The Brooklyn Nets entered Wednesday with one win in 2024, sandwiched between losses that have ranged from infuriating to depressing, occasionally both. Their opponent on Wednesday, the Portland Trail Blazers, also entered action with just one victory in the new year. It was, of course, over the Nets.
The rematch was, let’s say, cozy. Attendance at the Moda Center was sparse thanks to brutal conditions in Portland, and it didn’t just affect the fans — DeAndre Ayton was all set to return from an 11-game injury absence but couldn’t traverse the icy conditions to get to the arena.