Sixteen games into the season, the Nets’ glass was half full. Their record was just 8-8, but they were playing hard, had a top 10 offense, and were in every game. Sixteen games later, the vibe is a good deal less positive. The record in those 16 games is 7-9, not much different despite a tough western road trip. But a controversial surrender to the Bucks and a tough loss to the lowly Wizards have impatient fans clamoring to fire Jacque Vaughn and trade every player in sight. What’s happened, and why?
A simple comparison of team stats (per 100 possessions) from these two 16-game stretches provides some surprising perspective on the slump.