The NBA released its 2019-20 schedule of NBA games today, and the Brooklyn Nets followed showcasing their highly anticipated schedule. As one who has been regularly covering the Brooklyn Nets since its inaugural 2012-13 season in Brooklyn, I can tell you the first home game of the season at the Barclays Center is always thrilling. There’s electricity in the air, as excited diehard Nets fans are back to root for their team. However, if you follow NBA news, you know this season is going to be different. You will want to be at the Barclays Center when the Nets first game of the season tips off against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, October 23rd, at Barclays Center.
And, if you’re asking why, go have a seat. Seriously, this will be the night that the Brooklyn Nets unveils its new roster to the public, which includes the long-awaited introduction of new players Kevin Durant (although Durant won’t be playing), Kyrie Irving, and DeAndre Jordan, as well as, returning fan favorites: Jarrett Allen, Spencer Dinwiddie, Joe Harris, Rodions Kurucs, Caris LeVert, Dzanan Musa, and Theo Pinson.
The Timberwolves will feature its standouts Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, and former Nets players Treveon Graham and Shabazz Napier should be in the house, as they now play for the Timberwolves.
Over the course of the season, fans are going to be paying attention to see if Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson will be able to work his player development magic on 2019 NBA draftees Nicolas Claxton and Jaylen Hands, in addition to weaving into the Nets system new players Deng Adel, Wilson Chandler, Henry Ellenson, David Nwaba, Taurean Prince, and Garrett Temple.
Want to see Zion Williamson, the NBA’s 2019 No.1 Draft Pick, in Brooklyn? The Nets play his team, the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday, November 4, 2019. It will be Williamson’s first NBA game in New York City during the regular NBA season.
If going out during the week isn’t your thing, you’re in luck because 18 of Brooklyn’s 41 home games will be played on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. And, if you’re good with arithmetic, you know that’s just under half of the home game schedule.
The Nets will also host five-afternoon matches, including a 3 p.m. game versus the Philadelphia 76ers on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, January 20, 2020.
Want to see the Nets’ first home game against 2019 NBA playoff foe, the Philadelphia 76ers featuring Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons? You can check them out on Sunday, December 5, 2019, at 6:00 p.m. Former Boston Celtics player, Al Horford, is now with the Sixers, so this offers a matchup between him and ex-Boston teammate and new Nets signee, Kyrie Irving.
A couch potato, or a Nets fan living in another city, you’re in luck. The Nets did so well last season, they will be featured on national television 20 times this season, six games on ESPN, six contests on TNT, and eight games on NBA TV.
If you prefer radio, Brooklyn Nets games will broadcast regionally on the YES Network for the 18th consecutive season and on WFAN radio for the 16th consecutive season.
The Nets will play two season-long four-game homestands this season, with the first beginning Tuesday, January 7, versus Oklahoma City and ending Tuesday, January 14, versus Utah, and the second spanning from Wednesday, March 18, versus Washington through Wednesday, March 25, versus the L.A. Clippers. The month of January will feature a season-high 10 home contests.
Brooklyn’s longest stint away from the Barclays Center will come in November, when they embark on a nine-day, five-game road trip, beginning on Friday, November 8, at Portland and concluding in Chicago on Saturday, November 16.
The team’s schedule also includes 11 back-to-back sets. And, you know how players hate back-to-back games.
You can see the full Nets schedule here.
With the player moves that Nets general manager Sean Marks made over the summer, this Nets season is highly anticipated. Expect games to be sold out, so don’t wait until the last minute, get your tickets as soon as possible. This Brooklyn Nets season is going to be lit!
NBA Draft night on Thursday, which was held at the Barclays Center home of the Brooklyn Nets, was one of the most exciting in the last few years.
Aside from Zion Williamson’s presence and the New York Knicks’ fans being able to cheer and exhale with the selection of RJ Barrett at No. 3, Brooklyn Nets fans were excited as well as you could hear the chants of B-R-O-O-K-L-Y-N from nets fans and the Brooklyn Brigade.
Nets fans were still basking in the glory of making it to the NBA playoffs and for the first time since 2013, not having the ominous cloud of the Boston Celtics hanging over their heads. The Brooklyn Nets were finally able to shake off the 2013 nightmare trade with the Boston Celtics which resulted in the Nets losing their first-round draft picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018, and the right to swap first-rounders in 2017 with the Boston Celtics.
And, with their very owned NBA Draft selection, the Brooklyn Nets selected Nicolas Claxton with the 31st overall pick (second round) of the 2019 NBA Draft on Thursday night. Additionally, the Nets acquired the draft rights to Jaylen Hands, the 56th overall pick, along with a 2020 first round pick from the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for the draft rights to Mfiondu Kabengele, the 27th overall pick in this year’s draft.
Claxton (6’11, 220), comes to Brooklyn after two collegiate seasons at the University of Georgia (2017-19). As a sophomore, the forward/center averaged a team-high 13.0 points, 8.6 rebounds (third in the SEC), 1.1 steals and 2.5 blocks (10th in the nation) while adding 1.8 assists in 31.6 minutes per game on his way to being named to the All-SEC Second Team. The 20-year-old finished his career ranked No. 8 on UGA’s all-time blocks list (123). Claxton has also represented the U.S. Virgin Islands in international competition.
Hands (6’3, 180) spent the past two seasons at UCLA (2017-19). As a sophomore, the guard averaged 14.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 6.1 assists (first in the Pac-12) and 1.3 steals in 31.2 minutes per contest, earning All-Pac-12 Second Team honors.
Jaylen Hands, a sophomore from UCLA. Photo Credit Unknown.
The San Diego, California native ended the 2018-19 season tied for eighth in the conference in 3-pointers made (66), shooting at a 37.3 percent (66-of-177) clip.