ORLANDO, Fla. — The Nets head into Friday’s game against the Magic as one of the hottest teams in basketball. It’s the first time in six years they’ve been .500 this deep into the season, something even coach Kenny Atkinson had to acknowledge was a big deal.
It might be an even bigger deal that — after getting a little taste of the playoff race — the fast-rising Nets (23-23) want more. Much more.
“Yeah, I’ll say this: I’ll admit it, that’s real progress,” said Atkinson, cautious of having his players lose sight of today by looking forward to tomorrow.