Miami Heat – The Brooklyn Game

Lin, Hollis-Jefferson

Analyzing the Nets’ Offensive Woes

By Charles Maniego

Waiters, Heat

Nets

Take Two: Nets get second chance at Miami revenge

By Michael Gorwtiz

LeBron James

Nets

Nets vs. Cavaliers: A (Probably) Imaginary Conversation

By Benny Nadeau

Dragic, Waiters

Nets

Dismal Nets host red-hot Heat

By Andrew Hughes

Popovich

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Nets aim to stay afloat against the fluid Spurs

By Michael Gorwtiz

Chasson

Nets

4 Potential Nets Targets for 10-Day Contracts

By Andrew Hughes

Bench

Nets

The Importance of Keeping Things in Perspective

By Benny Nadeau

1. Joe Johnson (3 seasons, 231 games) Joe Johnson has been close to very good, and for the Brooklyn Nets, that’s enough to be the best. Throughout injuries and moping and 141 wins and low-impact playoff runs and four coaches and general disappointment, Joe has been the main reason that it’s not that bad here. While his stats have been as pedestrian as his name—15.5 points on 43% shooting, 3.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 0.7 steals per game—he has been the closest thing to a superstar the Brooklyn Nets have had for the most cumulative minutes. Deron Williams had a few games, Brook Lopez had a few games, Paul Pierce had his moments, Andray Blatche a few quarters. But Joe Johnson looked the part more often than anyone else. He was the most important player in the Brooklyn Nets' only playoff series win to date, where he beat up on Toronto's young wings like an older brother dominating pool basketball on a summer afternoon. He had the stretch of games in January 2014, starting with the OKC nail-biter that kickstarted Jason Kidd’s redemption run and prevented that second season from becoming too much of a disaster. In general, preventing the Nets from completely falling off has been Joe Jesus' main role. And for the most part, he's succeeded. The Brooklyn Nets are the Large Hadron Collider. I’m not sure what their purpose is, but the people involved claim they are important, and catastrophe always seems imminent. But Joe has been standing by, making sure every decimal point is in the right spot and everyone is wearing their safety goggles. Joe also hit a bunch of clutch shots after arriving in Brooklyn, cementing himself as the guy who kept getting the ball at the end of games. This is surely an anachronistic way to measure achievement (and a fairly nihilistic long-term strategy on the court), but it also says something positive about how the team has perceived Joe's talent and nerves. The guy who keeps getting asked to take the most important shots at the end of games is some sort of superlative, whatever that may be. While not the most advanced way of thinking, this gives Joe some "I know it when I see it" level of superstardom. And with the Brooklyn Nets' lack of actual superstardom, degrees matter. Spiritually, Joe Johnson has been the Nets true mascot—even before the Nets shipped the BrooklyKnight off to the big practice gymnasium in the sky. Coming to the Nets, Joe was couched in a stratospheric contract, six All-Star appearances and the promise of being the second half of a blue chip backcourt. This pedigree positioned him as a gaudy piece of Brooklyn's business model, but Joe ain’t gaudy. Despite his garish contract and any brash claims made by the Nets, Joe has been nothing but an efficient, consistent, blue-collar employee of the Brooklyn franchise. And this has been enough to make him the best player in Brooklyn franchise history. -Andrew Gnerre

Nets

Joe Johnson returns to Brooklyn, will receive video tribute tonight

By Jerry Kane

Montiejunas

Nets

Woj: Rockets match offer sheet to Motiejunas

By Benny Nadeau

Russell Westbrook

Nets

Nets wrap up road trip against Russell Westbrook and the Thunder

By Andrew Hughes

Booker

Nets

Searching for Silver Linings in Nets’ Small Sample Sizes

By Domenic Lanza

(AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

Nets

TBG Player Previews 2016-2017: Anthony Bennett

By Michael Gorwtiz

Randy Foye

Nets

TBG Player Previews 2016-2017: Randy Foye

By Ryan Carbain

Nets Heat Basketball

Nets

Diaries from an Unimportant Preseason Game, Vol. 3

By Ryan Carbain

Jeremy Lin

Nets

TBG Player Previews 2016-2017: Jeremy Lin

By Ryan Carbain

Brook Lopez

Nets

Diaries from an Unimportant NBA Preseason Game, Vol. 2

By Benny Nadeau

News from Around NYC

Mayor Zohran Mamdani at his inauguration event in New York City. His move into the city’s highest office left his Queens Assembly seat vacant, triggering a Feb. 3 special election.

Special election set to fill Mayor Mamdani’s former Assembly seat and other Albany vacancies

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NYC landmarks, including miniature Brooklyn Bridge, highlight Holiday Train Show at NYBG

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3 New Health Care Laws: Here’s What’s Covered for New Yorkers

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