hopefully they get stung by the injury bee again.

[TrueFan]

Good coach. Underrated offseason acquisitions. Clear sense of direction.

Have you seen most of the games?

[fantankerous]

Its stochastic.

[PhoSita]

They have shooters aplenty and Atkinson has them creating good shots.  They're top 10 in the league in EFG% as a team and their Defensive Efficiency is above average.

[Ilikesports17]

They aren't.  When fully healthy they have been a borderline playoff team for 4 straight years.  Hopefully they get stung by the injury bee again.

So has probably every single team in the NBA.

[celticsclay]

They aren't.  When fully healthy they have been a borderline playoff team for 4 straight years.  Hopefully they get stung by the injury bee again.

lol remember the great injury apocalypse of 2015 when they lost a journeyman chucked point guard and a late first round pick for half a season? I am a decent person and I hope no other team has to deal with that kind of loss again.

[celticsclay]

All joking from me and lb aside they are already plummeting down the standings. Also their performance from the last 3 years is irrelevant as only brook Lopez has been on the team more than 2 years? Is that right?

[byennie]

Let's not get ahead of ourselves here. They are about to be 4-7... which projects to a bottom 5 or 6 team. They have 1 win again a team over .500, the Pistons. By Thanksgiving there's a good chance they'll be 4-10, maybe 5-9.

All this while being healthy. If anyone gets hurt, their bench is horrid.

Sure they are capable of winning 30-40 games if everything breaks right, but they're not even on pace for that.

[Kaz]

All this while being healthy.

Lin has been out, and even though he's no longer Linsanity he's likely their 2nd best player

[saltlover]

I'm looking forward to revisiting this thread when they're 5-12 at the end of November.

[tarheelsxxiii]

On paper they are definitely better than last year.  Agree with above poster re: Booker, and I think Lin's offensive repertoire has been underappreciated since his time in NY.  And RHJ seems to be exceeding expectations thus far, but I'm not sold on Bogdanovic sustaining his offensive output. 

If the FO is smart, they'll start a youth movement with a Lopez trade that will likely set them back this year.  And if not, while they may not net us a top 5 pick, they're still a lotto team with a strong upcoming draft.  No worries.  As saltlover pointed out, this upcoming stretch should be rough on them.

[TrueFan]

I'm looking forward to revisiting this thread when they're 5-12 at the end of November.

I hope so.