The Brooklyn Nets cruise to a road victory against the Indiana Pacers and clinch a spot in the playoffs in the process.
- Brooklyn Nets 108 (41-40)
- Indiana Pacers 96 (47-34)
- NBA, Final, Box Score
- Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
What a remarkable turnaround for the Brooklyn Nets. They entered the 2018-19 season with little hype, but that didn’t stop them from having a remarkable season.
On Sunday, Brooklyn notched a convincing victory over the playoff-bound Indiana Pacers. Brooklyn was far from perfect, but they played tough defense and massacred Indiana on the glass.
The Nets outrebounded the Pacers 52-33 and completely dominated the offensive glass. Brooklyn scrounged up 17 offensive boards. The rebounding margin was the meta-game from this meeting or in other words, the game within the game.
D’Angelo Russell and Caris LeVert combined to lead Brooklyn to victory for the second straight night. The pair combined for 38 points and it’s clear that LeVert is playing like he did before his injury in 2018. If he can continue to lead the second unit and provide a late-game option for head coach Kenny Atkinson, that will be a major plus for the Nets come playoffs.
This historic win clinches Brooklyn’s first playoff berth since the 2014-15 season. This win signifies a monumental turnaround for a franchise that was in an unenviable position just a few years prior.
With this win and the Detroit Pistons losing to the Charlotte Hornets, Brooklyn clinches at least the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. If the Boston Celtics can beat the Orlando Magic on Sunday night, Brooklyn will officially clinch sixth place no matter what happens in their final game.
The Nets will face the Miami Heat, whose playoff hopes are hanging on by a thread, at 8:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday. It’s unclear whether or not Atkinson will go all out with his rotations. It will all depend on whether or not the game carries any seeding implications.
Regardless, Brooklyn can rest easy for now. The playoff spot is secure despite a close race at the finish of the season.
Hey @JaredDudley619, kick us off with some highlights!#NETSonYES pic.twitter.com/kwclvPuVnj
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) April 7, 2019
1️⃣. MORE. QUARTER.#NETSonYES LIVE https://t.co/JMcy8vDFq3 pic.twitter.com/V8x4gh9Cv2
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) April 7, 2019
LET'S GO!!!#NETSonYES LIVE https://t.co/JMcy8vDFq3 pic.twitter.com/iTVgojUpST
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) April 7, 2019
.@Dloading ➡️ @_bigjayy_!#NETSonYES LIVE https://t.co/JMcy8vDFq3 pic.twitter.com/EgmTyI5V9m
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) April 7, 2019
