It has possibilities but as so often happens in the NBA, talent and particularly young talent carries the day, as it did Wednesday night when the Brooklyn Nets held off the West-leading Oklahoma City Thunder for three quarters, only to get blown out in the fourth. The Nets biggest potential upset became another moral victory.
There a ton of positives if you leave aside the final score. As our Lucas Kaplan wrote Thursday, and discussed with Sarah Kustok on the Backcourt podcast, Day’Ron Sharpe has “arrived” with a stat line that only Victor Wembanyama has matched this season: 25 points on 8-of-10 shooting, include 2-of-3 from beyond the arc; 15 rebounds including 7 offensive; 5 assists; 3 blocks and two steals.