The Nets' West Coast Woes Won't End Tonight

The Brooklyn Nets are in a bad place. Eight straight losses will do that to a team, especially one that started the season with whispers of playoff contention. Now, they roll into Chase Center tonight, 17-55 on the year, looking to snap that ugly streak against the Golden State Warriors. Last time out, on March 20th, they coughed up a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter to the Portland Trail Blazers, losing 128-118. That’s demoralizing.

Golden State isn't exactly setting the world on fire, sitting at 34-38, clinging to the 10th spot in the West. But they’re a different animal at home. The Warriors have won six of their last ten games in San Francisco, and the atmosphere in Chase is still electric when Stephen Curry is cooking. He’s averaging 26.6 points per game this season, still capable of dropping 40 on any given night, like he did against the Lakers on March 16th.

Mikal Bridges has been the lone consistent bright spot for Brooklyn, scoring 19.8 points per game. He’s a warrior, playing in every single game this season. But one player, even a good one like Bridges, can’t carry this Nets team. Their defense has been atrocious during this slide, giving up an average of 121 points per game over the last eight contests. That’s simply not going to cut it against anyone, let alone a Warriors team that can explode offensively.

Here’s the thing: Brooklyn is 5-29 on the road this season. That’s not a typo. Five wins. Twenty-nine losses. They haven't won a road game since February 14th, a 116-104 victory over the Boston Celtics – an anomaly if there ever was one. Every other away game since then has been a defeat. They lost to the Raptors on February 29th, 121-93. They got blown out by the Lakers, 116-104, on March 18th. This team just can’t get it together away from Barclays Center.

The Warriors, meanwhile, are fighting for their play-in lives. They’re only a game ahead of the Houston Rockets, who are breathing down their necks. Every game matters for Golden State right now. Draymond Green’s leadership, while sometimes controversial, becomes even more important in these situations. He had 12 assists in their last game against the Miami Heat, a 113-92 win. That kind of playmaking is crucial.

Look, the Nets have some talent. Cam Thomas can score in bunches – he had 25 points against Portland. Dennis Schroder is a savvy veteran. But they lack cohesion, especially on the defensive end. They gave up 68 points in the paint to the Blazers. That’s an issue.

The first time these two teams met, back on December 16th, the Warriors won easily, 124-120, even with Curry only scoring 20 points. Klay Thompson dropped 24 points in that game. I don’t see a path for the Nets tonight. The Warriors have too much to play for, too much firepower, and the Nets are simply too broken on the road.

Bold prediction: Stephen Curry goes for 35+ points, and the Warriors win by double digits, pushing Brooklyn's losing streak to nine.