Upcoming Games
Tonight vs Pacers: Coverage on YES & the YES App begins at 7:30.
Saturday vs Pistons: Coverage on My9 & the YES App begins at 7:00 p.m.
Sunday vs Kings: Coverage on YES & the YES App begins at 7:00 p.m.
Next Wednesday vs Raptors: Coverage on YES & the YES App begins at 7:00 p.m.
Tipping Off
The Nets must win tonight to have a chance at keeping their postseason hopes alive. Their elimination number is one, which means that they will be knocked out of contention for a spot in the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament with either one more loss themselves or one more win by the 10th place Hawks. Brooklyn does not have to fly again this season – the team is going to open its last homestand of the year this evening. Then, after four games at Barclays Center, the Nets will finish their slate with games at the Knicks and 76ers.
Nets Notes
With 206 three-pointers made, Mikal Bridges has the fourth-highest single-season total in franchise history, and he is 29 away from passing the record that was set by D’Angelo Russell in 2018-19. Bridges has also been named a finalist for the 2023-24 Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award, which he finished as the runner-up for last year behind Jrue Holiday. Given out each season since 2012-13, this award recognizes the player deemed the best teammate based on selfless play, on- and off-court leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players, and commitment and dedication to team. Meanwhile, Trendon Watford is averaging 15.6 PPG on 66.7 percent field-goal shooting over his last five games, including a season-high 21 points Monday at Indiana.
Know The Foes
The 43-33 Pacers are just 1.5 games behind the Magic and the Knicks, who have identical records while occupying fourth and fifth place in the East. The Pacers are also just a half-game ahead of seventh-place Miami for the East’s final guaranteed playoff spot. At 13-62, the Pistons have the worst record in the NBA. At 44-31, the Kings are seventh in the Western Conference, just a game behind fifth-place Dallas and sixth-place New Orleans. Sacramento has the same record as eighth-place Phoenix, and the winner of their head-to-head meeting April 12 will win the tiebreaker between the clubs after they split their first four matchups. The 23-52 Raptors have lost 14 straight games.
A Dazzling Fact
Performances against the Wizards last Wednesday and against the Lakers on Sunday have given Cam Thomas 19 career games with at least 30 points. It’s the second-highest total in franchise history for a player age 22 or younger, trailing only the 35 posted by Hall of Famer and local legend Bernard King within the first two seasons of his brilliant career. Stay with YES & the YES App to see if Thomas can add to his total before the season ends!