Following a long West Coast road swing, the Brooklyn Nets (18-57) returned to the Barclays Center for a game with the Sacramento Kings (19-57).
This was a game with big implications for the upcoming NBA Draft Lottery. The Nets entered the night just one game back of the Indiana Pacers for the worst record in the league, and one and a half games worse than the Kings. Both teams are looking to drop games to secure better lottery odds. The Nets got the win, 116-99, and the Kings gained a game in the standings on them.
Here are the biggest takeaways from the Nets home win over the Kings.
1\. Rookie Guards Shine
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Brooklyn's rookie guards have had some up-and-down moments this season, but they've played relatively decent basketball for the majority of the year. That play continued on Sunday, as all three guards contributed to the game in their own way. Nolan Traore had 17 points and six assists. Drake Powell buried four threes to finish with 16 points. And Ben Saraf had eight points, eight boards, and six assists.
Along with Egor Demin, those three guards give the Nets plenty of options for the rotation next season and in the future. Traore and Demin seem like locks to see good minutes in the starting rotation or off the bench. Powell and Saraf will have the opportunity to contribute as well. The rookie guards seem to have a promising future in Brooklyn.
2\. Noah Clowney Leads The Way
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Speaking of inconsistent seasons, Noah Clowney has been one of the poster boys of that for the Nets. When he's on, he's been a really good two-way contributor for Jordi Fernandez. When he's off, he becomes very inefficient from the field and a liability. Luckily for Brooklyn, he was on his game Sunday.
Clowney finished the game with 15 points, seven rebounds, two steals, and two blocks in 20 minutes. He was 5-11 from the field, including 3-6 from behind the arc. At just 21-years-old, there's still plenty of time for Clowney to find some more consistency to his game. And if he does, the Nets are going to have some difficult decisions to make with the roster.
3\. A Feel-Good Win
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Many fans were rooting for the Nets to lose this game and further themselves from Sacramento in the draft lottery race. While there's an argument to be made that would be the best thing for the future of the franchise, winning this game isn't the worst thing in the world.
The Nets got contributions from up-and-down the lineup, including numerous young players who figure to play important roles as soon as next season. Those guys being on the winning end of a game now and then is a good thing, as it teaches them how to win in the NBA. That's something that will be extremely important when Brooklyn is ready to compete again.