The New Jersey-turned Brooklyn Nets have had some competitive seasons since migrating from the ABA, but they have never been able to win a title. When fans think about the Nets' championship runs, two eras come to mind: the early 2000s and the early 2020s. These two periods were crucial, as they were when the Nets reached or were close to the NBA Finals.
New Jersey mayhem: the Nets' first NBA Finals appearance
The Nets experienced one of their biggest highs in franchise history during the 2001-02 season. New Jersey began their playoff journey after going 52-20 and earning the first seed in the Eastern Conference. Former All-NBA First Team point guard Jason Kidd led the group with a strong two-way showing. Kidd averaged 14.7 points, 9.9 assists, and 2.1 steals during the regular season.
New Jersey took on the Indiana Pacers in the postseason's first round, winning the series 3-2. Then, the Nets beat the Boston Celtics 4-2 to advance to the Finals, where they faced an uphill battle against a star-studded Los Angeles Lakers team.
The Lakers possessed the two-headed monster of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, who were fresh off All-NBA Team appearances. However, the Nets had their own weapons. In addition to Kidd, New Jersey had Kenyon Martin, Kerry Kittles, Keith Van Horn, and Richard Jefferson providing stout support.
In the end, the Lakers were too much to handle and put the Nets' dreams of winning their first NBA Finals to rest with a 4-0 series win.
Episode 2002-03: New Jersey strikes back
The Nets were not satisfied with how things ended in 2001-02. They embarked upon the 2002-03 season with a vengeance and went 49-33, which was good enough to earn the second seed in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
This time, the Nets faced the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round and won the series 4-2. They breezed by the Celtics 4-0 in the second round before conducting another sweep against the Detroit Pistons in the Conference Finals. New Jersey then found itself in the NBA Finals for the second consecutive year but with a different foe.
The Nets were up against a young and strong San Antonio Spurs group led by Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. Duncan had come off an All-NBA First Team and Defensive Player of the Year regular season campaign, so the Nets had their hands full on both sides of the ball.
New Jersey put up an improved fight from the previous year, winning two games in the series. Despite the Nets' iconic Game 2 win, the Spurs got the last laugh with a 4-2 series victory. This marked the last time the Nets reached the NBA Finals.
The team eventually moved across the state border and played their first season in Brooklyn during the 2012-13 season. Their title aspirations did not come to fruition, despite over a decade in the borough, However, fans of the 2020s era will never forget when the franchise was a foot away from a deep run.
How Kevin Durant's foot nearly spurred a trip to the Finals
The Nets have historically not been afraid to take risks when it comes to acquiring talent. They pulled off a blockbuster trade for Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Jason Terry during the summer of 2013. Then, two years after signing Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving during the 2019 free agency period, the Nets traded for James Harden.
Brooklyn proceeded to have one of its most exciting postseason runs in history during the 2021 Playoffs. The Nets faced Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks in the Conference Semifinals. The series went down to a thrilling Game 7, where Kevin Durant played his heart out.
The Nets were down 107-109 with six seconds left and inbounded the ball to Durant. Guarded by PJ Tucker, Durant caught the ball, dribbled into Tucker, and hit an incredible turnaround jumper:
The only problem was that Durant's foot was on the line, so his basket counted as a two-pointer, and the game went to overtime. The Nets eventually lost 115-111. Had Durant's foot been a size or two larger, the Nets might have advanced to the Conference Finals and later, the NBA Finals.
As of 2024, the Nets still have not won a championship. Yet, with their promising young talent and a stash of draft picks, there is a strong chance of them avenging their New Jersey predecessors and bringing a championship back to the borough.