Nets fans sat through two tanking seasons — and suffered through almost 120 losses — to land first Egor Dëmin and then Mikel Brown Jr. as the payoff.
asserted
fans → sit → payoff
It’s no surprise, then, that those fans have pinned their hopes on the pair of 20-year-olds as the backcourt of the future and the foundation of their franchise.
asserted
fans → ’ → franchise
With their preseason about to tip off Tuesday at Charlotte, what message did Dëmin and Brown — the latter coming off an ankle injury, and just now cleared for some contact — have for their fans?
asserted
latter → tip → fans
“[Just] that we’re going to try to win every single day, whether it’s a game or practice or whatever it is,” Dëmin said at Sunday’s Nets Fest.
asserted
Dëmin → go → Fest
“And all we need from them is support and being there for us and not against us.”
asserted
we → need → us
As hard as it may be for the Nets to flip the switch from the lottery and losing, it might be just as hard for their fans.
uncertain
it → flip → fans
Every victory was greeted with rampant panic from the tank-obsessed fanbase.
asserted
victory → greet → fanbase
“My message is just, 1) show out.
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message → show → ?
Come to the game, pack it out, because we need all the help that we can get, all the love that we can get for one,” Brown said.
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Brown → come → one
“And then 2) I’m gonna keep saying it, I feel like we’re gonna shock the world.
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we → go → world
“I really do feel like we’re going to shock the world with this team and this group of guys that we got.”
asserted
we → feel → that
Even before the Nets dove headlong into a tank, the Barclays Center crowd all too often felt like a neutral court, if not like playing on the road when a contender like the Warriors or Lakers, Celtics or Knicks came to Brooklyn.
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contender → dive → Brooklyn
But Dëmin and Brown represent at least a chance to somewhat change that.
asserted
Dëmin → represent → that
If they do their jobs, of course.
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they → do → course
During Nets Fest at Major R. Owens Health & Wellness Community Center, no players were more surrounded and mobbed by young fans than them.
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players → surround → them
When Dëmin hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 3.6 seconds left in overtime vs. Orlando on Jan. 7, it brought the loudest roar from a Nets crowd in years.
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it → hit → years
As not only a homegrown player but one of the two lottery picks the team tanked for, Dëmin fully grasps why fans gravitated toward himself and Brown and understands the responsibility that comes with it.
“I’m not taking that for granted.
asserted
I → tank → that
That’s the honor to be a part of that.
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That → ’ → that
Being able to experience that, and be a part of their community that really cheers and really roots for us, that’s very special for me,” Dëmin said.
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Dëmin → experience → me
“That’s one of my biggest motivations is to keep bringing people joy — for all of us, me and the whole team in general.
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’s → ’ → us
Brown never experienced that weird vibe that Dëmin had as a rookie, with wins treated as losses.
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wins → experience → losses
But after the Nets tanked last season to wind up with the No. 6 pick used on Brown, the rookie can’t wait to make his debut and represent Brooklyn, whether that comes Tuesday or at a later date.
asserted
that → tank → date
“I don’t look at this as pressure.
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I → look → pressure
I just feel like people that love you for who you are.
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you → feel → you
The burden of playing for this city, I wouldn’t even call it pressure; it’s a privilege,” Brown said.
asserted
Brown → play → it
“It’s a privilege to be able to represent the city and represent all those fans out there.
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It → ’ → fans
It’s unclear when Brown will get his first chance.
uncertain
Brown → ’ → chance
He was cleared for contact right ahead of the preseason opener on the road.
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He → clear → road
The regular season opener is Oct. 21 at home against those same Hornets they face Tuesday.
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they → face → Hornets
“I’m getting back on the court, and I’m moving way better.
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I → get → court
I’m starting to get to full speed now, starting to get a little bit of contact in as of right now in my workouts and stuff like that,” Brown said.
asserted
Brown → start → that
“But as of now, I’m just leaning on my performance staff to put me in the best situation possible.”
asserted
I → lean → situation
The Aporia
