NEW YORK — The Nets have been able to turn their record around in large part due to a favorable schedule that included a seven-game home stand and a slew of matchups against non-playoff caliber opponents.
That is about to change. The Nets are set for a test.
Ten of Brooklyn’s next 14 games come against teams either competing for a playoff spot or a championship, starting with Wednesday’s matchup against the Golden State Warriors.
If the age-old adage “iron sharpens iron” continues to hold true, the Nets will have an opportunity to test what has become a cohesive group on both sides of the floor against high-caliber teams.
Their next 14 games include two matches against the aforementioned Warriors, and games against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Pelicans, Phoenix Suns, Miami Heat, Utah Jazz and Philadelphia 76ers.
Head coach Jacque Vaughn says “nothing changes as far as our format” in terms of the approach to games against quality competitions.
“[But there] definitely has to be an increased level of focus and readiness,” Vaughn said after Tuesday’s practice at the HSS Training Facility in Industry City. “You don’t want to go into a game and dig yourself into a hole like we had the last two games double digits because might not be any digging your way out are those. Overall healthy group and look forward to seeing game by game with that what that brings.”
It’s one thing to climb up the conference standings raking up wins against lesser opponents. It’s another thing entirely for a team to prove it belongs atop the standings by beating teams with the same tangible aspirations.
Nobody considered the Pelicans legitimate championship contenders, for example, until they came out on opening night and blew the Nets out the water at Barclays Center.
“It’s a big challenge for us. We’ve gotta raise our level of play,” said veteran forward Royce O’Neale. “The way we’ve been playing sometimes, we can’t come out with a lack of energy. We’ve gotta set the tone from jump and we’ve gotta execute.”
The Warriors will be playing the Nets in the second game of a back-to-back after Tuesday’s matchup against the Knicks. They will be without Stephen Curry (shoulder), and it’s unclear whether or not All-Star forward Andrew Wiggins will play as he returns to the fold from dealing with a groin injury.
“That’s where you have to turn it to it being about us as much as you can just because they play tonight, not knowing who they’re gonna play, how the back-to-backs is gonna be,” Vaughn said. “So we’re going to worry about us in that part of it and we’ll take a look after the game. I think you approach it as: We’re back home. We got two [wins] when we were away. Let’s end the year in a positive direction and get this one tomorrow.”
Despite the level of competition, the wins are wins — and they’re victories the Nets struggled to secure during their tumultuous, failed run last season. The Nets enter Wednesday’s Warriors showdown winners of six in a row, 10 of their last 11, and 15 of their last 20.
After starting the season 2-5 under former coach Steve Nash, the Nets own a 19-12 record, placing Vaughn among the front runners for early Coach of the Year consideration with a 17-7 record after taking the reins in Brooklyn.
Vaughn said prioritizing the “little details” helped change the tide after a rocky start.
“Little things that probably bit us early. Whether that’s the rebounding piece, whether that’s the turnover piece, whether that’s the fouling piece,” he said. “We’re getting some growth in a lot of different areas. That’s helping us produce wins. And I think at the end of the day, that concentration level of trying to win that day’s game has been heightened with this group, which is good.”
Those details will need to be tightened even further if the Nets are going to retain that level of success through their upcoming schedule.
“The focus gotta tighten up when you play better teams,” TJ Warren said. “I mean, you can’t look at someone’s record and just assume it’s gonna be an easy win. Playing for this team, the other team is gonna get up to play against us. It just is what it is. We’ve gotta be prepared for every team’s best shot.”
