Nets Among Worst in Final Power Rankings

The Brooklyn Nets are coming to a halt as their season winds down, and with only a handful of games, they should be content with how their year has gone.

Considering the fact that the team had hardly any expectations coming into the season, the Nets can hold their heads up high.

NBA.com writer John Schuhmann conducted his final power rankings before the regular season ends, giving the Nets the No. 25 slot, which is where they sat last week.

"The Nets traded two useful veterans as early as possible, but their season wasn’t as bad as it was seemingly supposed to be. They’re sixth in the upside-down standings, having seen extended stretches of success on both ends of the floor in Jordi Fernandez’s first season on the bench. They had a top-10 offense through the first six weeks (falling off dramatically after that) and the league’s No. 1 defense over four weeks leading into the All-Star break," Schuhmann writes.

"The big thing the Nets have been lacking is an advantage-creator on offense. Despite that, Cam Johnson has registered the highest true shooting percentage of his career (63.2%), with big jumps from last season in field goal percentage in the paint and free throw rate. He’s also taken on additional playmaking duties himself, with his 5.3 assists per 100 possessions being a career-high mark by a healthy margin. Johnson (who turned 29 last month) has two more years on his contract, so there’s still no urgency to trade him, even if the Nets’ plan is a long-term one."

The five teams that rank below the Nets are the New Orleans Pelicans, Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards, Philadelphia 76ers and Utah Jazz.

The Nets are back in action tonight against the Pelicans at 7:30 p.m. ET.