Head coach: Kevin Ollie explain why he want to leave Brooklyn Nets for…
It wasn’t played on a nerf hoop with limited ceiling space or lighting, nor did it feature a bunch of school kids, but by all other standards, last night’s game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Washington Wizards was a basement hoops battle for the ages.
Stuck toward the bottom end of the Eastern Conference standings, both teams are more or less in the league’s cellar. With each all but eliminated from the playoffs as well, the game’s result meant very with exception to bragging rights.
But in the moment for the Nets and Wizards, with all the back-and-forth, competitive action, it couldn’t have felt like that.
I know it sure as hell didn’t feel meaningless every time I went up against my middle school pals in mini-basketball after school on a Friday. Pumped up on Domino’s pizza and grape soda, those games might as well have been called by Mike Breen on a prime-time ABC broadcast with a trip to the NBA Finals up for grabs.
The Nets too felt that competitive energy — even if it was all for a measly win 28th win of the season — the basketball equivalent of a cold last slice of stuffed crust. They didn’t get Breen or national TV spotlight, but they did get Ryan Ruocco, Sarah Kustok, the YES crew, and an exceedingly entertaining win. Here’s what we learned.
Competitive action, back and forth, that couldn’t have felt like that.
Every Friday after school, when I played mini-basketball with my friends from middle school, I can assure you that it didn’t feel pointless. Full on Domino’s pizza and grape drink, Mike Breen could have called those games as if they were prime-time ABC broadcasts where the winner would get to go to the NBA Finals.
Even though it was only their 28th win of the season, the Nets experienced the same competitive energy—the basketball equivalent of a chilly last slice of stuffed crust. They gained Ryan Ruocco, Sarah Kustok, the YES team, and an incredibly exciting victory but lost Breen and the national TV spotlight.
