Brooklyn won't be in action on Xmas, but the Nets have these gifts that should put them in the Christmas spirit.
It's a little cliche to say the Brooklyn Nets have delivered a December to remember.
The franchise remains 9-19 overall and dead last in the Atlantic standings. But they've had some great holiday gifts arrive -- one in the form of winning six of their last nine games.
With billions across the globe opening up and cherishing gifts, got to thinking about what "gifts" should the Nets be cheerful about during this time of year? Here's five I can think of:
The Brooklyn D -- Starting here as the franchise has flipped a stunning switch on this side of the court. Brooklyn entered Tuesday allowing the fewest points per game in the month of December. They continued the defensive flip on Tuesday -- stealing the ball eight times and blocking two shots against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Nic Claxton -- The 6-foot-11 big is a big reason behind this defensive surge. He's hit five double-double outings in this month alone. Claxton is using his wingspan and length to his advantage.
Egor on the Floor -- Head coach Jordi Fernandez and the Nets have discovered a new shooter during this month surge: One of their prized rookie picks Egor Demin. He's delivered four straight double digit scoring nights including dropping 20 on Philly. He's delivered a combined 12 threes in the last three games too -- handing Brooklyn an extra long-range shooting option.
Bench Depth -- This has been an underrated aspect during Brooklyn's December swoon. The Nets are receiving strong production from the reserves...particularly the rookies. Danny Wolf is showing stout floor awareness that even has drawn Nikola Jokic comparisons. Ziaire Williams and Day'Ron Sharpe prove they can score, dish and get defensive. Tyrese Martin provides a fresh shooter from behind the arc. Even rookie Nolan Traore is carrying his Long Island Nets momentum into the bench.
Finally, MPJ -- Michael Porter Jr. rises as the franchise's best hope to land in the 2026 NBA All-Star game in Inglewood. "MPJ" is combining as a shooting and clean-up-the-glass option for the Nets. He's scaled past the 20-point mark in seven of the last eight games for Brooklyn -- featuring hitting a streak of four straight 30+ point nights to kickoff December. He's also helped put a cease to any pending trade chatter involving his name.
Brooklyn can huddle and appreciate these more valuable gifts compared to a new tablet, IPhone or flat screen TV.