Brooklyn Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov promised a Nets championships within a “maximum” of five years after he took over the franchise in 2010.
Before that can happen, the Nets will have to make the NBA playoffs for the first time since the 2006-07 season, when the Jason Kidd-led Nets lost in the Eastern Conference Semifinals to the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers in six games. James would go on to carry the Cavs on his back for his first career Finals appearance after discarding the Nets in Game 6 at the Izod Center. (The Nets gave out “In Kidd We Trust” shirts that night in May 2007. They lost 88-72.)
The five seasons without a playoff appearance — tied for the longest drought in franchise history(1986-91) — puts the Nets at third on the active drought list alongside the Golden State Warriors.
That dubious streak may end as soon as tonight. According to the Nets PR department via a @NetsonYes tweet, the NBA has confirmed that the Nets clinch a playoff spot with a Philadelphia Sixers loss tonight in Denver against the Nuggets. At 40-28, the Nets currently own the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, one game behind the Knicks for the Atlantic Division lead with 14 games remaining for Brooklyn.
@Nets_PR would have tweeted out the information, but as Devin documented this week, the Nets have shut down the account. #RIP
