The Brooklyn Nets returned to the Barclays Center tonight for the first time in two weeks, capping off their longest road trip of the season. Alas, there was no homecoming celebration of sorts for them on deck — nobody with balloons to greet them at the airport, nobody with a cake at the front door, no “welcome home” banner stretched across the banister. Just the New Orleans Pelicans.
With Brooklyn dropping five of their past six, three to lottery-bound teams, whatever chance they might’ve had in getting a warm welcome was long gone. Although the Nets still technically remain in the hunt for a Play-In spot, there isn’t even a faint breeze in the fanbase’s sails thanks to the recent losing skid.